London, Hazara International Forum of Great Britain fully supports initiatives of human rights organizations for celebrating World Refugee Day to highlight and stress on equal rights of asylum seekers and refugees. As an Umbrella Organization working for protection of political, social, economic and educational rights of the Hazaras in the UK, HIF realizes the need to reveal to the world that a proportionately large number of the Hazaras are compelled to embark on perilous journey to foreign lands in pursuit of safe abode and the inborn right of living a happy life. Before we shed some light over miseries and hardships of the Hazaras, we need to briefly introduce them as follows:
Who Are The Hazaras:
The Hazaras are one of several ethnic groups, predominantly, inhabiting in central Afghanistan which is also known as Hazarajat or Hazaraistan. Majority of the Hazaras are Shi’ite Muslim, however, a small number of them were forced to convert to Sunni faction of Islam during the barbaric and cruel regime of Abdul Rehman dating back to 19th century. According to reliable statistics (shown) by various historians and demographics, the Hazaras are the second largest population in Afghanistan who has continually been subjected to direct racial, ethnic and religious persecution by Pashtun governments. Hundreds of thousands of them have been brutally murdered by the Pashtun regimes including men, women and children. These atrocities and cruelties have been repetitively happening for centuries which forced them to migrate to other countries to save their lives. At present, the Hazaras are living all over the world ranging from South Asian countries to Europe, South America and Australia. A large number of them are now living as refugees and expectant asylum seekers in European countries who have no other choice as their return to Afghanistan, could endanger their lives. Despite living in neighboring countries of Afghanistan for centuries and declared rightful citizens in the constitutions of Pakistan, Iran and India, they are still facing serious life threats on the pretext of race, ethnicity and faith. Some of the problems are highlighted as under which have been pinpointed by prestigious human rights organizations in their yearly reports.
1. That they are being target killed in Quetta, Pakistan every day by religious extremists and so called resistance movements for decades.
2. That they face racial, ethnic and religious discrimination in all walks of life in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.
1. That the Pashtun Kochis, routinely, infiltrate Hazara lands in central Afghanistan for plundering, ransacking, burning and murdering innocent people. This heinous practice is exercised on yearly basis.
2. That the government of Iran’s inhuman treatment of Hazara refugees belittle their self esteem and human dignity and the reprehensible act is practiced openly across Iran.
3. That the government of Iran has never accepted to provide shelter to Hazara refugees on humanitarian grounds nor have they ever been sympathetic enough towards matters of human rights.
4. That Hazara refugees and asylum seekers face almost the same discriminatory problems and treatments by other European countries who spare no time in returning them to Afghanistan despite evident life threats to them as well as to their family members.
5. That Australian government is deporting hundreds of Hazara refugees and asylum seekers to Afghanistan despite worsening law and order situation affecting other ethnicities but particularly the Hazaras.
6. That the UK government has accelerated the pace of deporting Hazara refugees and asylum seekers to Afghanistan which has increased the risk of their massacre after confirmed reports that anti Hazara elements and the Taliban are gaining control of more territories in Afghanistan.
A P P E A L:
Hazara International Forum of Great Britain appeals to all human rights organisations including the UNHCR to exercise their power in exerting meaningful pressure on European, American and Australian governments to abide by International Charter of Human Rights and being a signatory, they kindly reconsider their foreign policy towards deportation of refugees and asylum seekers, especially Hazara refugees and asylum seekers. HIF also calls upon Amnesty International through today’s public gathering to appeal to relevant quarters of British government for announcing amnesty to all refugees and asylum seekers.
The Hazaras are in potential risk of life threats in Afghanistan and should be recognized as refugee in the UK, European Economic Countries, South America and Australia. These countries need to resolve all outstanding cases of refugees and asylum seekers at the earliest to provide relief to Hazaras.
Liaquat Ali Hazara
Secretary,
Press and Communication.
Hazara International Forum
HazaraNation.com