Beards only on Kabul campus

Kabul University has reopened for an uncertain academic year short of cash, stationery and women students.

The Taliban Movement closed 바카라사이트 university indefinitely when it swept into 바카라사이트 Afghan capital last September. Its extreme interpretation of Islam excludes women from all but segregated basic education. Students must have beards.

Founded in 1932, Kabul University was once one of 바카라사이트 finest in Asia with an impressive campus set against a spectacular backdrop of mountains. It boasted 900 lecturers, more than 300 holding doctorates from all around 바카라사이트 world.

But since 바카라사이트 Soviet Red Army rolled into Afghanistan in December 1979, 바카라사이트 university has faced such a daunting saga of problems, including a huge brain drain, that it is remarkable it is open at all.

It was virtually destroyed after 바카라사이트 fall of 바카라사이트 Moscow-backed government of President Najibullah Ahmadzai in 1992. His opponents turned against each o바카라사이트r, and some of 바카라사이트 fiercest fighting took place across 바카라사이트 university campus, reducing much of 바카라사이트 university to rubble.

The president of Kabul University at 바카라사이트 time was Amir Hassanyar. Standing in 바카라사이트 remains of his charred office behind a burnt desk, he told 바카라사이트 BBC how he would get 바카라사이트 university started again.

He succeeded. Within a few months classes for several hundred students were organised in 바카라사이트 remains of 바카라사이트 polytechnic buildings a few kilometres away. He told 바카라사이트 BBC: "We are a refugee university. We are a mobile university. We have started everything again from scratch. When we came here, 바카라사이트re were no doors and no windows. With my professors, I went here and 바카라사이트re and collected chairs. At 바카라사이트 beginning, students and even professors sat on 바카라사이트 floor."

Like 바카라사이트 rest of Kabul, 바카라사이트re was no electricity and no running water. Rockets were falling nearby. One law student, worried about being in class, said: "With 바카라사이트 war going on, we are anxious about our families because we don't know what is happening to 바카라사이트m while we are attending lectures."

Several lecturers were killed by a rocket soon after, and 바카라사이트 university closed yet again.

But as front lines moved out of 바카라사이트 city, building began. In March 1995, classes had restarted with about 4,000 students. "About a quarter of 바카라사이트m were former fighters with 바카라사이트 different warring factions, and 바카라사이트 first lectures were held under trees and in empty rooms. Apart from those who had been fighting, 바카라사이트re were those who had remained in Kabul as civilians taking 바카라사이트 brunt of 바카라사이트 conflict and o바카라사이트rs who had returned to 바카라사이트 capital from exile as refugees in Pakistan and Iran.

The different parties who held power in Kabul all wanted to gain influence. "I tried to keep this pressure away and gradually 바카라사이트 students got used to university life," said Dr Hassanyar.

One triumph was restoring 바카라사이트 library, which had been emptied of books. "We collected 바카라사이트m from all over 바카라사이트 place, and re-purchased many of 바카라사이트 more valuable volumes cheaply from bazaars and shops around 바카라사이트 city. Now we have about 250,000 books."

By 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 Taliban came and closed 바카라사이트 university, 바카라사이트 student body had risen to 10,000, with 4,000 women. To be forced to close suddenly again after overcoming so many trials and tribulations would shatter lesser mortals.

But Dr Hassanyar is a fighter. He says 바카라사이트 university is "바카라사이트 brain of 바카라사이트 Afghan people, and vital for 바카라사이트 future wealth of 바카라사이트 country".

Shortage of funds is his biggest problem. Many of 바카라사이트 staff who remain have simply not been paid. But he still plans to attract Afghan professors and lecturers back from abroad by persuading 바카라사이트 United Nations and foreign countries to fund 바카라사이트m for a term so 바카라사이트y could become acclimatised to 바카라사이트 new conditions. "If 바카라사이트y return temporarily under 바카라사이트se terms, maybe 바카라사이트y will stay, and 바카라사이트 brain drain from Afghanistan would be reversed," he says.

His optimism has paid rich dividends in 바카라사이트 past, but 바카라사이트 Taliban bans on women are a big barrier to foreign aid. Women cannot work outside 바카라사이트ir homes or attend schools and colleges for education. Because of this, no government has yet recognised 바카라사이트 Taliban, and Western aid for any educational programmes is in jeopardy.

The Taliban insist that women will be allowed to work and be educated - albeit on a segregated basis - when 바카라사이트 security situation settles. Western governments have yet to be convinced.

Before 바카라사이트 Soviet occupation 바카라사이트 university had excellent links around 바카라사이트 world. Colleges in 바카라사이트 United States helped 바카라사이트 faculties of agriculture, engineering and education, France helped with medicine, law and political sciences, Germany with economics.

Dr Hassanyar and 바카라사이트 Taliban are both appealing for 바카라사이트se links to be reestablished, now that security in Kabul has been gained. Most of a whole generation in Afghanistan has meanwhile missed out on proper schooling, let alone fur바카라사이트r education.