Latest modern slavery fight updates - FreedomUnited.org

Bacha Bazi–Dancing Boys

  • Published on
    June 19, 2016
  • News Source Image
  • Category:
    Child Slavery, Slavery In conflict
Hero Banner

Bacha Bazi is an ancient custom that is popular in Afghanistan, especially in the province of Uruzgan.  It literally means boys without beards and involves a lustful attraction to them by powerful police commanders.

The Taliban, however, for the last two years, have used the boys like a wave of Trojan Horse attacks to kill hundreds of policemen, according to security and judicial officials in the province.

Ghulan Sakhi Rogh Lewanai who was once a Uruzgan’s police chief says, “The Taliban are sending boys – beautiful boys, handsome boys – to penetrate checkpoints and kill, drug and poison policemen. They have figured out the biggest weakness of police forces – bacha bazi.”

The custom is the abuse of children by both sides of the conflict.  It has make authorities confused, and one recently said, “it’s easier tackling suicide bombers than bacha attackers”.

A Batch Bazi is a young boy taken from his family to dance for a male audience, the boys are often sexually assaulted and are kept like concubines.  The killings illustrate how bacha bazi is aggravating insecurity in Uruzgan, a remote province which officials warn is teetering on the brink of collapse, unravelling hard-won gains by US, Australian and Dutch troops who fought there for years.

“These bacha attacks have fuelled deep mistrust within police ranks,” said a police commander at a checkpoint.

The insurgents are using boys as honey traps, said 21-year-old Matiullah, a policeman who was the only survivor from an insider attack in Dehrawud district in spring last year.  He explained how the attacker was the checkpoint commander’s own sex slave, a young boy named Zabihullah. One night, the boy went on a shooting spree, killing seven policemen, some while they slept. “He brought the Taliban inside and poked all the bodies with rifle butts to see if anyone was alive. I pretended to be dead.”

 

Afghanistan's Dancing Boys

A young Afghan Batcha Bazi (Dancing Boy) is being dressed by his “owner” for a private party.

Subscribe

Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.

stop icon A few things we do not tolerate: comments that promote discrimination, prejudice, racism, or xenophobia, as well as personal attacks or profanity. We screen submissions in order to create a space where the entire Freedom United community feels safe to express and exchange thoughtful opinions.

Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

This week

Advocacy groups successfully stall Shein U.K. IPO

Britain's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is taking longer than usual to approve Shein’s London IPO due to concerns raised by the advocacy group Stop Uyghur Genocide (SUG) regarding alleged links between Shein’s supply chain and forced labor in the Uyghur Region. Sources close to the matter suggest the FCA is reviewing the company's oversight and preparing for potential legal challenges, including a judicial review application. The global fast

| Thursday December 12, 2024

Read more