Login/Register Login | Register
55 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 15 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Life Arts    H4'ed 2/11/10

The Unemployed Men of Afghanistan, PHOTO-ESSAY

By   3 comments
Follow Me on Twitter     Message Ralph Lopez
Become a Fan
  (12 fans)
Going into the ninth year of the occupation with a persistent 40-50 percent unemployment rate, here are some photos I took of the men who gather in Sar-e-Chowk, Pul-e-khishtee, and Shahr-e-now Squares in Kabul beginning at 4a.m. on any morning hoping to be picked up for a day's work. The going rate for a day of unskilled labor is about $4 a day, though often the men will bargain down to $1 if they are desperate (again, that's per day, not per hour.) You are lucky if you get one or two days work a week, and you can stand for weeks getting no work at all. These were taken in June of last year. Since the military "surge" nothing has changed.


(Image by Unknown Owner)   Details   DMCA

Note own painting gear cleaned and ready to work



(Image by Unknown Owner)   Details   DMCA

Probably 1500 to 3000 men gather in the larger squares on any given day.



(Image by Unknown Owner)   Details   DMCA

Man in suit could be a book-keeper or accountant looking for office work



(Image by Unknown Owner)   Details   DMCA

Very calm and patient gentlemen, some wary of having their picture taken. Obviously some kind of community had formed, friendships, food-sharing.



(Image by Unknown Owner)   Details   DMCA



(Image by Unknown Owner)   Details   DMCA


The author is co-founder of Jobs for Afghans, a peaceful solution to the war.
Rate It | View Ratings

Ralph Lopez Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linked In Page       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Ralph Lopez majored in Economics and Political Science at Yale University. He writes for Truth Out, Alternet, Consortium News, Op-Ed News, and other Internet media. He reported from Afghanistan in 2009 and produced a short documentary film on (more...)
 

Related Topic(s): Afghanistan; Afghanistan; Afghanistan; Afghanistan War; Afghanistan War; Afghanistan Warlords; Crisis_in_afghanistan, Add Tags
Add to My Group(s)
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Wikileaks Soldier Reveals Orders for "360 Rotational Fire" Against Civilians in Iraq

Why Obama Will Not Veto NDAA Military Detention of Americans: He Requested It.

McChrystal Trying to Tell Us Something? "We're F%^*king Losing This Thing"

BoA Dumps $75 Trillion In Derivatives On Taxpayers, Super Committee Looks Away. Seize BoA Now.

Obama Lied: Taliban Did Not Refuse to Hand Over Bin Laden

Arrests at White House Over NDAA Military Detention of Americans, Occupy Wall Street Joins Fight.

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend