THE HANDSTAND

NOVEMBER 2003

I AM HAPPY TO INFORM YOU  THAT
The first issue of a Unique Pushtu Magazine "Meena" will soon be launched from Swat.The patrons of the Magazine are determined to deviate from the traditional pattern and give the pushtu readers a
quality Magazine For more information PLEASE VISIT www.geocities.com/meenaswat

The magazine has been set on International Standards containing articles on various topics like Literature,Economics,tourism,archeology,education,health,science,social problems and theology.       Writers, throughout the country are invited to send their articles to "meena".               It is hoped that the pashto readers will find something new,appealing and worth- reading. Annual membership is Rs 140.Writers are requested to write their complete address and send their articles
to Mr.Fazal Mahmood Rokhan ,
23 Malak Sale Market
Cheena, near Nishat Chowk,
Mingora,Swat.
       Mr.Hyder Ali Shah Bacha is the chief
Patron while Mr Fazal Mahmood Rokhan, a  renowned
auther, is the chief editor.The first issue is
expected in October,2003.

Afghanistan's alienated Pashtuns

Excerpts from article by Marcus George
BBC News Online 
Saturday, 9 August, 2003


The alienation of ethnic Pashtuns in Afghanistan and their lack of representation in the political process could end in disaster, a global think-tank has warned. The report, published by the International Crisis Group (ICG), said the situation is fostering resentment against the government and adding to the threat of regional instability.

Furthermore, rivalry between local commanders in neighbouring states are creating conditions "dangerously close" to those prevailing at the time of the Taleban's emergence. Violence against Pashtuns in the north and west of Afghanistan and heavy-handed missions by US forces in the southern regions have furthered anti-government sentiment.

The Pashtuns are Afghanistan's largest ethnic group, making up about 45% of the population. They live mainly in the southern and eastern parts of the country but Pashtuns communities are also found in the northern and western regions. Commentators believe that perceptions about life under the Taleban are changing. "I suspect the Taleban are now being seen as a real guarantor of security despite the anti-Taleban rhetoric since 2001," says writer on Afghanistan, Michael Griffin..... "The Pashtuns are beginning to lean more closely to this social order. Abusive regional authorities need to be replaced by educated professionals who can win back popular confidence in the political process. Interference by US forces in local disputes is fomenting distrust of foreign forces and payment to local commanders is encouraging militia membership. Coalition operations are also criticised by the report for alienating local populations through heavy-handed searches and involvement in factional and personal rivalries..... Besides conveying the impression of partisanship in local disputes, the heavy-handed tactics used by coalition forces in some of their operations risk alienating sources of support. "In simple terms the Pashtuns don't like GIs barging in doors and lifting the burqas of their women," adds Mr Griffin.

Replying to a question on a recent BBC programme, General Musharraf said Pakistan was right in the 1990s to recognise the Taliban government because they constituted the Pushtun majority and controlled 90 percent of the territory in Afghanistan.

PROPAGANDA??? - who is writing this stuff ???
.The Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG):
.The Pushtun have gone back to being tribal and being divided. No such tribalisation, the Report notes, is present among those represented in the Northern Alliance. When the Pushtun get together, the only binding principle they seem to recognise is theocratic. But theocracy is unpractical and excludes too many people from the state and finally breaks down(!!). Afghanistan becomes viable only after theocracy breaks down. But along with this comes the breakdown of the Pushtun 'nation'. The conclusion may give rise to dismay but that is what the situation looks like.
If Afghanistan is divided along ethnic-linguistic lines, the areas belonging to the Northern Alliance factions will hold together but the Pushtun territory would become convulsed with inter-tribal wars and will be used as a staging ground for irredentist wars on the other territories. For it to survive, Afghanistan might have to live without Pushtun dominance for the time being. Which means that the Americans and the ISAF must stay in the country for many years more

.In December 2001, the Taliban were attacked
by a coalition of states united against international terrorism.
.
These people in Brussels evidently have not read any evidence or factual information except USA Dept. of Defence documents by the look of it.

Mohammed Daud Miraki, PhD, MA, MA

Director

Afghan DU & Recovery Fund

www.afghandufund.org

 

For more than two decades, Afghan people have endured many tragedies, only to be condemned to a perpetual death by the United States of America.

 

Initially, the former Soviet Union and their installed puppet regime have murdered more than 1.5 million Afghans, littered the country with more than 15 million mines that take Afghan lives every day. It followed by the infighting among the warlords and the former communist regime militias further adding to the misery of our people. People lost their lives along with their dignity and self-respect in the past two decades. With the emergence of Taliban, the reactionary force that dealt severe blow to the local bandits and warlords, the cycle of death did not. Afghans faced a much disastrous future when they were condemned to the silent genocide of uranium weapons. In fact, the conspiracy of the elite in the United States not only resulted in the deadly attacks of September the 11th, 2001 followed by the invasion of Afghanistan, but also it has begun to tell the world that the use of nuclear weapons is as commonplace as conventional arsenal.

