Afghanistan: Updates to Response to Information Request AFG12597 of 18 December 1992 regarding the current circumstances of the Hazaras and the Wahdat movement
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 January 1995 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | AFG19334.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Afghanistan: Updates to Response to Information Request AFG12597 of 18 December 1992 regarding the current circumstances of the Hazaras and the Wahdat movement, 1 January 1995, AFG19334.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac995c.html [accessed 3 November 2019] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Hazara make up 19 per cent of the 16 million inhabitants of Afghanistan (The Tampa Tribune 26 Dec. 1994). The Hazara are shi'ites and consider themselves to be the descendants of Mongol invaders who occupied the area during the 12th century (World Press Review Apr. 1994, pp. 15-16). The Hazara minority controls Kabul's northern suburb of Wazir Abad (AFP 24 May 1994).
Violent clashes broke out between two Shi'ite groups mostly made up of Hazaras in the southern suburbs of Kabul in September and May 1994 (TASS 16 Sept. 1994; AFP 24 May 1994). These two groups are Abdul Ali Mazari's Hezb-e-Wahdat (Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan) and Ali Anwari's Harakat-e-Islami (Islamic Movement of Afghanistan) (ibid.). The reasons behind the frictions between the two groups remain unknown, although there is some speculation that "the conflict was triggered by friction among local commanders or due to the policy pursued by the party leadership" (TASS 16 Sept. 1994).
According to Agence France Presse, Abdul Ali Mazari joined forces with followers of Pushtun prime minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and the Uzbek general Abdul Rashid Dostam while Ali Anwari's forces fought alongside troops loyal to Tajik president Burhanuddin Rabbani (AFP 24 May 1994).
The Wahdat is a coalition of several Shi'ite parties and receives financial and military support from Iran (Jeune Afrique 2 March 1994, pp. 38-40; Reuters 13 June 1993). Furthermore, this organization is considered to be an instrument of Iran's foreign policy regarding Afghanistan (Jeune Afrique 2 March 1994, pp. 38-40). The same source also states that the Wahdat's mission in Afghanistan is to bolster Shi'ite influence in Afghanistan in order to counter the influence of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the region. The Wahdat wants to have 16 per cent of the positions of responsibility within the Afghan government (ibid.). For further information on events which have taken place in Afghanistan over the last two years, please consult the attached documents and Response to Information Request AFG16456.E of 11 February 1994 available at your Regional Documentation Centre.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Agence France Presse (AFP). 24 May 1994. "Au moins cinq morts à Kaboul dans des combats entre factions chiites rivales." (NEXIS)
Jeune Afrique [Paris]. 2 March 1994. Tirthankar Chanda. "Kaboul victime de ses libérateurs."
Reuters. 13 June 1993. BC Cycle. Michael Shuttleworth. "Kabul Residents Strive to Escape Civil War." (NEXIS)
The Tampa Tribune. 26 December 1994. Final Edition. Neetish S. Rele. "Years of Warfare Hurt Afghanistan." (NEXIS)
World Press Review [New York]. April 1994. Anthony Davis. "Afghanistan's Death Struggle."
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS). 16 September 1994. "Afghanistan: Heavy Fighting Between Shi'ites." (NEXIS)
Attachments
Agence France Presse (AFP). 24 May 1994. "Au moins cinq morts à Kaboul dans des combats entre factions chiites rivales." (NEXIS)
_____. 27 January 1994. "Afghan Military Strongman Finds Himself Increasingly Isolated." (NEXIS)
_____. 10 October 1993. "Thirty Civilians Wounded in Rival Mujahedeen Artillery Clashes." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 20 September 1994. "West Kabul; Heavy Fighting Between Rival Factions." (NEXIS)
_____. 2 March 1993. "Defence Ministry Spokesman Reassures Hazara People." (NEXIS)
The Guardian [London]. 11 March 1994. Ian MacWilliam. "Unholy Warriors." (NEXIS)
The Houston Chronicle. 24 January 1993. Edward A. Gargan. "Afghanistan Disintegrating into Three Autonomous Territories." (NEXIS)_
Jeune Afrique [Paris]. 2 March 1994. Tirthankar Chanda. "Kaboul victime de ses libérateurs," pp. 38-40.
Libération [Paris]. 25 November 1993. Djebel Saraj. "Afghanistan: Massoud dans le labyrinthe des factions." (NEXIS)
Manchester Guardian Weekly. 24 April 1994. "An Afghan Is for Hire, not for Sale."
The Middle East [London]. March 1994. "Afghanistan: Dogs of War Unleashed."
Radio Afghanistan Network [Kabul, in Pashto]. 9 February 1993. "Government Urges Hazaras to Oppose Rebel Forces." (FBIS-NES-93-026 10 Feb. 1993, p. 38-39)
Reuters. 13 June 1993. BC Cycle. Michael Shuttleworth. "Kabul Residents Strive to Escape Civil War." (NEXIS)
The Tampa Tribune. 26 December 1994. Final Edition. Neetish S. Rele. "Years of Warfare Hurt Afghanistan." (NEXIS)
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS). 16 September 1994. "Afghanistan: Heavy Fighting Between Shi'ites." (NEXIS)
World Press Review [New York]. April 1994. Anthony Davis. "Afghanistan's Death Struggle," pp. 15-16.
