KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Canadian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development has officially acknowledged the massacre of Hazaras during Abdul Rahman Khan’s reign and their ongoing persecution under the Taliban in Afghanistan.
In its detailed report titled “Enduring and Overcoming: The Struggle of the Hazaras in Afghanistan,” the committee stated that the Hazaras suffered mass atrocities during Abdul Rahman Khan’s rule in Afghanistan, from 1891 to 1893.
The committee highlighted that during Khan’s rule, when he issued a fatwa of jihad against the Hazaras, an estimated 62% of the Hazara population was exterminated, with survivors dispossessed of their lands and forced into slavery.
“The fatwa decreed that every Muslim should kill Hazaras, seize their property, and enslave them, promising the perpetrators of such crimes spoils in the form of land and slaves,” part of the report reads.
The committee quoted witnesses as saying that the fatwa of jihad led to the sale of Hazara men, women, and children as slaves in the markets of Kabul and Kandahar, an activity authorized and taxed by the state.
Eyewitness accounts cited in the report describe how Hazara men, women, and children were sold as slaves in the markets of Kabul and Kandahar, with the state profiting through taxes on these transactions. Approximately 9,000 Hazara women were reportedly sold into slavery in Kabul alone, many subjected to rape and forced marriages, a tragedy largely ignored due to cultural sensitivities.
The report examines the elements of the Genocide Convention and their application to the Hazaras, noting that the persecution of Hazaras and acts of mass killings align with the criteria for targeted groups outlined in Article II of the convention.
In preparing the report, the committee held three meetings between June 16 and October 24, 2023, gathering insights from academics, civil society representatives, and members of the Hazara community in Canada. They also received multiple written briefs.
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l Protest in Canada Calls for Action Against ‘Genocide’ of Hazaras in Afghanistan
In an effort to commemorate this dark chapter, the committee said it supports recognizing September 25th annually as a day of remembrance for the Hazara massacre under Abdul Rahman Khan.
The ethnic Hazaras, primarily located in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, have endured a long history of violent persecution, discrimination, and marginalization. As predominantly Shia Muslims in a majority Sunni country, they have faced systematic violence, including targeted attacks and massacres, which they argue amount to genocide.
In recent years, activists, rights groups, and defenders have consistently called on the international community to officially recognize the historical massacres of Hazaras and their ongoing persecution as acts of genocide.
The committee’s report highlights that Hazara’s distinct physical features, along with their tendency to follow religious beliefs considered unorthodox by extremist groups, have historically led to persistent persecution of the community.
According to the report, the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan in 2021 marked the return of repressive rule, which had a particularly severe impact on the Hazara Shia community.
“Despite their substantial contributions to Afghanistan’s cultural heritage, the Hazaras are currently subjected to significant violence by the Taliban government and extremist groups, including killings and forced evictions,” the report said.
The committee concluded its report with a call for international action to protect the Hazara community and prevent further atrocities. It urged the United Nations and refugee-hosting countries to prioritize the resettlement of Hazara refugees, given their precarious situation in Afghanistan and neighboring regions, asserting that such efforts could improve the overall situation for the community.
