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Afghanistan World Foundation: "Visions Of Hope" A brief
documentary on the History of the Land and People of Afghanistan
and their struggle in the post-conflict environment. |
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| Afghanistan is a geographically landlocked country in
Southern Asia. The Central Asian Republics of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
and Tajikistan lie along its northern border, Iran lies to the west,
Pakistan to its east, and China at its easternmost Hindu Kush mountainous
peak along the Wakhan corridor. The Hindu Kush mountains, the westernmost
part of the Himalayan range, dominates the rugged terrain and runs
across the country from east to west. The Pamir Mountain, extend from
the West of Afghanistan into Tajikistan, China, and Kashmir. High
passes are found in both of these mountain ranges and they form a
strategically important network for traders, invaders and fighters.
The most famous historical passes were the Khyber Pass and the Kotal-e
Lataband pass, both leading from Kabul to Pakistan, and the Kotel-e
Salang pass, linking Kabul to northern Afghanistan. The climate is
extremely harsh with bitter cold winters and blazing hot summers.
The region also lies on a major tectonic fault line and thus is prone
to many earthquakes. In summary, it is a challenging environment for
its inhabitants as well as the countless invading foreign armies who
have failed to subjugate the country. |
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Area: 251,825 sq miles (slightly
smaller than Texas)
Population: 31,056,997 (July 2006 estimate)
Capital: Kabul with approx population 4,500,000
Other major cities are Ghazni, Jalalabad, Herat, Kandahar,
and Mazar-e Sharif.
Natural resources: Natural gas, petroleum,
coal, cooper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc,
iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Land use: Arable land 12% Permanent pastures
46% Forests and woodland 3% Other 39%
Agricultural products: opium, wheat, fruits,
nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins.
Industries: small-scale production of textiles,
soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement, handwoven carpets,
natural gas, coal, copper |
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Afghanistan's geographic position has made it
one of the trading and migration crossroads of Central Asia.
Communities with separate religions, languages, and ethnic backgrounds
have lived side by side for generations. Afghanistan has seen
Hindu, Buddhist and Zoroastrian kingdoms flourishing in its
territory in past centuries and it still remains a country of
dynamic diversity. It is a country divided into many tribal
and ethnic groups. One aspect of life which unites almost all
Afghanis, however, is the religion of Islam. Although there
are sectarian differences, and variations in the practice of
the religion, Afghanis are virtually all Muslims.
An estimated 80%of the population is Sunni Muslim while 19%
is Shia Muslim.
Ethnic Groups:
- Pashtun 42% -- mostly farmers and Sunni Muslims
- Tajik 27% -- live mostly in the northeast, second largest
ethnic group, mostly Sunni Muslims
- Hazara 9% -- live in the Hindu Kush mountains, primarily
Shiite Muslims
- Uzbek 9% -- live mostly along the northern border, mostly
Sunni Muslims
- Aimak 4%
- Turkmen 3%
- Baluch2%
- Nuristani and Kizibash 4%.
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Official Languages
Pashto and Dari (Afghan Persian). Dari is spoken by over 50% of
the population and Pashto is spoken throughout Kabul and eastern
and southern Afghanistan. Many Afghans are multi-lingual. Tajik
and Turkic languages are spoken widely in the north. Smaller groups
throughout the country also speak more than 70 other languages and
numerous dialects. |
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The Constitution of Afghanistan provides for the presidential
and parliamentary elections. President Hamid Karzai earned the majority
of votes during the Presidential election of 2004 and has since worked
to lay the foundation of a democracy in his 5 year term with the possibility
for one additional term. In 2005, the Parliamentary elections were
held for the Wolesi and Meshrano Jirgas, comprising the upper and
lower houses of Parliament for which each Parliamentariam would serve
a 5 year term. 
Afghanistan is a country of councils; the Loya Jirga (Grand Council)
and local shuras have been contributing, for centuries, to the political
landscape of Afghanistan. Afghans are thus accustomed to working through
these councils towards building consensus. The parliament consists
of two chambers: the Wolesi Jirga (The Lower House) and the Meshrano
Jirga (the Senate); as well as Provincial Councils; District Councils;
Village Councils; and Municipal Councils and elected mayors.
