Waez-Zadeh Behsoodi: He Will No Longer Publicly Criticize Taliban Over Treatment of Shias
DID Press: Ayatollah Waez-Zadeh Behsoodi returned to Kabul on Wednesday after spending four months abroad, announcing that he would no longer publicly criticize the Taliban’s treatment of Afghanistan’s Shia community or discuss its problems in the media.
Speaking at a gathering of Shia residents in Kabul, Behsoodi said his trip abroad had been for medical treatment and religious outreach. However, he stayed longer than planned on doctors’ advice to complete his treatment.
He said he typically spends around 10 months each year in Kabul teaching and pursuing academic activities, while dedicating the months of Muharram and Safar to religious outreach. He added that he sometimes travels abroad at the request of communities seeking religious activities.
Addressing his future approach to the Taliban, Behsoodi said he would no longer publicly criticize the group’s conduct toward Shias or highlight the community’s difficulties through the media. Criticizing some media outlets, he said they sometimes give such prominence to particular stories that it appears no other news exists, adding that instead of encouraging “good,” they lead people toward “evil.”
Referring to what he described as the Taliban’s recent actions against Shias, Behsoodi said that if he had an opportunity to hold a “private meeting” with Taliban officials, he would raise all the issues there.
He stressed that throughout the Taliban’s five years in power, he had tried to act as a well-wisher by offering advice, guidance and counsel to help resolve problems. He said he would continue this approach and keep calling for the correction of certain shortcomings and deficiencies.
Behsoodi said his criticism and efforts to highlight problems had been intended to improve conditions and reduce people’s difficulties, rather than aggravate the situation by publicizing sensitive issues.
He concluded by expressing concern over the lack of well-wishers in Afghanistan, saying the country’s circumstances would be different today if it had more people genuinely seeking the public good.