I am thankful to the organizers of inviting me to this great event. Mr Reza Ehsan, Mr Rezai, Mr Soroush, Mr Alidad Mohammmadi, Mr Reza Rezaiee, Mr Musayyeb Hasani, Mr Aqil Sahil, Mr Mortaza Mandegar and many others put too much effort to make this event happen. I am also thankful to the participants and students who attended the panel discussion despite of their exams in due.
As it is mentioned in the title of today’s discussion panel, let us ask where this Peaceful Zone is, who are the inhabitants of this Peaceful Zone, who attacked on this peaceful zone and why the inhabitants are fighting till the end, And what would be the consequences? In today’s event I would try to answer to the above questions and reflect on certain issues.
The peaceful zone of which I am talking about is the High Land in Central Afghanistan called Hazarajat or the land of Hazaras. This highland was considered the most peaceful zone of Afghanistan in last 17 years and after Taliban regime ousted from power in December 2001. However the sanctity of peace was broken on October 29, 2018 when the Taliban attacked on villages called Kondolan and Hussaini in Urozgan Khas district of Urozgan province. It led to killings, injuries and mass displacement of the civilian in the cold weather 11 to -1. In less than two weeks the Taliban made another attempt on the Malistan and Jaghori districts of Ghazni province on November 9 and 10, 2018.
The people took the arms and fought fiercely along the local police against the Taliban and in the absence of National Army. However the local police retreated back to the district governorates and the people left with no choice. While paying high casualties, they got defeated that led to another killing, injuries and mass displacement of civilians to the neighbour provinces and Kabul. It is notifiable that in the first day of attack, the people, the Ghazni’s Members of Parliament and the activists of these two districts raised the alarms and asked the help from centre for sending army and ammunitions. Unfortunately those shouts landed to the deaf ear and led with no action by the Centre.
On November 12, 2018 and in the middle of night the youth from the Western Kabul poured to the streets and marched to the Presidential Palace demanded quick action of the army and security forces. Staying the whole night there led the president to talk directly with protesters over phone by promising to send military convoy to tackle the Taliban in Malistan and Jaghori districts. Following the president promise and order, large military convoy reached Jaghori on November 16, 2018 that Chief of Staff of Army himself leading the operation against the Taliban. The military operation was successful and till now the major territory of these two districts is cleared from the Taliban and the operation is going on.
Having said about the peaceful zone, inhabitants and the identity of the attackers, I would like to talk on the reasons that why this peaceful zone is under attack and why the people in this zone are resisting against the enemy? In order to give the clear image to the audience and to answer the above questions systematically I would like to shed some lights on Hazara Relations with the Power Centre in the Modern History of Afghanistan. To do so, I divided the modern history of Afghanistan into five periods and in each period I would examine the Hazara Relations with Power Centre by using certain Terms. The periods are as follows:
Before 1893 (Independent) مستقل حد اقل در بعد داخلی
The year before Abdur Rahman Khan (1880-1901), Afghanistan was the land of confederation of tribes and the islands of power. Each region and ethnic groups had their own territory, local power management, and army and law enforcement. The Hazaras also had their own territory and law enforcement management. The central government did not have agents in the territory and the Hazara Khans were acting independently in collecting taxes and in enforcing the law over their clients.
1893-1992 (Escaping from Power centre) قدرت گریز
The year 1893 is the land mark in the Hazara History. When their territory was taken over by Abdur Rahman, the Hazaras were subjugated and suppressed brutally. They were branded as non-Muslims, their territories were handed over to the Pashtun tribes. 62 % of the population killed, displaced and sent to permanent immigration in the neighbour countries. This incident led the Hazaras to escape from power centre and therefore enhanced their mistrusts toward the ruling elites. It led the Hazaras to term traitors for those Hazaras if working with government and helping them. Certain other issues made the Hazaras to escape from power and to get marginalized:
Non-Muslim
Falling to the lowest section of society
Enslaved
Prohibition to the enter to educational institutions and state institutions
1919-1992 (interaction and escaping from power centre) تعامل و گریز از قدرت
Amanullah Khan (1919-1929), the grandson of Abdur Rahman was liberal and initiated the liberal policies. The 1923 constitution was landmark of his thought. He branded all Afghans equal and left the restrictions on Hazaras and allowed them to have fundamental rights. This made Hazaras to interact with power centre and in the war of throne between Amanullah and Nader Khan, they took the side of Amanullah.
In the years of 1929 to 1963 the Hazaras again escaped from power centre because of Nader Khan and Hashim Khan Pashtunization policy. But in decades of democracy (1963-73), the Hazaras like other communities participated heavily in the reforms and by welcoming and supporting it. In the times of communist regime certain (minimum) Hazaras working with regime but the majority Hazras took arms and joined Jihad. They were among the first who liberated their area and made their own government in Waras Bamiyan.
We can see that when there was liberal government and rulers, the Hazaras stood with them and when there was brutality and discrimination Hazaras seems escaping from power and take oppositional standing.
1992-2001 (confrontation with power) تقابل با قدرت
It was mentioned that Hazaras participated heavily in Jihad to get rid of brutal communist regime but when the Jihad won and the Mujahidin started preparation for power management, the Hazaras excluded. Their political rights undermined and their population numbers were underestimated. Therefore it made the Hazaras to take confrontational stand with the Mujahidin government and the Rabbani regime. Hazaras wanted to be accommodated in the power and to be allotted certain key posts in the cabinet. Their slogan were justice and equality and to be respected like other Afghans. Since the Taliban was also the tribal force to dominate Afghanistan, Hazaras stood against them also.
2001- Current (Interacting closely with power centre) تعامل نزدیک با قدرت
The Bonn Conference and the Bonn agreement in 2001 noticed the Hazara population with 25% and accordingly allotted the political posts in the cabinet. The 2005 constitution mentioned all Afghan as equal in front of the law and established the democratic political system. This political atmosphere guaranteed political participation for all and made Hazaras to invest on education. Hundreds schools are built and thousands students headed to the university inside and outside of the country. There was no distinction between boys and girls in this matter and the development was equal. That is why now there are thousands doctors, engineers and economists.
The post 2001 era that some call it as Golden Age for Hazaras, indeed it is. Why because this people who shouted and struggled for equality and justice in the course of history, can see the partial fulfilment of their wishes now. They have lost their lives in the past for these two causes of Justice and Equality and are ready to do the same as they did in Malistan and Jaghori of Ghazni recently.
If we look to the history, the Hazaras escaped from power centre when it was unjust, cruel, sectarian and ethnic monopoliser. In the other side Hazara stood with power centre when it was pro justice, equality, rule of law, freedom of expression and freedom of thought. And that is why they were attacked, massacred, mass displaced by those who believed in darkness and ignorance. And the same logic can be applicable for the current situation. Hazaras are pro government, peace, enlightenment, rule of law and that is why are getting attacked by the army of darkness and ignorance, the Taliban.
It is good to say that the Hazaras are not sacrificing themselves for their own causes. These are the causes for all. Every citizen in this country wants peace, equality, access to education and freedom. Those who are against these causes like the Taliban can be termed as agents of our enemy.
What would be the consequence if the Hazaras are not getting support from government and the other ethnic group?
-The hope for bright future that Afghans received after 2001 would be waned away
-The government would lose its stronghold and legitimacy in central of Afghanistan
-The possibility of Hazara radicalization and rearming in order to defend from their land
-The possibility of ethnic clashes and conflict across the country
-Returning Afghanistan to the dark ages of the past that no one wants it.
I hope that all Afghans stand together and do not allow this country go back to the ages which will not in the interests of any one.