The Constitution mandates that two women be elected from each of
the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, to the lower House of Parliament
(wolesi jirga). This means that at least sixty-eight of the 249
(or 27%) of lower house seats must be occupied by women, placing
the Afghan legislature in the top 20 when it comes to the worldwide
comparison and considerably higher than the United States or the
United Kingdom which have 15% and 18%, respectively.
The Senate (meshrano jirga) consists of 102 members. Senators are
elected via appointments and indirect elections. Two thirds are
elected. The President selects the remaining one third for a period
of five years. Appointees by the president shall include two representatives
of the disabled, and two representatives from the kuchis or nomads
and 17 women. |
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Early History
Archeological evidence suggests that sometime between 50,000 BC
and 30,000 BC, peoples in the area of modern Afghanistan began using
crude stone tools and also domesticated animals and engaged in settled
agriculture. Around 1500 BC the Aryans moved into the area and established
a city at the site of present day Kabul composing the Rig Veda (sacred
Hindu Vedic Sanskrit hymns). Around 600 BC the religious reformer
Zoroaster established his monotheistic new religion near the city
of Balkh. Zoroastrian became the dominant religion in both Afghanistan
and neighboring Persia. Persian influence continued in Afghanistan
with the 6th century BC conquest by Darius the Great
and the inclusion of the area into the Persian Empire. Persian influence
was replaced by Greek with the 4th century BC conquest
of the area by Alexander the Great and the subsequent Greco-Parthian-Buddhist
civilization which resulted and dominated the areas for several
centuries. The height of the Gandharan Greco-Buddhist culture came
in the 1st century AD. The most long lasting monuments
of this civilization were the creation of the world's largest standing
Buddhas at Bamiyan which were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
 Persia
reestablished control in the 6th century only to lose
it briefly during the Arab invasions in the 7th century
which introduced Islam in the region. The establishment of the Islamic
Ghaznavid dynasty (962-1140) began the process of uniting the Afghan
tribes and converting them to Islam. This dynasty, which flourished
for two centuries, produced a number of Afghan heroes. The exploits
of Mahmud of Ghazni, who invaded and conquered parts of India, as
well as the intellectual writings of the great scientist, Ibn Sina
(Avicena), are still talked about in present day Afghanistan. The
Ghaznavid dynasty was destroyed in the 12th century by
the Ghorids from Central Afghanistan, whose brief conquest was ended
by the 1219 invasion by Genghis Khan's Mongol armies. In addition
to leveling a number of cities which resisted his armies, Genghis
destroyed the ancient Karez (underground) irrigation systems, thus
turning fertile land into permanent deserts. The countryside has
never recovered from this destruction.
The collapse of the Mongol empire early in the 14th
century, allowed descendants of the Ghorids to reassert control
in Afghanistan and in 1370 Timour-i-lang (Tamerlane) came to power
and began invasions of India and surrounding territories. Tamerlane's
empire in turn was destroyed by Babur, who founded the Mughal dynasty
and seized control of Kabul in 1504. The ruler, Emperor Babur, had
his capital in Kabul in 1512 bringing Afghanistan to the heights
of power but as the Mughals extended their dynasty into India, Afghanistan
went from being the center of the empire to merely a peripheral
part of it. As in the previous dynasties, the Mughals experienced
a series of uprising and revolts by tribal Afghans. These revolts
produced several national heroes such as Bayazid Roshan, an Afghan
intellectual who in the middle of the 16th century led
the revolt against the Moghuls and was martyred, and the warrior-poet,
Khushhal Khan Khattak who led a revolt against the Mughals in the
mid 17th century. The Persian Safavid dynasty ruled Western Afghanistan
and parts of the Southwest in the 17th century and 18th
centuries, although their control was always tenuous and revolts
frequent; at one point, in the early 18th century, they
were kicked out of Kandahar and the Afghans invaded Persia!
