By Khaleda Atta
April-June 2000
Lemar-Aftaab
IN Afghanistan: A Land in Shadow, Chris Johnson
depicts the tragic tale of the country's past and present through more than
eighty captivating photographs and numerous personal stories of the local people.
She also covers the regions of Badakhshan to Hazarajat. The book provides a
concise yet detailed account of the events leading to the current takeover by the Taliban government.
Topics covered range from Islam and Women, to Health and Drugs. Even the geographic breakdown of the
country and each eclectic tribal grouping of its people are discussed. These include Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turkmen,
Hazaras, Nuristanis, Baluchis, Aimaqs, Brahuis, Qizilbash and Kuchis.
Johnson takes us through time from the play of the British and Russian empires to the development of the People's
Democratic Party of Afghanistan. She also provides a breakdown of Who's Who amongst the leaders of those
times, such as Zahir Shah, Hafizullah Amin, Mujaddidi, and Rabbani. Also outlined are short descriptions of the
numerous political parties, including the Afghan Liberation Front, Jamiat-i Islami, Hizb-i Wahdat.
The book also covers the field mine problem which is a major problem for Afghanistan. As she puts it: "More than 10
million land mines are buried here...20 to 25 people fall victim to them every day..."
The mines have been buried in cities near airports and government agencies as defense mechanisms or even as a means
to "depopulate villages."
The many stories of survival are sprinkled in the book through powerful excerpts and poignant photography.
Not only does the material presented in this book provide a different perspective on events in Afghanistan, but it is also
great for those interested in detailed information but do not have the time to spend on lengthy literature.
Overall, Johnson's work is enjoyable and recommendable to anyone interested in Afghanistan, especially to the young
generation of Afghans who left the country at an early age or were born elsewhere. The book is easy to read
and written in a style that can reach many audiences from the casual leisure-reader to the avid bookworm.
Afghanistan: A Land in Shadow not only enables the silenced "truth" to be heard but provides an "outsiders' perspective
from the inside" as Johnson writes through her experience in Afghanistan with Oxfam, a British relief organization.
Aside from the basic facts and figures provided, which can be picked up from any encyclopaedia, this book brings out the
actual issues faced by Afghans near and far and the perplexities of an ongoing war that has brought wrought onto the
nation for so long and quite possibly for years to come.
Other work by Khaleda Atta:
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