In the name of God
With respect to conference administrator, guest, participants and orators .I am glad to be here as an Afghan woman. I directed a union of central regions women of Afghanistan. I was a member of Afghanistan emergency Loya Jarga to elect the interim government of our country and then participated in Afghanistan constitution commission. I was informed that I should speak about the ethnic minorities in Afghanistan, especially after the constitution approval. At first I should remind that the current constitution of Afghanistan is the process of the past disastrous situation and periods. If we take a look at the statistics, it shows that no tribe in Afghanistan is majority, but the population rate frequents. Unfortunately, there is not an exact, formal census of Afghanistan population number yet and the existent races in Afghanistan. The last census dates back to (1346) which has estimated 16 million persons. The population of Afghanistan in an unofficial census is about 22 millions. There are some estimation about Afghanistan ethnic population in some books and magazines. According to their statistics, Pashtons are 35 to 38 percent, Tajics are 22 to 25 percents, Hazaras are 19 to 23 percents and Ozbaks are 11 percents .the rest of the remained minorities races are estimated 12 percents who are (Pashayi-Norestani-Balochi-Qezelbash and Qerqiz) .so no race is in majority of over 50 percents. It take into consideration that instead of ethnic classes, we have other majority and minority classes which belongs to religion and language. On the basis of the religion it's alleged that about 90 percent of Afghan people are Moslems and the other 1 percents are (Sikh –Christian and Jewish.), but the number of Jewish and Christian people is very low.Amoung the Moslems in Afghanistan, around 70 percents are Sunnites and the other 30 percents are Shiites, but of course, Sunnites are divided in four branches. (Hanafi- Hanbali-Shafeyi and Muleki) and Shiites are divided in two branches. The Shiites who believe in twelve Imams and the Esmaeliya Shiites.according to the language, it is estimated that around 6 percents of Afghan people speak in Dari and about 30 percents speak in Pashto and other percents speak in (Ozbaki- Balochi- Pamiri and Qerqizi.)
The minorities' situation in the past of Afghanistan
I don’t want to return to history so much, only represent you some examples to make and imagination from the past of minorities in Afghanistan. The minority of religious Esmaelye which mostly are located in Badakhshan province near the Tajikistan border. They didn’t dare to build mosques for themselves, before the recent two past years, because of the stifling religious atmosphere in Afghanistan. They have already started this work during these the recent two years. Hazaras people of Afghanistan didn’t have the right for high educations ,especially in military fields till the communist government periods. It had written in history books that they were massacred during 1891 to 1893 in Abdurahman period and their women and children were soled as slaves. They even suffocated during the Taliban in Afghanistan and had a very dark destiny. Tajics also had a very dark fate in the past. The lands, homes and trees of northern Tajics were destroyed and fired by Taliban. The Ozbak's land in the norths and Hazara's lands in the south and center of Afghanistan always have been seized. Sikh in Afghanistan was forced to install a yellow mark on their houses and shops in order to nobody communicate with them. The dark backgrounds of minorities in Afghanistan and the 23 years war which was caused by the foreign interfering and dictatorship government in our country , finally prompted the people and officials in Afghanistn to Knee to a process which was under the supervision of united nation and the Global world . the process which we are living 3 years with it and have a constitution , our constitution is good and if we act it , we can root our the injustice fields and create a national confidence , so we can lead our country toward improvement and civilization .
The position of minorities in Afghanistan
The current constitution confirmed by the people's representatives in Loya Jarga of the constitution in 14/10/1382 and enacted by the president in 7/11/1382. As I mentioned the constitution is good and the ethnic minorities who were unpleasant, have agreed it, but there are some complaints about some articles in the constitution, such as, the language of the national anthem and the title which is told to every Afghan citizen. I have selected seven articles from the constitution which are some how about the rights of ethnic minorities' ad citizens of Afghanistan. These seven articles might show a correct imagination from the position of minorities in racial, religious and language aspects.
1-in article two the Islam religion is common and formal in Afghnaistan and the follower of the other religions are free to do their religious customs under the law orders.
