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To Protect Foreigners, Afghanistan Shuts Down Their Hangouts To Protect Foreigners, Afghanistan Shuts Down Their Hangouts
(5 months later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan government, battered by a series of pre-election attacks aimed at foreigners in Kabul, the capital, has come up with a novel way of protecting them: Close their hangouts. KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan government, battered by a series of pre-election attacks aimed at foreigners in Kabul, the capital, has come up with a novel way of protecting them: Close their hangouts.
Afghan uniformed police and plainclothes agents circulated through central Kabul neighborhoods on Tuesday and ordered at least 11 restaurants and several guesthouses closed until after the presidential election on Saturday.Afghan uniformed police and plainclothes agents circulated through central Kabul neighborhoods on Tuesday and ordered at least 11 restaurants and several guesthouses closed until after the presidential election on Saturday.
The Gandamack Lodge, a guesthouse and restaurant popular with journalists, was among the most prominent closings. Officials of the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan intelligence agency, arrived Tuesday morning and told the manager, Nasrullah Nazari, to close the premises and tell his guests to leave.The Gandamack Lodge, a guesthouse and restaurant popular with journalists, was among the most prominent closings. Officials of the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan intelligence agency, arrived Tuesday morning and told the manager, Nasrullah Nazari, to close the premises and tell his guests to leave.
Among those evicted was Renee Montagne of NPR, who has always stayed at the Gandamack when here. “I just said, ‘Well, welcome to Afghanistan,’ ” she said.Among those evicted was Renee Montagne of NPR, who has always stayed at the Gandamack when here. “I just said, ‘Well, welcome to Afghanistan,’ ” she said.
Mr. Nazari said, “They said it was an order from the president,” adding that he was shown a list of about a dozen other guesthouses and restaurants to be closed.Mr. Nazari said, “They said it was an order from the president,” adding that he was shown a list of about a dozen other guesthouses and restaurants to be closed.
One expatriate, who did not want to be quoted by name, said, “They just don’t want another dead foreigner.”One expatriate, who did not want to be quoted by name, said, “They just don’t want another dead foreigner.”
Other restaurants said they had been visited by members of the intelligence agency or the Afghan police and told that their security was deemed inadequate and that they would not be allowed to open to the public until after the election. Some were also told of intelligence suggesting a coming attack on foreign guesthouses.Other restaurants said they had been visited by members of the intelligence agency or the Afghan police and told that their security was deemed inadequate and that they would not be allowed to open to the public until after the election. Some were also told of intelligence suggesting a coming attack on foreign guesthouses.
Afghan officials seemed to struggle to get their stories straight about the closings, perhaps sensitive to suggestions they had been unable to protect establishments catering to foreigners, in what had been a busy social scene until recent attacks.Afghan officials seemed to struggle to get their stories straight about the closings, perhaps sensitive to suggestions they had been unable to protect establishments catering to foreigners, in what had been a busy social scene until recent attacks.
One of the spokesmen for President Hamid Karzai, Fayeq Wahedi, declined to say whether the president had ordered the measures. “I do not want to comment on this issue, and whatever officials of the M.O.I. and N.D.S. say about this issue is our formal stance,” he said, referring to the Interior Ministry and the intelligence agency.One of the spokesmen for President Hamid Karzai, Fayeq Wahedi, declined to say whether the president had ordered the measures. “I do not want to comment on this issue, and whatever officials of the M.O.I. and N.D.S. say about this issue is our formal stance,” he said, referring to the Interior Ministry and the intelligence agency.
Sediq Seddiqi, the spokesman for the Interior Ministry, which is in charge of the police, flatly denied there had been any such closings, and he said the authorities had merely offered advice to restaurants and guesthouses on improving their security.Sediq Seddiqi, the spokesman for the Interior Ministry, which is in charge of the police, flatly denied there had been any such closings, and he said the authorities had merely offered advice to restaurants and guesthouses on improving their security.
“We have not closed any restaurants or guesthouses,” Mr. Seddiqi said. “Any claim by the owners that we have made them close their restaurants is a baseless accusation.”“We have not closed any restaurants or guesthouses,” Mr. Seddiqi said. “Any claim by the owners that we have made them close their restaurants is a baseless accusation.”
