“It is true, political problems are not solved by love and mercy. But the world of politics is not the only world, and unless political decisions rest on a foundation of something better and higher than politics, they can never do any real good for men. When a country has to be rebuilt after war, the passions and energies of war are no longer enough. There must be a new force, the power of love, the power of understanding and human compassion, the strength of selflessness and cooperation, and the creative dynamism of the will to live and to build, and the will to forgive. The will for reconciliation.”
Historically, Afghan nation underwent great suffering. Thousands of people were perished or had their limbs amputated in jihad against the Soviet, in civil unrest and in the war imposed by the Taliban regime, in suicide bombings, etc.
The glorious victory in the Jihad against aggression brought us national honor. We deem it a religious incumbent to fight for our rights and dignity and fight to save our religious values, moral and cultural norms from erosion. In other words, whenever our social and cultural standards are exposed to decadence, we should voice our concerns against the phenomena. We do appreciate “the sacrifices, historical struggles, jihad and just resistance of all the peoples of Afghanistan”, and admire “the supreme position of the martyr’s of the country’s freedom.” The Mujahidin, who lost their lives on the grounds of safeguarding religious values, ethical code, national unity and territorial integrity, have to be considered the heroes of our history. We should value our martyrs’ blood – shed to cultivate compassion and devotion – and nurture their human ambitions. In short, our martyrs were the epitome of humanity, who sacrificed their lives to protect our nation and uphold our religious beliefs, moral standards and national and cultural values.
The high ambitions of jihad, however, fell into ruin and the characters were totally besmirched. The sanctity of jihad violated and ignored the call of conscience through shedding the blood of our brethrens’ for satiating carnal and corporal pleasures.
Rather than maintaining the outcome of jihad, the financial interests and physical desires with no sense of responsibility were pursued. the inalienable rights and dignity of innocents were trampled. It was stoop so low to be bogged down in vicious issues and moral turpitude. The nondescript violence and atrocity, which originated in voracious appetite for everyday life and pleasures, put our national honor under question.
Under the Taliban, Afghans suffered in the worst possible way. The Taliban’s fundamental ideology and radical interpretation of religious texts led to heavy loss across the country. Claiming divine legitimacy, the Taliban regime ruled Afghanistan at gunpoint. The carnage and genocide perpetrated by the illegal potentates outraged our people’s conscience. They adopted a discriminative attitude towards Afghan nation on the basis of religious beliefs, race, color and sex. Women and girls were bereft of their basic rights, especially from going to school or presenting in public, kept within the four walls, sustained mental and physical tortures and had their honor and reputation tainted with impunity. Behind the specious façade, the Taliban self-righteous rulers surpassed religious law, moral norms and cultural taboos. Despite murdering the innocent individuals, they felt no tinge of guilt.
Needless to say, Afghan women were supposed to be totally subjugated to their spouses. They were not entitled the rights to freedom and property. Seemingly, women were considered the epitome of evil and inferiority, as if they were doomed to live a horrible life. The violators of women’s rights were not prosecuted at all. So, women were treated as a social pariah under the Taliban.
Ill-fatedly, Afghans are yet the quarry of terrorism and suicide bombings. Afghans are appalled by the sudden murder of their compatriots on the streets, in markets, restaurants, mosques, etc. The nascent democracy was no more than a flash in the pan. The security situation is deteriorated after the presidential election held about six months ago. To the Afghans’ unmitigated chagrin, the violence and bloodshed continue unabated.
We have to learn from checkered past and do not let the history repeats itself. Our nation should instill the morale of brotherhood in the society through practicing religious tolerance and ethical codes. Revitalizing national solidarity and territorial integrity is not impossible. Moreover, we are all human born with certain rights and dignity and have to respect them in the best possible way. “There must be a new force, the power of love, the power of understanding and human compassion, the strength of selflessness and cooperation, and the creative dynamism of the will to live and to build”.
The war and violence will lead to human loss and social and political destructions and sow the seeds of discord – the fact proved by history. Afghans have to bridge the gap between past and present and value our national glories. Let us “form a civil society void of oppression, atrocity, discrimination as well as violence, based on rule of law, social justice, protecting integrity and human rights, and attaining peoples’ freedoms and fundamental rights”.