Persecution of Hazaras

Persecution of Hazara people refers to systematic discrimination, ethnic cleansing and genocide of Hazara people, who are primarily from the central highland region of Hazarajat in Afghanistan. Up to half a million Hazara also live in the city of Quetta in neighbouring Pakistan. The persecution of Hazara people dates back to the late 19th century during the notorious reign of Emir Abdur Rahman (1880-1901), who killed, expelled and enslaved many thousands.^[1] It is believed that at least half of the population of Hazarajat were killed by Abdur Rahman's forces, which also resulted in mass exodus of these people to neighbouring Balochistan of British India^[2] and Khorasan in Eastern Iran. The persecution continued throughout the 20th century in various forms. Many Hazara were coerced into hiding their identities and surrendering their lands to Pashtun tribes.^[1] Hazara people have also been the victims of massacres by Taliban in Afghanistan since 1995. Although the situation improved relatively in Afghanistan with the ousting of Taliban from power in 2001, hundreds of Hazara have been victimised in Quetta, Pakistan, in recent years.

Hazara people are historically the most restrained ethnic group and have witnessed slight improvements in the circumstances even with the setup of modern Afghanistan. The discrimination against this ethnicity has subsisted for centuries^[1] by Pashtuns and other ethnic groups.^[3] Until the 19th century, Hazaras were the most prevalent ethnic group in Afghanistan, constituting almost 67% of the population.^[1] More than half were massacred in 1893 during the reign of Abdur Rahman Khan. They subsequently faced severe political, social and economic tyranny and denial of basic civil rights.^[1][3]

Afshar

Further information Afshar massacre

Afshar district, situated on the slopes of Mount Afshar west of Kabul, is a densely populated district. The area is predominantly inhabited by Hazara people. In February 1993, a military operation was conducted by Rabbani-Massoud regime of the Islamic State of Afghanistan in order to seize control of the territory held by Hizbe Wahdat and to capture its leader Abdul Ali Mazari.

Saudi backed Wahhabi militias of Ittihad-e-Islami, allied with the Rabbani-Massoud government went on a rampage through Afshar, slaughtering, raping and burning houses. Around 70 people died during the street fighting and between 700 and 750 people were abducted by Abdul Rasul Sayyaf’s men. These abducted victims never returned and were most likely killed or died in captivity.^[4][5] Dozens of women were abducted during the operation as well.^[6] Some sources put the total number of deaths between 4000 and 8000.

Robatak Pass

The pass connecting the settlements of Tashkurgan and Pule Khumri is known as Robatak Pass. A mass murder was carried out there by Taliban in May 2000 in which 31 people were reported dead. Twenty-six of the victims were Ismaili Hazara from Baghalan province. Their remains were found to the northeast of the pass, in a neighborhood known as Hazara Mazari, on the border between Baghlan and Samngan provinces. The victims were detained four months before their execution by Taliban troops between January 5 and January 14, 2000.^[7][8]

Yakawlang

In January 2001 Taliban committed a mass execution of Hazara people in Yakawlang District of Bamyan province, Afghanistan. The Human butchery started on January 8 and lasted for four days which took the lives of 170 men. Taliban apprehended about 300 people, including employees of local humanitarian organizations. They were grouped to various assemblage points where they were shot dead in public view. Around 73 women, children and elderly were taking shelter in a local mosque when Taliban fired rockets at the mosque.^[8][9]

Mazar-i-Sharif

Some 8000 men, women and children were massacred by Taliban in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan in August 1998. Human rights organizations reported that the dead were lying on the streets for days and weeks before Taliban allowed their burial due to stench and fear of an epidemic.

The history of Hazara people in Pakistan dates back to 1840s, when Hazara tribesmen from Hazarajat began migration to colonial India for work. Many Hazaras were enlisted in the British Indian Army during the first Anglo-Afghan War (1838-1840). The mass-migration and permanent settlements started in 1890s when Emir Abdul Rahman Khan started persecuting the Hazaras of Afghanistan.^[10] The majority of the Hazara is Shiite Muslims with a sizable Sunni minority and others. Although sectarian violence in Pakistan, home to an estimated 20% Shia Muslim population, started during the reign of military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s, Balochistan had remained peaceful until the turn of the century in 2000.

Quetta

In recent years, the persecution of Hazaras in Quetta has left at least 800 dead and more than 1500 wounded. the victims include high-profile community members, labores, women and children.^[11] One third of the victims are children. No one has yet been arrested for these murders.^[12][13] The major attacks included assassinations of Hussain Ali Yousafi, Olympia Abrar Hussain, bombing of a Hazara mosque, Ashura massacre, Quds Day bombing, Play ground massacre, Mastung massacre and Akhtarabad massacre.^[14][13]

The Al-Qaeda affiliated Pakistani Sunni Muslim extremist militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, has claimed responsibility for most of these attacks.^[15][16] Other theories suggest the involvement of Taliban's Quetta Shura,^[17] and Pakistani military establishment, as most of the terrorist organizations in Pakistan are allegedly supported by the country's military.^[18][19] It is also suggested that the country's security establishment might be trying to provoke the Hazara against other ethnic groups in the province.^[20][21][22]