2- in article four all races and minorities in Afghanistan are considered as a one single nation and each citizen of Afghanistan are called (Afghan) . This article accepted by the different races and minorities with some delays.
3- According to article sixteen, the formal and common language of the country is Dari and Pashto and in the following of it, it has mentioned that all current languages in Afghanistan like (Ozbaki – Balochi- Pashayi –Norestani- Pamiri and etc..) are as a third language in the areas which these people live and it is remarked that the government will try to improve and develop all languages.
4- Article twenty is about the national anthem, although it is told that that it is in Pashto language, but it should mention the names of all nations in Afghanistn.
5- In article forty five, it is stated that the government is obliged to edit the religious content of schools books according to the all religions in Afghanistan.
6- In article one hundred –thirty, the Jafari religion had recognized for the first time in history of Afghanistan and Judges for Shiites in courts must Judge according Jafari religion orders.
7-the article sixty two is about presidency qualifications, which are (1- being an Afghan citizen.2-bieng 40 years old.3-having real Afghan nationality .4-not been involved in war crimes.)
These are the presidency requirements. So, in the current Afghanistan every persons who hopes to be the president , can speak and study to his language and behave according to his religion and beliefs .and the most important of know himself as an Afghan citizen . That was not believed in the past .they didn’t belong themselves to the government, but now they are willing to achieve their legal aims through the political and mental activities.
The position of the minorities in the government
If we look at the present structure of government in Afghanistan , we will see that the presidency place and embassies are divided on the basis of ethnocentrism .there are about 28 embassies which about 50 percent of it and in addition of the president belongs to Pashtons and other 50 percent belongs to , Tajiks –Hazaras and Ozbaks . Among this 50 percents the Hazara and Ozbaks shares are equal to Tajiks . attention to ethnic power partitions in Afghanistan, naturally employing of the people are on the basis of ethnocentrism .if you go to the ministries in Afghanistn , you realize that if a minister is from a nation in Afghanistan , the majority of the employees are from the same nation ,but maybe they select their delegates from other nations , it is only a symbol. With these reasons I believe this government depends on the past principles .during the USA appearance in , it was highly expected that a capable government comes , but during the past two years the people reliance to the government has declined . the reason is caused by the ethnocentrism . whoever that has power tries to decrease the power of the other ones or make it like a symbol. The reason of people mistrust appeared in elections. The thing happened in the elections was this , in Pashto living areas the majority vote was with Pashtoo, in Hazara living areas the majority vote belonged to them and in Tajiks and Ozbak living area was like them. This shows that that during theses three years , the united nation and Afghanistan government couldn’t understand the people needs and could not govern them rustically .it was surprising in Loya Jarga after the fall of Taliban Mr. Karzia was elected by the majority of the nonPashto ,but now in the first presidential elections the majority votes belonged to Pashtons . one of the most important reason that made people to act ethnicity is the important matter of the reconstruction in Afghanistan and the matter of Global aids distribution.
The minorities and the matter of the reconstruction in Afghanistan
From the 8 billion dollars which was accepted by the global world in Tokio meetings . it is alleged that about 3 billions of it has entered to Afghanistan ,but unfortunately there is nobody who Know how and where this money are spend . if you travel around Afghaistan , the reconstruction has not started in the regions which are secure and safe ,but in the southern regions of Afghanistan which are insecure and still Taliban and Alqayede groups are active the reconstruction is moving fast.this only have one factor and that is , there are the old previous persons in the new government of Afghanistan who were the follower of the ethnocentrism systems for many years.
This is a great danger for democracy and a real justice in our county .
Minorities and the religious freedom.
Minorities and the religion freedom
I mentioned about Esmaeliye religion which its followers are from the forth century. They now have dared to make masques for themselves during these two years .the thing I tell you in in the remote regions of Afghanistan, but in Kabul you can find from every thing as a symbol. The religions system of Hanafi has been in the government training systerm at schools for many long years which means that the traditional clerics study and teach by government facilities ,but although the Jafari religion and other religions have recognized in Afghanistan . No measures has done in order to recognize their religious customs
Azra Jafari |