Emergence of a State
The creation of modern Afghanistan began with the assassination
of Nadir Shah (a Persian) who ruled much of Afghanistan and Persia,
and the rise of an Afghan army under the leadership of Ahmad Shah
Abdali who proclaimed the Durrani dynasty and established a united
Afghan State beginning in 1747. The Durrani Empire was a larger
state that included modern Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of eastern
Iran and western India. It was a monarchy rule from 1747 until 1823
by Ahmed Shah Durrani and his descendants. They were from the Sadozai
line of the Abdali or Durrani group, making them the second Pashtun
rulers from Kandahar, Afghanistan. It was under the leadership of
Ahmad Shah that the nation of Afghanistan began to take shape following
centuries of fragmentation and exploitation. Ahmad Shah conquered
large areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan, creating the largest Muslim
empire of the late 18th century. The descendants of Ahmad
Shah continued to expand and rule although they faced continuous
revolts from various tribes as well as invasions from Persia and
eventual chaos and anarchy.
Throughout the 19th century Afghans fought against British
forces. In 1826, Dost Muhammad became the emir (king) at a time
when Great Britain and Russia were struggling for control of Central
Asia. The British didn't want Dost Muhammad to remain ruler of Afghanistan,
preferring a weaker leader whom they could control. The British
attempt to dethrone Dost Muhammad led to the First Anglo-Afghan
War (1838-1842). While the campaign was initially a military success
for the British, the Afghans were successful in returning Dost Muhammad
to the throne. The Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1879) stemmed from
disagreements about the borders of Afghanistan. Faced with an overwhelming
British force, the Afghans signed the Treaty of Gandamak in 1879.
According to the terms of the treaty, Afghanistan surrendered virtually
all control of their foreign affairs.
In 1880, Abdur Rahman Khan assumed the Afghan throne. During his
two decades of rule, he attempted to modernize Afghanistan by weakening
the tribalism that was inherent in Afghan society. The twenty-one
year reign of Abdur Rahman Khan was an important period for the
consolidation of a modern state marked by efforts to modernize and
establish control of the kingdom. The borders of Afghanistan were
established in 1893 through negotiations with the British and provincial
governments emerged, taking the place of clan rule.
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Modern History
In 1919, Afghanistan gained independence from British occupying
forces. From 1919-1973 Afghanistan modernized and built extensive
infrastructure with the assistance of the international community.
This period of relative stability ended in 1973 when King Zahir
Shah was overthrown while away in Europe.
In 1978 and 1979, a number of coups brought to power a communist
government that drifted increasingly toward the USSR, ending with
a Soviet puppet government in Kabul led by Babrak Kamal. In addition
to the significant upheaval within government circles, popular opposition
to government reforms led to the rise of an indigenous Afghan resistance
group called the mujahadeen. In order to combat this guerrilla insurgency,
the Soviet Union sent troops into Afghanistan; this signaled the
beginning of the Afghanistan War (1979 - 1989). The Soviets made
little progress in breaking the will of the mujahadeen fighters.
With the help of the United States, Afghans successfully resisted
the occupation. On February 15, 1989 the last Soviet soldier retreated
across Afghanistan s northern border. As hostilities ceased, more
than a million Afghans lay dead and 6.2 million people, over half
the world's refugee population, had fled the country.
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Soviet withdrawal in 1989 weakened the communist government of President
Najibullah, leading to his ousting in April 1992. An interim president
was installed and replaced two months later by Burhanuddin Rabbani,
a founder of the country's Islamic political movement, backed by
the popular commander Ahmad Shah Masoud.
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government remained unstable and unable to form a national consensus
amongst its various factions. This instability was exploited by
a group called the Taliban ('talib' means 'religious student' or
'seeker of knowledge') who adhered to a austere fundamentalist interpretation
of Islam which they imposed on Afghanistan. With the assistance
of foreign governments, organizations, and resources, the Taliban
seized Kandahar and in September 1998 entered Kabul.
By the year 2000, the Taliban controlled about 90% of the country.
