RASC News Agency: In a recent report, the American Bar Association (ABA) has urged all governments worldwide to recognize and prevent the ongoing “genocide” against the Hazaras and other ethnic groups in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The ABA asserts that genocide is ongoing in Afghanistan and must be halted immediately. The report highlights the absence of “official estimates” of the Hazara population, noting that their numbers have significantly dwindled due to persistent persecution.
Hazaras are subjected to arbitrary harassment, detention, and physical abuse by the Taliban. The ABA calls on the International Criminal Court and the U.S. Department of State to promote justice and accountability efforts to end the impunity for “genocide” in Afghanistan. The ABA emphasizes the need to exert maximum efforts to stop the genocide and harassment of the Hazaras. The report accuses the Taliban of complicity and silence in allowing terror groups like ISIS to perpetrate violence and terrorism against the Hazara community, indicating the Taliban’s intent to achieve their objective of Hazara annihilation.
The Taliban exploit the silence of various ethnic groups to continue their oppression of the Hazaras. The report documents that since the late 19th century, under various Afghanistani leaders, the predominantly Shia Hazaras have suffered indescribable violence and “massacres.” The report further states that the Taliban and other “terror groups” aim to annihilate the Hazaras, inflicting severe physical and psychological harm through killings.
The report notes, “Hazara women and girls face severe persecution due to their gender and ethnicity, with the Taliban imposing their strict dress codes and compulsory hijab in Hazara-populated areas. In provinces like Daikundi and Bamyan, traditional clothing has never included the burqa or long black hijab; instead, women have worn their unique local and cultural attire. However, the Taliban have forced women, especially young girls attending elementary schools, to adopt their version of the hijab.”
There are allegations that sexual violence has been used as a tool to persecute Hazara women and girls. Since 2021, several killings of Hazara community members by the Taliban have been reported, according to the ABA. Amnesty International has documented “extrajudicial executions” in Ghazni province in July 2021, Daykundi province in August 2021, and Ghor province in June 2022, with a total of 53 cases reported. The ABA adds that while most of the actions discussed in the report are perpetrated by the Taliban, ISIS has also made clear its intent to “eradicate Shias, including Hazaras.”
The report also highlights that Hazaras are targeted by other terrorist groups in different countries. In Pakistan, Hazaras have been killed by extremist groups since 2013 due to their religious beliefs or sectarian violence. The report concludes that under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, Tajiks are also subjected to persecution, including arbitrary detention, torture, and killings under various pretexts.
