Child’s play! Like a corpse submerged in deep water, this term also swells and rises to the surface again and again. Sexual slavery of young boys has reportedly been largely curbed in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. If a commander is caught gambling, he can face prison sentences ranging from 20 years to death, but even then the trend cannot be stopped. Amid the ever-changing news, the screams of these children dancing with anklets tied to their feet and being raped are nothing more than the creaking of an old bed. Despite being heard, being ignored.
When we requested to speak to the victims of Bachcha Baji while discussing a lot of sensitive information, the Commander of the Intelligence Department flatly refused. ‘This job is extremely dangerous and even more difficult. This is happening in three or four states, but no one will be willing to talk.
After several days of efforts, we were finally able to reach a family whose son had been missing from home for years after getting trapped in a children’s game. Now it has returned, like a barren land after countless harvests. Apart from the face, nothing is the same about him.
I was working in an opium field when some people picked me up and took me away. The fear, the shock, the fatigue… or the effect of all of that made me pass out. When I regained consciousness, I was under a new roof. With a new name and a new identity. I had become Gul with Junaid. Now I would dress as a girl and dance among the people.
As the months passed, I learned all the tricks of the new profession. The deeper the complexion of the face and the more elasticity there is at the waist, the gentler the owner will be. They would give me money and also a good meal. In exchange, I had to endure the rape with my mouth clenched and dance when asked.
Were you trained to dance or did you just love it?
No. There is no special need for training in this. Only some music would play, to which you would dance lightly. The owner and his friends will be seated. They often continue their conversation. Any commercial deal. Or discussion on any topic. Or just joking. From time to time he looked at me too.
If someone really liked dancing, he would even take money out of his pocket. But there was a special way to take this money. We had to go pick it up with our teeth while we continued dancing. Taking money out of their hands is an insult to their position. When I did this several times at first, that night the owner brutally beat me before raping me.
The owner (they call him Aka) already had two more sons, Barish. Older than me. stronger than me. When the owner wasn’t raping me, he did. They would also fight together. But he was careful that there was never any wound on the face or anywhere that was immediately visible.
I soon realized that I was better than all of them. My face was a little more youthful than other kids my age. Since I am from a village, my understanding of melody was greater than others. He also knew how to play rubab. In a short time I became the owner’s favorite. He started calling me Aashna. One complaint from me and the rest of the guys could have been fired. Even the elders began to fear me. Then I remained his favorite for many years.
They boasted about my delicate face and long hair in front of their friends. I started to like it too. Many times we couldn’t eat two meals at home. Here one gets their favorite and complete food every day. I like to eat mantu (dumplings filled with meat and vegetables). After knowing this, they often asked for Mantu for me. They would buy me expensive fragrances. And soft clothes.
It had become a habit, so even the rape didn’t hurt anymore. The owner would also be lenient when he was sick.
Besides dancing, we had many other tasks. Make sure that no one harms the boss or conspires against him. To track your change. He keeps threatening the cook. I had become so powerful that even people of great stature would speak kindly to me in case I complained.
Our source also tells the same thing in the conversation on Telegram.
There is almost a competition among children as to which of their children is more delicate and more intelligent. This is like showing your power, money or weapons. In our religion, girls are prohibited from dancing, so the Bacha Barishas took their place.
Powerful commanders or combatants keep an eye on poor households. Their target is children between 10 and 18 years old. As soon as these children are found, they are either handed over to the family or kidnapped. After this they remain with the same owner for years. It is very rare for them to pass from one hand to another.
People stay with the Barish child the same way someone stays with their girlfriend or wife in our country. Like your property.
People believe that Bachha Baji was also born during the Taliban era. but it is not like that. This was common even during the era of democracy (elected government). Before, almost all commanders had two, three or even more children, who used to be with him all the time as his friends. I had seen all this with my own eyes.
Nowadays it is more common among the population of Kandahar, Nimroz and Helmand. Especially in the Pashtun tribes.
Here having a child is linked to masculinity. The owner can be married or single. Previously he was also in Kabul and almost the entire country. But there was some reduction during Taliban rule. If any commander or governor is found to be involved in the children’s game, he is immediately removed from office. I myself complained about a commander and punished him.
If convicted of raping children, they can be sentenced to 20 years in prison or even death.
Due to rigor, this does not happen as openly, but it still happens. These guys are used as two in one. They are girlfriends when necessary. And the rest of the time they can also work as spies because there is no restriction on their movement anywhere.
While giving information, the commander shares several videos in which young people dance and sing in front of an older person, or pose as a couple. It says that in 2020, when hundreds of such videos appeared on a social media page, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education also formed an investigative committee. But no one knows what happened to him. Then the Taliban arrived. He made different rules.
After searching on Google, we also found a news related to this on the Internet. According to the report published in The Guardian, the two activists who had published this video began receiving death threats. These were to the point that both had to flee the country along with their families.
While giving information and talking to the child who had left daycare, our source also repeatedly asked to be careful and delete everything.
Junaid, who came from the village, had become completely urban. With a new name, new identity. But having a favorite child is no less than walking on slippery slopes.
Remember: I must have been 10 or 11 years old when these people brought me. Memories of home had been erased. But the teacher did not let me forget my position. Every once in a while I did something that knocked me to the ground. Once he saw me laughing and talking to a girl. That day they beat me with whips. After this I started staying away from girls.
It must have been eight years. Then one day, the owner started looking for another child. I found out about this from the cook.
He said, ‘Maybe you don’t have that pleasure anymore!’ While making Korma, he told many other things. Also, the employer wants a child from the same area where you are from. If you want you can also help them, you will get a good tip.
As soon as the new guy arrived, they sent me back to town. With some money and a pat on the back. The owner’s own people came to drop me off near the town.
It has been many years since I returned. Now I am Junaid. But the past ‘Gul’ remains stagnant.
Jokingly, the people in my town look at me like a woman. Kids my age have established families, but I don’t have any relationships. But most of all, I miss my old life. Dancing, singing, status and good food. Apart from entertaining myself, I don’t have any other skills.
what is the bacchanal
This is a term that comes from Persian, which means children’s play. According to this practice, children over 9 years old and under 18 are kept as sexual slaves. These are called Bacha-Barish, that is, those children whose beards have not grown. They are also sometimes called Aashna to show affection. Due to their young age, they have many feminine qualities, which is why they are considered replacements for girls.
Due to sexual exploitation, children caught in this trend become victims of many diseases. According to the commander, this tradition is more common in the southern part, adjacent to Pakistan, which is why more cases reach doctors there. But the family and the doctors themselves maintain a lot of secrecy so that the secret does not come to light. Many times the family only accepts a half-hearted deal out of fear.
The most dangerous thing about this is that when children return to the family after years of role reversal, they cannot remain normal. They are adults with different habits. Many times even the family itself is reluctant to adopt them. Even if they get married, they cannot remain comfortable in the relationship and they themselves begin to take advantage of underage children. The sequence continues like this.
Isn’t there any law against this?
In Afghanistan, strict punishment was imposed for this in the revised Penal Code in the year 2018. Apart from this, it is also illegal under Article 99 of the Child Protection Law. After the arrival of the Taliban, an even harsher punishment was allegedly decided. 20 years in prison or death. Even after this, it could not be completely eradicated. However, now everything happens very confidentially.
