Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Animosity Damages both Countries

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Animosity Damages  both Countries

Have you ever found Afghans tear all communal, lingual and religious ties apart and be glued to one another that no divisive force can poke in their unity? Just make that fantasy. Yes, fantasy, because, presently, the notion of a united Afghan without an external force seems unlikely and unattainable for many. Partly due to years of civil war that erased entirely the national feelings and gave way to somehow programmed with malaise malware consistently catalyzes ethnocentrism and sectarianism.

But the history shows there was a time when the notion of a "united Afghans" was the reality. With all racial and religious differences, they used to live peacefully with no hounds braying to catch others' goat. Needless to say, it was centuries ago, when the country was hosting big civilizations and was Silk Route connecting eastern and western Hemispheres.

Anyhow, without doing much nostalgia, what is important to notice is having a "united Afghans" in the modern history, amidst fierce battle and warfare condition. There are times Afghan people suddenly buried differences deep down in the grave and substituted hatred with love of one another. All glued to each other, as one Afghan nation. That was exactly when some one tried to attack or occupy the country, which is touchy point and hot spot of Afghans.

The history is a wise witness to the notion. From the very ancient time, all who tried to capture Afghanistan bluntly failed and defeated after suffering damaging losses. Even when British and USSR empires, two great empires, with thorough military equipment and weaponry supremacy attacked the country, both were forced to withdraw after suffering damaging blows that finally led to their collapse.

Noteworthy to say that such overwhelming reaction did not take place against indirect interference. Even after anti-USSR struggle, many countries continued to exploit the lack of central power in Kabul and install a friendly government, or perhaps, a puppet, but none of the actions was responded with national reaction.

So, the question is that why the interference of neighboring country simply and quietly passed away without touching the so-called national hot spot?

I think two factors proved effective to smuggle all ill-activities of neighboring countries without people noticing. One, avoiding attacks, while continuing interference and shaping the political and economic history of the country and second, having a lot in common with Afghan people.

It is true that Afghanistan is named as graveyard of empires and a country that was never occupied by any, but it was all for nations, lets say emperors, having no cultural, and religious ties with the country.

In modern time, there is no document that how Afghan react against assault of a neighboring country. In another word, what Afghans would have done, if one of its neighbors poured armies in and tried to annex the country to its own soil? Would they have reacted as they did with in the case of British and USSR?

It is hard to answer. But it should be noticed that communities here have large in common with people in Pakistan and Iran, two important countries that have always played role here. Citizens of both countries freely walk out and in on the border site without least control and check-up. Most of them just call both countries as their homeland and hold citizenship of the countries. Due to racial, cultural, lingual and religious oneness, they are really hard to be differentiated.

This similarity has made the situation terribly complicated, as some in Paktiya, for instance, feels sorry for a person killed in Waziristan of Pakistan, rather than for a person in the Northern provinces. Whatever was the intention behind, but the demarcation of political geography is a mess, as many still question the very notion of Afghanistan as nation.

Anyhow, this cultural similarity with our neighbors provided a condition for interference of our neighbors, without touching the hot spot of Afghan people. As during Taliban regime, there were true and correct allegations that armies of our neighboring country was fighting along with Taliban militants, without any Afghani Talibs showing any inconveniency and irritation.

The second factor of course was indirect interference. Common people, who during history, have always been at the forefront, were unable to notice the presence of a strange country in their home.

When people notice foreigners, they will be more irritated rather than their calm presence without much exposition to people. When Afghan security forces took the responsibility of Mazar province security, people were excited all welcomed the transition.

The excitement of people during transition ceremony showed that people were not comfortable with presence of foreign forces in the city. In addition, during Taliban regime, communal differences blinded them in level that they were unintentionally paving the way for country's self occupation.

Many were tricked that they actually were fighting to end instability and establishing a strong government with linkage to any foreign country.

Anyhow, recently there were series of missile firings from beyond border into Kunar and Nuristan provinces. These attacks are not new. Months ago, similar missile firings led hundreds to internal migration.

However, there were sporadic demonstration, but there is not sign of a national wide antagonism with those behind the barrage. The recent round of attacks too dealt damage to residence of the two provinces. According to reports, tens of families left homes, seeking safer location.

Without, wide civil reaction, Afghan officials are mad at foreign forces, arguing why they remained silent while committed to protect sovereignty of the country? Members of Mishran-Jirga, on Tuesday, Sept. 28, strongly condemned the barrage and asked officials and foreign allies to take due steps.

But one thing should be noticed: however, there were not large demonstration against barrage, but Afghan media largely cover incidents which increasingly enlarge antagonism and animosity between two neighbors. Afghanistan wouldn't be let alone again, as US officials promised.

In that case, the democracy and democratic institutions continues getting further stabilized. And Afghanistan will forcedly be accepted as a nation having a government that all neighbors should seek their interest within that.

Firing missiles along with dealing damage to Afghan people will also restrict the chance of respected neighbor to play role within political and economic establishment, which of course is against its own national interest too. Thus, hopefully concerned officials avoid looking at short-term interests and inflame enmity between the countries.

Jawad Rahmani is the permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at jawad_rahmani2001@yahoo.com

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