In response to these killings, worldwide demonstrations were held to condemn the persecution of Hazaras in Quetta. The Hazara diaspora all over the world, namely in Australia, Western Europe, North America as well as the Hazara in Afghanistan, have protested gainst these killings and against the silence of international community.^[23][24] Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, the political leader of the Hazara in Afghanistan, has also expressed solidarity with the Hazara community in Quetta.^[25][26] The persecutions have been documented by the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Asian Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.^{[27][28][29][30][31][32]} EU parliamentarian Rita Borsellino has urged the international community to address the plight of Hazara people in Quetta.^[33] The members of British Parliament, Alistair Burt, Mark Lancaster, Alan Johnson, and Iain Stewart asked the government to pressurize Pakistani authorities concerning the absence of justice for Hazara community in Pakistan^[13][34]

Perpetrators

It is widely assumed that the Al-Qaeda affiliated Pakistani Sunni Muslim extremist militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, is behind these attacks.^[35][36] However, some Hazara believe that the perpetrators cannot possibly be operating independently^{[original research?]}. Another theory suggests the involvement of Taliban, whoes leadership council known as the Quetta Shura is established and operates in the city of Quetta.^[37] Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is believed to be one of the many Pakistani terrorist groups which fought for Taliban against the United Front in Afghanistan. It is also suggested that the country's security establishment might be trying to provoke the Hazara against other ethnic groups in the province^[38][39][40] as most of the terrorist organizations in Pakistan are allegedly supported by the country's military establishment.^[41][42] Asian Human Rights Commission reported in January 2012 that the Pakistan army had created a militant organization to kill intellectuals, activists and Hazaras in Balochistan.^[43]

Response

The community's response to these attacks has been limited to civil protests only.^[44] In response to the latest surge in violence, the Hazara people have requested nations all around the world to stage protest demonstrations against their systematic genocide. They have also requested free peoples of the world to write letters to their governments, asking them to pressurize the Pakistani government and military to arrest the killers and ensure their safety.^[45] The Hazara diaspora in Australia, Western Europe and North America have also joined these protests from time to time.^[46][47] Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, the political leader of the Hazara in Afghanistan, has also expressed solidarity with the Hazara community in Quetta.^[48][49] The Hazara in Afghanistan and the Hazara diaspora all around the world have organized and coordinating efforts to raise awareness internationally about what the Hazaras are going through. Hazara People International Network is one example of this effort.^[50] Hazara children cannot go to schools and adults cannot go to their work without risking their lives. Many Hazara want an immediate intervention by the international community in any form. They angrily question why the international community, namely the EU, UN, Australia or the US, is not raising the issue of ongoing massacre of Hazara people with the Pakistani state.

The persecution and genocide carried out against the Hazara have been documented by the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Asian Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.^{[51][52][53][54][55][56]} EU parliamentarian Rita Borsellino has urged the international community to address the plight of Hazara people in Quetta.^[57] British Parliament has also asked the government to pressurize Pakistani authorities concerning justice for the Hazara community in Pakistan. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for South Asia/counter terrorism, Alistair Burt, said, I acknowledge to terrifying statistics about the absence of justice...we remain very concerned about the response of the Pakistani authorities to those statistics, and we will apply pressure in relation to them. Mark Lancaster, MP from Milton Keynes North, said, ... while that statistic of more than 600 deaths and not a single conviction, it is very hard to take seriously the Pakistan's claim that they are tackling this matter? Alan Johnson, MP From Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle said, the Pakistani Government must do more to root out state-supported terrorism wherever it exists. It undoubtedly exists in Quetta city, and the Hazaras are its principal victims. It is a good place to begin this process. Iain Stewart, MP from Milton Keynes South, said that he endorsed all the points made by the MPs and added, those attacks are not being dealt with appropriately by the authorities in Pakistan.^[13][58]

Responding to a journalist's question regarding the Mastung Massacre, Aslam Raisani, chief minister of Balochistan, said, The population of Balochistan is in millions, 40 dead in Mastung, is no big deal.^[59] When asked about what he could do for the grieving families of the victims, he replied, I can send truckload of tissue paper for them to wipe their tears.^[60] Mahmood Khan Achakzai, and Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the exiled Baloch leaders, have also condemned the killings and demanded that the Pakistani security establishment take stern action against those involved in terrorism and acts of violence against civilians. In his reaction on March 29, 2012, Sardar Akhtar Mengal accused the Pakistani military establishment of trying to sow hatred and division among the oppressed peoples by promoting religious extremism and intolerance, which his people regarded against their traditions.^[61][62]

The Pakistani Army and its notorious intelligence wing, the ISI, have accused foreign interference in Balochistan's affairs,^[63] without directly responding to allegations against themselves for allowing the banned terrorist organizations to operate freely and with complete impunity.^{[64][65][66][67]} Despite several meetings held by local Hazara elders with the Army Corps Commander Quetta, the military has not taken any action against the culprits to this date.

Karachi

So far dozens of Hazara individuals have been killed in Karachi, but none of the killers has been brought to Justice. Among the dead were social workers & intellectuals.^[68] In Karachi terrorists shot dead Agha Abbas, owner of famous fruit juice outlet Agha Juice.^[69] Sindh police announced the arrest of Akram Lahori, chief of a banned religious group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (lej) along with his four accomplices, for their alleged involvement in sectarian killings, including the murder of Agha Abbas.

• Persecution of Hazaras in Quetta
• Hazara people
• Markazi Bihsud District