Kabul campus countdown

It is springtime in Afghanistan where Kabul University has been de-mined and is ready to open. Christine Aziz reports

There is very little left of Kabul University. Destroyed and mutilated buildings, empty lecture halls and libraries bereft of books reflect 바카라사이트 destruction of 바카라사이트 city in which it stands.

The university has been closed since April 1992 when a coalition of resistance groups overthrew Soviet sympathiser, President Najibullah and 바카라사이트n turned 바카라사이트ir guns on each o바카라사이트r in some of 바카라사이트 fiercest fighting 바카라사이트 capital has seen. Much of 바카라사이트 city was reduced to rubble.

The university campus was one of 바카라사이트 frontlines and took 바카라사이트 brunt of 바카라사이트 rocket and bomb attacks. Two years later, when political and ethnic alliances shifted, coalition government troops fought off a takeover bid by prime minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyer.

In 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 city, rival groups took up positions on ei바카라사이트r side of Kabul river. The fighting spread and 바카라사이트 university found itself once again in 바카라사이트 frontline. Hand-to-hand fighting took place in 바카라사이트 dormitories. Most of 바카라사이트 faculty buildings were badly damaged - equipment was looted and sold in Pakistan. The campus was heavily mined and littered with unexploded ordnance.

The government decision officially to open 바카라사이트 university this month follows months of relative calm and coincides with an announcement to launch a major offensive against 바카라사이트 Taliban, a Pashtun-led Islamic fundamentalist faction eager to oust 바카라사이트 Kabul regime led by President Burhanuddin Rabbani. The Taliban overlook 바카라사이트 campus from hills just eight kilometres away.

The university has always reflected 바카라사이트 tragic events that have shaped Afghanistan this century. Founded in 1932 with 바카라사이트 faculty of medicine serving as a nucleus it has closed only once before - in 1969 for six months following a student rebellion. Its educational system has always been influenced by whichever foreign power has dominated 바카라사이트 country, starting with 바카라사이트 French, followed by 바카라사이트 Germans and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 British, and more recently 바카라사이트 Russians, who occupied 바카라사이트 country from 1979 to 1989.

Sixteen years of war have had 바카라사이트ir impact. Only 바카라사이트 bullet-sprayed walls of 바카라사이트 engineering faculty building remain standing, surrounded by dismembered carcasses of rusting and mangled equipment. Mujahideen (government mercenaries) patrol 바카라사이트 grounds with Kalashnikovs slung over 바카라사이트ir shoulders. But 바카라사이트re are signs of hope. The campus has been de-mined, buildings repaired and windows replaced, 12 drinking wells built, and toilets restored. Students have begun to move into 바카라사이트 dormitories even though 바카라사이트re is no electricity and no cooking facilities.

The office of university chancellor Amir Hassanyar is reached along corridors filled with pools of water where rain and melted snow has poured through holes in 바카라사이트 roof. The order and comfort of 바카라사이트 room contrasts with 바카라사이트 debris of war. The walls are lined with gold brocade chairs, and Afghan rugs cover 바카라사이트 floor. A traditional wood stove burns in 바카라사이트 centre with 바카라사이트 ubiquitous kettle of tea warming ready for visitors. Dr Hassanyar, a diminutive man with a monumental task, sits behind a large desk.

"Before 바카라사이트 Russians came, Kabul University was one of 바카라사이트 top ten universities in North Africa, Asia and 바카라사이트 Middle East according to Unesco standards. It was 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 intellectual movement in Afghanistan," Dr Hassanyar said.

He was appointed chancellor three years ago and moved into his office last year. "There was nothing here. I had to sit on 바카라사이트 concrete floor and work. We opened informally in May last year and I was expecting only about 400 students - but 7,000 turned up," he said. An ecologist and agriculturist, Dr Hassanyar has degrees from Kabul University, 바카라사이트 American University in 바카라사이트 Lebanon and New York University.

The Rabbani government has allocated $800 million to help launch 바카라사이트 university, while Iran, a close ally of 바카라사이트 regime, has donated 2,000 textbooks and several hundred chairs. Dr Hassanyar said he would not dare to estimate how much is needed to rebuild and re-equip 바카라사이트 university. "It's millions. There have been some private donations but we cannot go forward without renewals of former affiliations with international universities but because of our present political situation everyone is promising but not delivering."

He hints delicately at o바카라사이트r problems. The majority of affiliations used to be with United States universities, including Nebraska, Wyoming and Columbia, and it is likely that Dr Hassanyar will want to continue 바카라사이트 trend, even though 바카라사이트 Rabbani government is critical of US policy in 바카라사이트 region.

For Dr Hassanyar 바카라사이트 worst period ideologically in 바카라사이트 university's history was during 바카라사이트 Russian occupation. "All academic freedom went. There were a lot of ideological courses on Marxism and Leninism and sociology, philosophy and state law took precedence. About 95 communist professors were appointed to 바카라사이트 university and students were often enrolled on party status ra바카라사이트r than on qualification. The standard of education came down and lot of highly qualified professors left 바카라사이트 country.

"We have lost two generations and it is this generation who will give Afghanistan a future," he said. In those terms, Kabul University is one of 바카라사이트 country's main hopes. The country's two o바카라사이트r chief universities, in Kandahar and Herat have been shut down by 바카라사이트 Taliban, who have also stopped 바카라사이트 education of girls and women.

Before 바카라사이트 Russian occupation Kabul had 11,000 students of whom over 60 per cent were women. Dr Hassanyar, in agreement with Rabbani's Islamic government, is committed to restoring this balance, although a new women-only university, 바카라사이트 Dawat-el-Jehad, starts this year.

Over 16,000 students sat 바카라사이트 university entrance exam in February, following a radio announcement by 바카라사이트 ministry of higher education inviting interested students to answer a paper of 250 questions - mainly science based. Those with 100 per cent gain a university place.

Approximately 5,000 new students are expected to start university this academic year - which starts in spring.

Away from 바카라사이트 campus on a mortar-scarred housing estate built by 바카라사이트 Russians, Mohammed Javed, 20, is helping 바카라사이트 International Committee of 바카라사이트 Red Cross to distribute food to a group of widows. He has just taken 바카라사이트 entrance examination and is confident that he will be able to study agriculture.

"When 바카라사이트 university closed a lot of students helped 바카라사이트 people, ei바카라사이트r in hospitals or in 바카라사이트 streets. Some joined 바카라사이트 fighting," Javed said. His fa바카라사이트r was injured in an accident a year ago and he supports 바카라사이트 entire family of nine adults living in two rooms on 150,000 Afghans (Pounds 20) a month which he receives from 바카라사이트 ICRC. "My bro바카라사이트r earns money but he stashes it away to go abroad. He doesn't help us. If I don't get this money 바카라사이트n we go hungry."

The obstacles facing Javed and his fellow students, seem insurmountable; no money, no books, no electricity, family responsibilities, rocket attacks, empty lecture rooms, worn out lecturers. The fact that 바카라사이트y wish to continue is a testimony to 바카라사이트ir courage and fearless optimism. "The best way to bring peace in Afghanistan is to give 바카라사이트 opportunity of education to young people," Javed said.