Their application of a repressive religious fundamentalism eradicated
much of Afghanistan's economic and social progress and their anti-education,
anti-female, anti-cultural and anti-modern policies pushed the country
further into chaos and the destruction of the country s 5000 year
old cultural heritage. Showing little interest in trying to govern
and rebuild Afghanistan, they instead played host to the radical
Al-Qaeda terrorist network
On September 11, 2001, an Al Qaeda terrorist assault against the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon prompted the United States to
order the arrest of the group's leader, Osama bin Laden. When the
Taliban refused to hand bin Laden over, the U.S. launched attacks
against Afghanistan in October, 2001 and gave support to the rival
Northern Alliance which had been formed by General Ahmad Shah Masoud.
Within months the Taliban regime collapsed, and Afghanistan reverted
back to a situation in which local warlords wielded much of the
power. In 2002, Hamid Karzai was appointed as the new president
of Afghanistan. Present rebuilding efforts are hampered by ethnic
and tribal divisiveness, by the large number of refugees, a resurgence
of Taliban and terrorist activity, and the destroyed infrastructure. |
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| Afghanistan has a rich and long cultural heritage.
Its location on the old Silk Route between China and the Middle
East, linking the civilizations of Iran, India and China, means
its cultural life has been subject to many influences.
Poetry
Afghanistan offers a magical voyage into the realm of the mysticism
of poetry. One of the world s most renowned poets, Jalalaluddin
Rumi Balkhi (1207-1273), known as the household name Rumi, springs
from Balkh, in north-eastern Afghanistan, which has also produced
the famous Rabia Balkhi, a poetess who is said to be a legendary
martyr of love. Abdul Rahman Momand would become one of the greatest
poets in the history of the Pashto literature. Widely admired in
Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent, religious
scholars searched for the meaning of life in his mystical poems
that captured the Pashtun cultural essence. National and political
leaders used his poetry for independent uprisings . Due to his popularity,
Afghans gave him the honorable name "Baba" (Grand father
of the nation). Hakim Sana i was one of the most significant poets
in the history of Islamic mysticism and was one of the mystical
mathnavi writers of Persia. The proper name of Sana i of Ghazni
was Abul Majd bin Majdud bin Adam. Sana i was born in the province
of Ghazni in southern Afghanistan. Nur ad-Din Abd ar-Rahman Jami
the last of the great classic poets of Persia, was born at Jam,
near Herat, the western province of Afghanistan in 1414. He was
welcomed everywhere as a marvel of brilliancy and himself wrote
that he never found a master who knew more than he. In his Alexandrian
Book Of Wisdom, Jami shows that the Sufi esoteric transmission link
of the Asian Khajagan ('Masters') was the same as that used by Western
mystical writers. He cites as teachers in the Sufi transmission
such names as Plato, Hippocrates, Pythagoras and Hermes Trismegistos.
Jewelry and Rugs
 Afghanistan
is a country studded by jewels such as the Timur Ruby Necklace of
Badakhshan, tapestries and artifacts that date back to the 2nd century
A.D. and people of varying origins. The Imperial State Crown, is
beautifully adorned with the Black Prince s ruby which was mined
in Badakhshan province. But the country is not only famous for its
rubies, in fact the beautiful and historic Panjshir Valley is rich
with some of the most stunning emeralds the world over.
Afghan rugs are among the most renowned in the legacy of art in
Afghanistan. These rugs depict deep hues, intricate details and
human devotion poured into these fine creations, as is illustrated
in the most recent trend of Afghan war rugs.
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Archeological Sites
There is a plethora of evidence that is illustrative of Afghanistan
s rich heritage. Ancient and modern architecture in Afghanistan
combines elements from Iran, India, and Byzantium. Mosques, fortresses
and minarets reveal the artistic glory of past empires. The best
sites to view architectural masterpieces are Herat, Bamiyan, Mazar-e
Sharif, Balkh, Ghazni; however, architectural sites are spread throughout
the country.
