The provincial government and people of Bamyan had a reason to celebrate as the province was promoted to the 2nd grade based on Afghan Provincial Level. The announcement came from the House of President which was greatly appreciated by the provincial government, civil society and people of Bamyan. However, the people of Bamyan had better thing to do_ share the sufferings with people of Badakhshan because we share the same national identity, raise the same flag, sing the same anthem.
When the country was heading to the second round of Presidential elections after not a judicial victory by any of the candidates, the catastrophic landslide hit the northeast province of Badakhshan. It was the district of Argo which was hit killing 250 – 350 people. One can find hundreds of such incidents or other natural calamities in all parts of the globe but what stands the nations out is how they hold onto each other and help their countrymen. For instance, unity of the Japanese following 2011 earthquake is exemplary when 80,000 Japanese voluntarily worked 30 days around the clock ranging from labors, large companies’ shareholders, IT suppliers, construction companies and who not. Their resilience and dedication challenged the nature’s anger.
However, when the entire country was in awe aftermath of killing, water-flood and massive landslides having displacied some 70,000 people throughout the country; the presidential candidates are in sleep, the MPs are cheering at photo-shots at the affected sites and H.E. the President of Afghanistan is counting his last days of tyranny, negligence and treachery. But not the people and civil society of Bamyan share ignorance of country’s political elite. A mere vigil ceremony can not heal the massive human and property loss of Badakhshan people, but people in and from Bamyan share the sympathies of everyone of them. Bamyan Civil Society always speaks and stands for national solidarity, justice, truth and unity of our people. We heard cries & shed tears with mothers in Quetta over the loss of their young ones in suicide attacks or target-killings; Nelson Mandela’s death was felt like all activists in Bamyan too; our people marched justice for Shakila when elite defaulters were attempting to make their way out, our youths volunteered to send help to the people of Japan post 2011 earthquake, etc. Similarly, we are earnestly in awe and pass our sympathies with every single one in Badakhshan.
The least we can offer is make your cries and sorrows heard so that government officials can feel through extravagant luxuries and come out of their mansions. We stand with you!
Jawad Jahid
