Monika Bulaj: The hidden light of Afghanistan

譯者: Kung-Ming Lin 審譯者: Kai Cheong Chan

My travels to Afghanistan

我在阿富汗的旅程

began many, many years ago

始於很多很多年前

on the eastern border of my country,

我的祖國、

my homeland, Poland.

我的家鄉，波蘭東邊的國界。

I was walking through the forests

我走過了在祖母那一輩時

of my grandmother's tales.

充滿著傳說的森林。

A land where every field hides a grave,

一片每一塊田野都藏有墓穴的土地，

where millions of people

那裡有數以百萬計的人

have been deported or killed

在二十世紀中

in the 20th century.

被屠殺或放逐。

Behind the destruction,

在滅絕的背後，

I found a soul of places.

我找到了那些地方的靈魂。

I met humble people.

我遇上了謙遜的人們。

I heard their prayer

我聆聽他們的禱告

and ate their bread.

也吃他們的麵包。

Then I have been walking East for 20 years --

就這樣，我向著東方走了二十年 -

from Eastern Europe to Central Asia --

從東歐到中亞 -

through the Caucasus Mountains,

經過高加索山脈、

Middle East,

中東、

North Africa,

北非、

Russia.

和俄國。

And I ever met more humble people.

我遇到了更多的謙遜的人。

And I shared their bread and their prayer.

我分享了他們的麵包與祈禱。

This is why I went to Afghanistan.

這就是我到阿富汗的原因。

One day, I crossed the bridge

有一天，我走過

over the Oxus River.

跨越奧克蘇斯河的橋樑。

I was alone on foot.

我單獨一人步行。

And the Afghan soldier was so surprised to see me

阿富汗士兵對我的出現感到非常驚訝

that he forgot to stamp my passport.

而忘記了在我的護照上蓋章。

But he gave me a cup of tea.

但是他給了我一杯茶。

And I understood

然後我瞭解到

that his surprise was my protection.

他的驚訝保護了我。

So I have been walking and traveling,

因此我一直步行和

by horses, by yak, by truck, by hitchhiking,

騎馬、乘犛牛、搭卡車、搭便車地旅遊，

from Iran's border

從伊朗的邊境

to the bottom, to the edge of the Wakhan Corridor.

到瓦罕走廊的底部、邊緣。

And in this way

就這樣

I could find noor, the hidden light of Afghanistan.

我才能找到阿富汗隱藏著的光輝——努爾人。

My only weapon

我身上唯一的武器

was my notebook and my Leica.

只有我的筆記型電腦與萊卡相機。

I heard prayers of the Sufi --

我聽到了塔利班痛恨的蘇菲派 --

humble Muslims,

謙遜的回教徒 --

hated by the Taliban.

的祈禱。

Hidden river,

一條不為人知的長河

interconnected with the mysticism

連接起直布羅陀到印度之間

from Gibraltar to India.

的神秘主義。

The mosque where the respectful foreigner

那座清真寺把受敬重的外國人

is showered with blessings

沐浴在祝福

and with tears,

和淚水中，

and welcomed as a gift.

亦如天賜地歡迎他們。

What do we know

對於我們假意保護的

about the country and the people

這個國家以及她的人民

that we pretend to protect,

我們又瞭解多少呢？

about the villages

知否他們村裡

where the only one medicine

唯一用作止痛

to kill the pain and to stop the hunger

和賴以糊口的藥物

is opium?

是鴉片?

These are opium-addicted people

這些是喀布爾屋頂上

on the roofs of Kabul

鴉片成癮的人

10 years after the beginning of our war.

出現在我們向阿富汗開戰的十年後。

These are the nomad girls

這些是變成了阿富汗商人的妓女

who became prostitutes for Afghan businessmen.

的遊牧民族小女孩。

What do we know about the women

戰爭開打十年之後

10 years after the war?

我們對於那些女人瞭解多少？

Clothed in this nylon bag,

她們穿著中國製造的

made in China,

尼龍袋子所製成的

with the name of burqa.

稱為布卡的外袍。

I saw one day,

有一天我看到，

the largest school in Afghanistan,

阿富汗規模最大的學校，

a girls' school.

一所女子學校。

13,000 girls

一萬三千女生

studying here

在滿是蠍子的

in the rooms underground,

地下室

full of scorpions.

學習知識。

And their love [for studying]

她們對於學習熱愛的程度

was so big that I cried.

高得讓我熱淚盈眶。

What do we know

我們對於

about the death threats by the Taliban

那些在巴爾赫省膽敢把女兒送去上學

nailed on the doors

因遭塔利班在門上釘上處死威脅的人

of the people who dare to send their daughters to school as in Balkh?

又瞭解多少？

The region is not secure, but full of the Taliban,

這個地區並不和平，到處都是塔利班，

and they did it.

他們作出了如此的惡行。

My aim is to give a voice

我的目標是替沉默的人

to the silent people,

發出心聲

to show the hidden lights

向世人展現，在強權爭鬥的遊戲幕後

behind the curtain of the great game,

被媒體與全球衝突的預言家

the small worlds ignored by the media

所忽略的弱勢國家之中

and the prophets of a global conflict.

隱藏的光輝。

Thanks.

謝謝!

(Applause)

（掌聲）