Herat, the pearl of Khurasan is the cultural heart of Afghanistan
where dramatic plays and exquisite mosaic art have earned its people
an unparalleled reverence for aesthetic beauty as is illustrated
by the marvel of the towering mosque in Herat, Masjid Jama with
its intricate ceramic tile designs. Mazar-e Sharif (lit. Tomb of
the Exalted) in northern Afghanistan is considered by Afghan Shia
Muslims to be the final resting place of fourth caliph 'Ali bin
Abi Talib (d. 661 A.H.). Legend contends that the caliph's body
was moved from Najaf to a secret tomb near Balkh. Seljuk sultan
Sanjar erected a shrine on this site in 1136, which was probably
destroyed in Mongol invasion of 1220. Timurid sultan Husain Baiqara
(1469-1506) built the present shrine (Blue Mosque of Hazrat Ali)
in 1480-81, furthering to the town's development into a large urban
center. The shrine was restored extensively in the mid-twentieth
century and draws pilgrims throughout the year.
Intense efforts are currently being made to preserve Afghanistan's many historical sites. The Aga Khan Development Network s Trust
for Culture initiatives have focused on conserving and restoring
Afghanistan s cultural heritage while concomitantly stimulating
local economic development and improving the quality of life of
the people inhabiting the surrounding neighborhoods. AKDN is restoring
the Mausoleum of Timur Shah, regarded as the founder of Modern Afghanistan,
as well as the historic gardens at the burial site of Bagh-e-Babur
who was the founder of the Mughal Empire. AKDN Trust for Culture
has also undertaken the restoration in historic neighborhoods of
Asheqan wa Arefan in the Old City of Kabul as well as Bar Durrani
in the Old City of Herat.
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Kabul Museum is also undergoing extensive renovation. The museum,
which once housed the most comprehensive record of Central Asian
history, was bombed numerous times throughout the nineties, causing
extensive damage to the collection. Despite efforts by the United
Nations and devoted museum staff to protect the remaining collection,
thousands of antiquities were plundered for the illegal antiquities
trade. Today, many of these items are being recovered, as efforts
to restore and preserve Afghanistan s rich cultural heritage continue.
Tragically, some of Afghanistan's greatest cultural treasures,
such as the Bamiyan giant Buddha statues, were destroyed by the
repressive Taliban regime. The unforgettable now-faceless Buddha
statues are located in Bamiyan where so many Americans would travel
to visit especially in the 1960s. In 2003, in the wake of the Taliban
destruction, UNESCO declared Bamiyan a World Heritage Site. |
Music
 Afghanistan
is home to a variety of regional music characteristic of the ethnic
groups inhabiting the different parts of the country, though there
are many similarities between them. These various ethnicities have
close relationships with the music of adjacent countries: Iran,
Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Pashtun regional
music is of particular importance, forming the basis of radio popular
music style. The national instrument is the Rubab, a short-necked
lute with sympathetic strings. Long-necked lutes such as Tanbur,
Dutar and Dambura are widespread and favored by the Uzbeks and Tajiks,
as are bowed lutes like the Sarinda, Sarang and Ghaichak. There
are, however, very few instrument types which are exclusive to Afghanistan,
the Tanbur and 14 stringed Herati Dutar being two exceptions. Women's
domestic music is of great importance. There are genres of song
accompanied by the Daireh (frame drum), and the drum is also used
to play rhythms for dancing. Another wide spread kind of music is
that for sor-na ad dohol (shawm and double-headed frame drum) which
has an important role in village wedding festivities for staging
processions and for group. |
Sports
And for fun- Buzkashi is a game that dates back into Afghan antiquity.
The name Buzkashi, literally translated means "goat killing"
and it was derived from hunting mountain goats by champions on horseback.
The coalition troops protecting Afghanistan have mastered this sport!
Another activity that is enjoyed by millions of Afghan children
is kite-running, which involves competing teams that build and fight
kites for large audiences. Afghans also play a wide variety of sports
familiar to Americans, such as soccer and basketball. 
In sum, Afghanistan encapsulates a space filled with beauty, sweetness
and serenity where one feels the atmosphere of a civilization that
is reclaiming its timeless search for peace in a geographic oasis
nestled in song, prose and beauty. |
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