Time to reward the Hazaras

Mohammad S. Tahir

April 23, 2009

During the course of Afghan history, the Hazaras suffered a great deal. From the time of Amir Abdur Rahman Khan’s rule to the Taleban, the Hazaras faced various forms of abuse. They were treated as second class citizens, and even faced massive ethnic cleansing campaigns against them, where their homes were burned down, and thousands of them were killed with the utmost brutality.

Naturally, one would think the Hazaras would want nothing to do with Afghanistan, and if the opportunity arose, they would rather choose to destroy Afghanistan, then to work towards rebuilding it. When the Taleban were removed from power, the Hazaras were one of the first to step up and accept the newly created democratic government. Various Hazara leaders today participate in Afghan politics, in positions ranging from cabinet members to members of parliament.

The Hazaras have brought themselves up very far, from being servants, and seen as the lowest members of Afghan society to having one chosen as a vice president. In 2005, for the first time in history, a Hazara woman named Habiba Sarobi was appointed as governor of Bamiyan province. Many would agree that if a woman would have been appointed as a governor in any other province, the people would have stood against it. By accepting governor Sarobi, the Hazaras have shown other Afghans and even the world their tolerance and respect for women's rights.

One of the most courageous leaders in Afghanistan today is a Hazara man by the name of Ramazan Bashardost. Bashardost is a man who has diligently been working for the improvement of Afghanistan by standing up against corruption, and looking out for the unfortunate. He serves all Afghans, not just his own ethnic group. This type of attitude is very rare in Afghanistan, as many leaders only care for pushing agendas that serve their own ethnic group or personal interests.

The Hazaras have contributed a lot outside of politics as well. In the 2008 Summer Olympics at Beijing, a Hazara by the name of Rohullah Nikpai beat a world champion in judo to win Afghanistan’s first ever medal. It was a glorious occasion, and Nikpai made every Afghan, no matter what ethnicity very proud. After his win, Nikpai told the world in an interview that "I hope this medal can be a message of peace in Afghanistan".

With all this being said, one would assume there would be much development and reconstruction in Hazara areas. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. Heavily populated Hazara areas like Bamiyan are very poor and there is little development and aid from the government. The government of President Karzai and the United States are too busy building roads and schools in areas that eventually get blown up and destroyed by the Taleban.

Many Hazaras whose homes were destroyed during the Taleban attacks in Bamiyan have received little to no assistance from the government. Many Hazaras have even resorted to living in caves near where once stood the ancient Bamiyan Buddhas. Numerous journalists have reported about the lack of road creation and the lack of school building in Hazara areas. It's a shame that Afghanistan continues to neglect and treat the Hazaras in this way.

The Taleban have been successful in the east and the south of Afghanistan because many people in these areas still secretly, if not openly support them. Many Afghan politicians will not admit to this, but it is true. If the people of these regions do not support the Taleban, and secretly feed and give them shelter, it's highly unlikely that they will be successful in these areas.

If the government rewarded those that deserve it, other Afghans will see what happens when you cooperate with the government. If they see Bamiyan prospering, they too will want their areas to prosper and perhaps they will finally stop their support of the Taleban. In the end, Afghans, just like any other people want to live a prosperous and happy life. At this point, the government of Afghanistan should not waste its money and resources on building schools and roads in areas that will eventually get blown up and destroyed. Reward and help prosper the peaceful areas first, and let others see the benefits of a peaceful existence. It’s time the Hazaras were rewarded.

Mohammad S. Tahir can be reached at mohammad.tahir17@gmail.com

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