 

It is necessary to reflect on this and other tragedies in the current global anarchy because we are facing a global menace eager to use any means to reach its evil ends. The significance of this period in human history becomes evident when one encompasses the magnitude of the disaster imposed on people who chose not to be enslaved in the chains of the New World Order. In essence, the United States responds to rejections from weak nations, such as Afghanistan, through the means of Weapons of Mass Destruction and the accompanying perpetual death condemning entire nations forever. After all, in the few billion years required for the half life of uranium, the existence of nations as we know them today is inconceivable, because at the present rate the speed of contamination by far exceeds any hopes of recover. Especially, when the contamination consists of the Weapons of Mass Destruction, uranium.

 

Afghan people have been condemned for being different, courageous and have the dignity for self-determination, which is something quite foreign to the coward establishment of the USA and her allies. The truth of this matter becomes evident from the following statement by one of the victims of US's aggression:

 

"What else do the Americans want? They killed us, they turned our newborns into horrific deformations, and they turned our farmlands into graveyards and destroyed our homes. On top of all that their planes fly over and spray us with bullets. We have nothing to lose; we will fight against them the same way we fought against the previous monster [the former Soviet Union]" (Sa'yed Gharib, April 2003)

 

The courage this poor peasant exhibited is a priceless commodity that you would not find on the New York Stock Exchange. In fact, the uranium weapons may physically disable Afghans of all ages; but it will never cripple their determination to uphold their sovereignty and self-respect.

 

Unfortunately, the pain that these poor souls endure is not lost amidst the heroism they exhibit daily. They live in utter devastation, wherein one in five children do not make it to their fifth birthday, while the average life expectancy for adults stands at 45. As if all this misery was not enough, the US and its criminal allies had to subject the entire nation to a collective death sentence, a tragedy from which recovery is unimaginable. Moreover, to add insult to injury, the global menace had to call this genocide--"liberation".

 

The bunker buster bombs contaminated the underground water system, upon which locals rely, especially, in times of drought. Afghans inherited large number of cave systems from generations ago and were part of the daily livelihood and sustenance of communities all over the country. Similarly, various mountain ranges constitute extensions of local ecosystems. Local populations depend on these mountains for water, wood and even cultivation. Some people even cultivate some arable lands in the lower steppes of some of the mountain ranges. This is especially the case in the southeast and east of the country, part of the Pashtun (Afghan) land where large mountain ranges dominate the land. Therefore, it is impossible for the inhabitants of those areas to avoid exposure to the deadly contaminants. Tragically, the continuous air raids on suspected "hideouts" of Afghan resistance forces, subject locals to daily dose of "fresh" uranium dust.

 

With this in mind, there are two issues that require attention. First, the continuous bombing has to stop, which is essentially wishful thinking on our part. Bombing and air raids of different types would continue as long as there are resistant fighters challenging US's crimes. Second, something has to be done to eventually pave the way for some sort of ameliorative action, if any, for the survival of the current inhabitants, and long term prospects of safety of future generations.

This second issue compelled me to form Afghan DU & Recovery Fund, with hopes of paving the way for some sort of 'cleanup'. However, I know this that it is impossible to have complete cleanup for contaminants that are susceptible to wind patterns, snow and rain water.

 

Meanwhile, the planning process for such massive undertaking requires a continuous influx of data, which would serve as the feedback mechanism for any strategy we choose to adopt. Eventually, a dynamic database would prove to be invaluable. To achieve such a database, I propose the instillation of permanent monitoring devices initially in the 'hot spots', followed by instillation of such monitoring stations all over Afghanistan; this, we believe, to be the most sensible initial steps toward a long term amelioration efforts.

 

The significance of such database would appear lame at the outset. However, the long-term benefits would not only be crucial for any cleanup, but also would serve as a wealth of epidemiological information, necessary data bank for researchers worldwide. Unfortunately, any such undertaking requires funding, which is quite difficult at this time because most potential donors follow the "flow", namely demands of the US government.

Finally, let me focus on the relevance of international institutions at the current crossroad in history. At the present time, international institutions and international law are considered worthless dealing with poor nations and their claims of injustice. In fact, a world institution such as the United Nations has become a mere approval stamp for the United States and other powerful nations. In light of these fundamental global changes, the poor nations should grant no credence to the notion of international law and United Nations because the survival of poor nations is taken hostage by this global fallacy, namely the United Nations as we see it today. It is my firm opinion that it is not a prerequisite to be a strong nation, militarily speaking, to stand for one's rights. If the New World Order has institutionalized this new Paradigm of Forced Socioeconomic Underdevelopment, it has failed to fully hinder avenues whereby the weak could contest its grievance. The grassroots movements worldwide with the assistance of Internet as the medium of communication could raise the voices of weak nations effectively. As it is evident today from our activities at this conference.

 

Since the use of uranium weapons has undoubtedly affect all aspects of Afghan society, its people and their habitat, a mere struggle of resistance is not enough, because the use of uranium weapons entails the perpetual condemnation of an entire nation to a silent death. A death that would linger upon us for generations to come, the most precious of our possession, the children of Afghanistan would be the worst of the victims in this tragedy.

 

What is all this genocide for, simply to gain wealth? That is the manifestation of true evil, a practice fitting for Lucifer, the Satan. Unfortunately, the current global menace, the United States of America, has chosen to be that Lucifer aimed at mass murdering nations.

Sincerely,

 

Mohammed Daud Miraki, PhD, MA, MA

Director

Afghan DU & Recovery Fund

www.afghandufund.org

mdmiraki@ameritech.net