An intelligence agency official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as a matter of official policy, confirmed that an unspecified number of guesthouses had been ordered closed. “It is done for their safety, and after our assessments of them, we decided to request a shutdown for some of these guesthouses which did not have good security and enough guards,” he said.An intelligence agency official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as a matter of official policy, confirmed that an unspecified number of guesthouses had been ordered closed. “It is done for their safety, and after our assessments of them, we decided to request a shutdown for some of these guesthouses which did not have good security and enough guards,” he said.
Since January, there has been a series of attacks targeting foreigners and places they frequent. In January, a suicide attack on the restaurant Taverna du Liban killed 21 people, 13 of them foreigners. In March, not far from the restaurant, a Swedish journalist was shot execution-style; nine people were killed by gunmen who sneaked into the luxury Serena Hotel; and, in what could have been a blood bath of about two dozen Americans and their children, an attack apparently aimed at a Christian-run day care center in Kabul narrowly missed.Since January, there has been a series of attacks targeting foreigners and places they frequent. In January, a suicide attack on the restaurant Taverna du Liban killed 21 people, 13 of them foreigners. In March, not far from the restaurant, a Swedish journalist was shot execution-style; nine people were killed by gunmen who sneaked into the luxury Serena Hotel; and, in what could have been a blood bath of about two dozen Americans and their children, an attack apparently aimed at a Christian-run day care center in Kabul narrowly missed.
“The Afghan government is not capable of providing security to expats,” said Peter Jouvenal, the Gandamack’s British founder and owner. “They had no concern as to where our guests would go — they insisted we throw them out on the streets. They were not interested in the safety of our foreign guests.”“The Afghan government is not capable of providing security to expats,” said Peter Jouvenal, the Gandamack’s British founder and owner. “They had no concern as to where our guests would go — they insisted we throw them out on the streets. They were not interested in the safety of our foreign guests.”
Managers or workers at 11 central Kabul restaurants confirmed that the police had ordered them to close. L’Atmosphere, a restaurant and nightclub popular with foreigners and famous for its decibel level, had closed on its own in anticipation of such an order after the Serena Hotel was attacked.Managers or workers at 11 central Kabul restaurants confirmed that the police had ordered them to close. L’Atmosphere, a restaurant and nightclub popular with foreigners and famous for its decibel level, had closed on its own in anticipation of such an order after the Serena Hotel was attacked.
“After the Serena attack, N.D.S. and Afghan police came to our restaurant and told us to close down until after the election,” said Parwiz Sharifi, manager of the Sufi Restaurant, which served Afghan food and was popular with both Afghans and foreigners. “They told us that we should stop serving people, especially foreigners, because of security threats to their lives.”“After the Serena attack, N.D.S. and Afghan police came to our restaurant and told us to close down until after the election,” said Parwiz Sharifi, manager of the Sufi Restaurant, which served Afghan food and was popular with both Afghans and foreigners. “They told us that we should stop serving people, especially foreigners, because of security threats to their lives.”
Like Mr. Sharifi, Mr. Nazari of the Gandamack said he believed the security was adequate, although the authorities apparently disagreed.Like Mr. Sharifi, Mr. Nazari of the Gandamack said he believed the security was adequate, although the authorities apparently disagreed.
Some journalists evicted from the Gandamack moved to the Serena Hotel — one of few places other than the Gandamack that Western security advisers had previously viewed as safe. “I just find it ironic,” said Ms. Montagne, who noted that the Gandamack had never been attacked, unlike the Serena, and that during her week there the staff members had briefed guests on how to find the armored safe room and what to do in the event of an attack.Some journalists evicted from the Gandamack moved to the Serena Hotel — one of few places other than the Gandamack that Western security advisers had previously viewed as safe. “I just find it ironic,” said Ms. Montagne, who noted that the Gandamack had never been attacked, unlike the Serena, and that during her week there the staff members had briefed guests on how to find the armored safe room and what to do in the event of an attack.
Even before the ordered closings, many restaurants in Kabul were having a difficult time because of security precautions and curfews imposed by many organizations employing foreigners here. Even on Thursday nights, the eve of the Afghan weekend, many establishments lately had only one or two customers.Even before the ordered closings, many restaurants in Kabul were having a difficult time because of security precautions and curfews imposed by many organizations employing foreigners here. Even on Thursday nights, the eve of the Afghan weekend, many establishments lately had only one or two customers.
“I am not sure when we will be able to reopen the restaurant,” Mr. Sharifi said. “But I think it will be difficult for us to attract customers anytime soon.”“I am not sure when we will be able to reopen the restaurant,” Mr. Sharifi said. “But I think it will be difficult for us to attract customers anytime soon.”