One year ago some bystanders murdered a 27 years old girl in Kabul tarnishing the dignity of 30 million people and image of Afghanistan yet again. The victim was accused of blasphemy to Holy Quran in a local shrine. The incident reverberated a question to the negligence of central government and security departments on how such barbaric act can happen under their nose in a day light. But the real question we denied and continue to deny is about the “motivation” behind such barbarism.
People on social media sobbed, local news channels were stunned while the world media joined in for the sympathy. People from the most remote to the capital shed tears and the incident brought us together as a nation, maybe for a short moment. But questions rose on the conviction of our future builders and our fate as a unified nation still remains apprehensive to the western world. It was a mob of younger Afghans dressed in jeans not radical, rural, religious devotees while some were consumers of top brand gadgets found filming the barbarism. Why did the people go that far? Why did others remain silent than resisting such hateful act?
Marie Curie says, “Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas”. History is full of examples when ideas were accounted genesis for the better or the worse. More than two thousand years ago Socrates preached, “I know you won’t believe me but the highest form of human excellence is to question oneself and others”. He questioned the political motive “might makes right” of the Athenian statesmen which left his hands cuffed. Socrates was not a philosopher but an “idea” breeding in the streets of Athens, which would have deflated the nobility of the then empire. He valued truth than his life so greeted death declared by 500 jury members. And his idea of truth influenced the European thought and today he is known as master of modern day Philosophy.
It was Abraham Lincoln’s fight against slavery and Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream for equal civil rights which laid the foundation for modern American Life. The world was in awe when Nelson Mandela declared “mercy” to the oppressors who oppressed his people by violating basic human-rights and imprisoned him for 27 years. His death left people from the East to the West in grief and I too joined the commemoration in Bamyan in December 2013. His motivation for “peaceful” world was epitome of modern day revolutionist, a true leader.
“Extremists have shown what frightens them the most: a girl with a book quotes Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary General”. It was “faith” of a 12 years old girl from a remote village, in the Northern areas of Pakistan which provoked the extremists to go inhumane. Malala Yousofzai’s faith threatened their doctrine, their fundamentalism and their ignorance. Yes, it was a young girl’s “motivation” to step up for liberty and today people across the world chant “I am Malala” to honor her faith, her stance and her idea.
A more personal example is (Shaheed/ Martyred) Baba Abdul Ali Mazari’s idea “Being Hazara is not a crime” which depicted the plight of an ethnic group lived in oppression, escaped genocide and were rendered in the mercy of neighboring countries – refer to the injustice against Hazaras in Iran and Hazara Target Killing in Pakistan – where they are treated worse than second-class citizens. Baba Mazari was the most liberal advocate of solidarity among four major ethnic groups (Pashton, Tajek, Hazara and Uzbek) and other minorities. His idea embodied “hope” to a group which was at the brink of extinction in their own homeland. Today, we are indebted to his legacy.
Coming back to the introduction, Farkhonda’s Martyrdom reminds me a stereotype of the ordinary Afghans; “we condemn death more than celebrating life”. A week back I came across local news (Pajhwok) that 118 Italian MPs signed a petition nominating Afghanistan’s women cycling team for this year’s Nobel Prize for Peace. The news pleased me for having heard something good about my own country, such a sigh of relief! Frenzied feeling I got that social media would be fueled by words of congratulations, and campaigns for local team’s victory would storm on social media; local news would began nation-wide awareness about women rights and rather better picture of Afghanistan and people would find a reason for joy, national pride. However, to my surprise only handful friends of these young girls like Zahra Narin (Bamyan) extended their congratulations on their nomination whereas no major newspaper, channels have attempted to break these stereotypes. Yet again, we have gone mainstream!
I met Zahra in 2012 in Bamyan. I admired her confidence and confidence socializing with people of all age groups with comfort. Because she had bigger ambitions, better ideas and more noble faith for people than many people in power. I always told my friends she is living in the right time because people like her challenges the odds than contemplating escape plan. Listening her read rhymes of Rumi, Ferdowsi or any modern-day Persian poets on local FM channel was sheer pleasure; her emceeing Nowroz and Silk Road Festivals left the audience connected with celebration of local festivals, her involvement in promotion of Winter Games in Bamyan is worthwhile and standing by her during demonstration against Hazara target killing in Quetta, invasion of Kuchis (Nomad) on Behsud and confiscation of their lands was a true matter of pride. She was on the front line of every public awareness program, social activist event, national and global solidarity. These are few of her great achievements at such a young age despite living a life without her parents.
Most promising effort o Zahra was heading “The Right to Ride” campaign (https://www.facebook.com/The-Right-To-Ride-671709476233719/?fref=ts). The idea of girls riding bicycle was not for the sake of recreation but to retain girls’ number in high school. It takes girls more 2 – 3 hours walk to school and vice versa which is major reason to their drop outs in high school as parents are not comfortable with the distance. Moreover, the idea generated new tourism activities in Bamyan: Tour de Bamyan, Bamyan Marathon to name a few. And she managed to do these beside completing her Bachelor’s Degree from Bamyan University.
Zahra is not an individual being, but she is an “idea”, and a “catalyst” for an inflicted nation, which has many miseries to cry on but a “beacon of hope – younger generation” to feel confident in. We need to launch a national level campaign to recognize their “idea” and appreciate the generosity of Italian MPs.
Let’s celebrate life as a unified nation, maybe for a short moment.
My prayers from Afghanistan’s women bicycle team on their victory – their nomination is already a victory!
