Hundreds of people have taken to social media to observe and pay tribute to the 7th anniversary of the attack on the Enlightenment Movement, honoring the lives of victims and sympathizing with the survivors.
According to Human Right Watch (HRW), at least 85 people were killed and 413 injured after two suicide bombers struck a peaceful protest in Kabul’s Dehmazang Square on July 23, 2016.
On that day, thousands of protestors, predominantly Hazaras, were marching against the then-president Ashraf Ghani’s government plans for a major power project to bypass Bamiyan, a largely Hazara province in the central highlands. The protestors had gathered under the Enlightenment Movement.
To sway the demonstration from the presidential palace, authorities had blocked central roads, forcing protesters to gather at Dehmazang Square, about two miles from the palace.
The twin bombing was later claimed by the Islamic State—Khorasan Province (ISKP).
Sima, whose son Ahmad was killed in the attack, told HRW:
“We heard from Tolo TV that there had been an explosion among the protesters. We were very frightened and called his number, but it rang and he didn’t pick up. I went to Isteqlal Hospital where they had brought many dead bodies and injured people. I asked his friends and they told me that Ahmad was wounded and was at another hospital. They said we should come in the morning. But then I learned that actually he had been killed.”
One of the survivors of the attack narrated in a tweet:
“We saw an injustice happening and stood against it in the hope that our non-violent and peaceful rally would relent part of our longstanding grievances, but it led to a disaster. Today, we pay homage to the dignity, courage, and legacy of the souls we lost. We acknowledge this because we have no right to deprive our future generations of a tragedy that belongs to our collective memory.”
Jawad Zawlustani, who survived the bombing, told KabulNow:
“It was the most tragic day of my life and I think a devastation of that magnitude can hardly happen to a peaceful movement that only demands an end to century-long discrimination against and marginalization of the Hazara people. The images of people’s dead burnt bodies scattered on the asphalt are still vivid. Whenever I remember that day, I still feel the smell of victims’ burned flesh in the air.”
Emotional Tributes and Remembrance
Said Taieb Jawad, former Ambassador to Washington, expressed his grief and sympathy in a tweet: “May the memory of bright and intellectual men and women of the Enlightenment Movement live long who were killed and injured for seeking justice.”
Farkhondeh Akbari, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Australia’s Monash University, said in a tweet: “We mourn the massacre of the educated and the brave who chose peace and street, handing roses and collecting rubbish, to bring sustainable change. Their legacy will enlighten the way forward.”
She added that no proper investigation has been conducted and no perpetrator has been brought to justice to date.
“Mothers still weep, hearts broken, seeking justice for their lost children. We demand accountability to ensure their sacrifices are not forgotten.” Sitarah Mohammadi, the spokesperson for the World Hazara Council, wailed her sorrow in a tweet.
Mahdi Rasikh, a former parliamentarian, remembered the day as “resistance for our rights and freedom”.
Hussain Bakhsh Safari, a well-known martial artist, said that the Enlightenment Movement was a public outcry and a fight for justice.
“Hundreds of educated young men and women sacrificed their lives so the next generation could live in peace. It was one of the darkest events in the history of Afghanistan.” He lamented.
Palwasha Roshan vowed on Twitter: “I am a Pashtun girl. I will stand to support Hazaras’ call for justice and freedom until my last breath whether my Pashtun fellows like it or otherwise.” Roshan called on the Pashtun community to “offer their support to this humane cause”.
Writer and political analyst, Adalat Hasan Ali, recounted the historical suffering, discrimination against, and persecution of Hazaras, saying the “tragedy of Dehmazang is only one of the examples in a genocidal campaign against the social group that has existed for 130 years.”
