Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, April 25th, 2024

Necessary Lessons to Learn from the post-Soviet Union Aggression

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Necessary Lessons to Learn from the post-Soviet Union Aggression

Saturday, it was coincided with sixth of Jaddi (26 December) when 41 years ago the Soviet Red Army began its longest aggressive operation aiming to occupy Afghanistan. This day was marked in different parts of the country but highly under shadow of insecurity in the country. Many thinkers believe that the currents crisis originated from this event and from the political mistakes which repeatedly made after this event. In fact, the natures of these mistakes which made by the Soviet Union and then followed by Afghan political monopolists are almost the same. The biggest mistake of the Soviet Union was its unilateral aggression in Afghanistan ignoring the international law and international power. The second mistake of the Soviet Union was its cruel method violating national and international laws and values with slaughtering millions of elites and civilians in the country. Consequently, these overt mistakes shortly paved the way for a national and international consensus against the Soviet Union and its puppet government in the country .
In international level, The UN General Assembly, the UN Security Council, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Islamic Conference, the European Union, the African Union, the Arab League, and thousands of institutions and political parties not only condemned the aggression, but also called for the immediate withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. Even Pro-Soviet «Euro-communist » parties in Europe also condemned the aggression, calling it on contrary to internationalist ideas. For example , the two very powerful Communist parties of France and Italy also condemned the aggression calling   it against communist principles. Most of these powers did not suffice on oral condemns; they established supportive orgs and network providing technical and fiscal assistance to Afghan Mujahidin. These orgs were mainly created in Iran and Pakistan creating a wide-range of competitive bed amongst western, Arab, and Soviet opponents in Afghanistan. Consequently, the Soviet Union had not only failed in reaching to the dreams of warm water but also lost its current power and unity .
In national level, the Soviet Union s mistakes also caused a national reactionary consensus against aggression of the Soviet Red Army and its puppet government.  Hundreds of national uprisings and movements were formed in the country while nearly six million people migrated to the neighboring countries due to the fear of torture carried out by the ruling intelligence network. However, after death of Brezhnev when Dr. Najib came to power, he adapted a flexible policy announcing a national reconciliation but did not produce any positive outcomes as it was too late. Even, he changed the name of communist party and state calling the opposition annoyed brothers and invited to come to his homeland, but all of these voices did not reach anywhere. As, the Soviet forces were compelled to leave the country on February 17, 1988 with 16 thousand of deaths, 54 thousand injuries and 50 billion expenses, the government of Najib which had already lost its foreign backer and did not last long because of cultivating bad memories in public opinion .
Unfortunately, after the Soviet Union aggression some similar mistakes repeated by Jehadist parties. Instead of establishing parties on basis of political thoughts and ideas, the political parties were established on the basis of race and religion. The political geography of the country was divided on basis of race and religious tendencies such as central area, southern area and northern area. The southern area belonged to Pashtun parties; the central area belonged to Tajic and Uzbek parties and the central area belonged to Hazara movement parties. Each of this party either struggled for omission of others or they were reactionary movements in the nature. As a result, the monopolistic views and privatization of politics not only paved the ground for civil war and inferences of regional and international community in the country, but also cultivated a deep hatred and divisions in the country with destroying everything in the country .
Now that forty one years has passed from the beginning of these conflicts, still we have not learnt from the past mistakes. The insurgent groups use the similar method which was used by the communist party in Afghanistan. Thousands of elites were collectively killed during the Soviet Union regime while the same groups of people are mysteriously targeted in the country now.  From one hand, they show readiness for peace and reconciliation; on the other hand, the religious and political intellectuals are successively targeted in the country. According to experts, the enemies of Afghanistan have commenced target killings to silence the awakening and inspiring voices in the country. During Soviet Union, they made use of the same oppressive method killing the elites including intellectuals, religious scholars and opposing politicians to pave the way for their domination in the country .
Unfortunately, the government of Afghanistan has also influenced by the post-Soviet Union culture being more emotional rather than being rational or national. If the former president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, had not taken such a passive or emotional policy against terrorists, corruption and poppy opium in the country, now the country would not have been in this condition. Now, before it become too late, the current government must learn from the past mistakes and not allow any types of racial and religious discriminations which damages national unity and national oneness. The people will not support the government if it fails to act upon ruling laws and meritocracy as general principle in the country .
Accordingly, the people will not stand behind a government that is indifferent against targeting intellectual personalities and elites . In fact, democracy and republic is meaningless without freedom of intellectual community. If the current condition continues, it is probable that people welcome the Taliban to take the security.  According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Conventions Right to know or Right of access to Information is the fundamental human rights and so no one should be killed because of his views and thoughts .

Mohammad Zahir Akbari is the permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at mohammadzahirakbari@gmail.com

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