The buildings on the campus of Nangarhar Islamic Universityare falling apart. The footpaths are not paved. There is a shortage ofprofessors, electricity is intermittent, and the dormitories are overcrowded.But across Afghanistan this rundown old setting has become famous as a thorn inthe side of the government and its NATO allies. The young men educated herestage regular protests that often feature blocking one of the country's mainhighways and burning US flags.
Many have been arrested for alleged links to the insurgents,and critics even accuse them of supporting Al Qaeda. The students themselves,however, are proud of the reputation they have, insisting they are simplyspeaking out in defense of their religion and their country. For them theuniversity is a kind of mini-state, a place where they rule and a strictinterpretation of Islam holds sway. "Our enemy is not only America and theWest; our enemy are oppressors wherever they are. If America leaves and ourpeople are still oppressed we will protest and do anything we can to stopit," said Niamatullah, an engineering student.
Established in the early 1960s on the outskirts of Jalalabadcity in eastern Afghanistan, this used to be the same as any othergovernment-run university. The situation only really changed when the word“Islamic” was officially added to the name during the Taliban era, and thenkept during the US-led occupation. This apparently insignificant step had aprofound impact, confirming a growing fundamentalism on the campus andattracting other like-minded individuals to join in pursuit of their highereducation. An estimated 10,000 students are now enrolled here. These includewomen who could be seen dressed conservatively in headscarves or burqas.
In an article posted on the Taliban's website earlier thisyear, the university was described as "an invincible fort in the war ofintellectuals." It called the students' regular demonstrations against theoccupation "as worthy as the use of a gun." The most recent of theseinvolved them again blocking the main road connecting Jalalabad to Kabul insolidarity with an Afghan soldier believed to be awaiting execution. Thesolider is in a government prison for killing French troops in January.
The university has a total of 12 faculties ” the majority ofthem on the main campus. Some students who spoke on condition of anonymity saidmembers of the sharia law and engineering faculties carry the most influence,even intimidating professors who are viewed as liberals.
Political unrest in universities is a particularly sensitiveissue for the Afghan government. Many of the leading figures in the series ofconflicts that have shaken this country for more than 30 years first emerged asstudent activists in Kabul during the 1960s and 70s, when communism andIslamism were the competing ideologies. Today the fundamentalists here inNangarhar regard democracy and the West with similar disdain. They aredetermined to continue opposing the United States until it meets the same fateas the Soviet Union.
