Afghani Arcade Offers Break from Reality

May 7, 2010

A generator-powered arcade in Kabul, Afghanistan provides the city’s inhabitants a welcome respite from the ongoing war and helps keep wayward kids off the street and out of trouble.

14-yeard old Ubaydollah Sharafian spoke to the Christian Science Monitor about the arcade, saying, “We come here to play games and relax from street-begging.”

All such forms of entertainment were banned when Afghanistan was under Taliban rule, perhaps leading inhabitants to embrace the ability to forget their troubles for a few minutes even more than might be the norm.

As a youngster in the midst of a game succinctly stated, “I don’t want this game to finish, I want to keep on playing forever.”

Another passage from the CSM article:

“The lads come here and stay off the streets,” said Abdulghaffar Sediqi, the proprietor of one store as he watched his young customers playing Mortal Kombat, a 1990s arcade game that placed martial arts warriors against one another. “They’re not filching pockets, they’re not sniffing glue.”

Comments

Re: Afghani Arcade Offers Break from Reality

Submitted by jedidethfreak on Sat, 05/08/2010 - 10:12.

Yet another example of the good that the US military is doing for the people over there.

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With the first link, the chain is forged.

--- With the first link, the chain is forged.

Re: Afghani Arcade Offers Break from Reality

Submitted by MrBounce on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 18:41.

So soon Afghanistan can claim too that the violence escalated in that country when video games entered it. 

Oh wait a minute...

Re: Afghani Arcade Offers Break from Reality

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 16:12.

I wonder when we'll hear of some idiot suicide bombing it.

Still, glad those kids are getting to do something normal for a change.

Re: Afghani Arcade Offers Break from Reality

Submitted by Roh02 on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 15:26.

how long until someone claims there werent shootings in afghanistan before games

Re: Afghani Arcade Offers Break from Reality

Submitted by gamegod25 on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 15:54.

I wouldn't be surprised, there have been dumber claims.

Re: Afghani Arcade Offers Break from Reality

Submitted by Cheater87 on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 13:10.

Classic game glad they are able to enjoy the arcade.

 
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