The removal of the Uzbek language from the signboard of Jawzjan University by the Taliban has sparked widespread reactions. Several senior officials of the former government, as well as political and civil activists, have described this move by the Taliban as discriminatory and contrary to the principles of coexistence and cultural and linguistic diversity in the country, accusing the group of exclusivism and the systematic erasure of cultural and ethnic values. They have stressed that the Taliban are seeking to eliminate the symbols of peaceful interethnic coexistence in Afghanistan.
After the Taliban removed the Uzbek term “Bilim Yurti” from the plaque of Jawzjan University, the majority of Turkic communities, cultural figures, and politicians from various backgrounds expressed strong reactions and accused the Taliban of erasing the ethnic, linguistic, and cultural values of other communities and the people of the country.
Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, former First Vice President, reacted to the removal of the Uzbek language from the Jawzjan University plaque, stating that this act has further revealed the discriminatory nature of the Taliban. According to him, such measures are an insult to the identity and culture of the country’s Turkic communities and inflict a fresh wound on the unity of the people of Afghanistan.
The former Vice President also accused the Taliban of ethnic favoritism and attempting to eliminate non-Pashto languages and cultures, adding that the people of Afghanistan are angered by the group’s hate-driven behavior. He stated that although the Taliban’s rule will be temporary, the stains of ethnic discrimination and hatred they leave behind will not easily be erased from Afghanistan’s history.
The National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan, in a statement, denounced the Taliban’s removal of the Uzbek language from the official signboard of Jawzjan University as “discriminatory, anti-national, and contrary to the principles of coexistence,” condemning it in the strongest terms. The statement says that Uzbek, alongside Persian and Pashto, is one of Afghanistan’s official, historical, and deeply rooted languages, and that its status is firmly established in the constitution and the collective memory of the people. The Council emphasized that any attempt to eliminate or weaken national languages is a clear effort to create ethnic division and undermine national unity.
Azizullah Aral, a writer, reacting to the Taliban’s move, said that the Uzbek language is an important part of Afghanistan’s historical mosaic and a cornerstone of the region’s culture and civilization. According to him, removing and destroying the plaque, written in Uzbek, at the entrance gate of Jawzjan’s academic center is not merely a disregard for an inscription; it inflicts negative and paralyzing effects on knowledge, understanding, and cultural truth. He stressed, “Even if this act is presented as an official decision, in essence and nature it is a sign of disrespect toward the Uzbek language, the historical position of the people, and their shared aspirations.”
Mr. Aral added, “The entrance plaque of an academic center was not an ordinary wooden board. It symbolized the Uzbek people’s loyalty to knowledge, culture, and understanding, and represented respect for their homeland. Removing it is not just the destruction of a board; it is a sign of dismantling a cultural and social system. Whoever destroyed this sign has shown disrespect and distrust toward individuals and institutions as well. The truth is that the Uzbek-language plaque posed no threat. On the contrary, it symbolized coexistence, unity of purpose, and multilingual civilization. Removing it not only diminishes its meaning but also raises many questions.”
Faheem Kargar, a political activist, wrote, “The Uzbek language is not only part of the cultural and historical heritage of the people of Afghanistan, it is an inseparable part of our national identity. Removing it from the Jawzjan University plaque is an explicit insult to the people and the culture of this land. Such actions stem from Taliban thinking, a mindset that has always been hostile to awareness, diversity, and peaceful coexistence.”
Samay Hamed, poet, writer, and former presidential adviser, reacted by writing, “Until we establish a system based on citizenship and implement the Law of languages, this tragedy will continue. Both Taliban and non-Taliban rulers will continue trying to raise the flag of their own language. Only a citizen-centered government honors linguistic diversity. Every language of this land is our language and must have the space and opportunity to flourish. In appearance, the Uzbek language has been removed from the plaque, but in practice, both Uzbek and Persian have been erased and reduced to nothing.”
Enayatullah Babar Farahmand, former Deputy of the High Council for National Reconciliation, also wrote that removing the Uzbek language from the Jawzjan University signboard not only shows disregard for cultural and linguistic diversity in Afghanistan but also signals a warning for the national and cultural identity of the country’s diverse communities.
Mr. Farahmand wrote, “Removing the Uzbek language, which is one of the country’s official and important languages, may lead to deeper ethnic divides and weaken the sense of solidarity within society. Social activists rightly emphasize that such policies not only threaten cultural identities and linguistic diversity but also intensify social and identity crises. In a multiethnic country, respect for different languages and cultures is not only necessary but can strengthen unity and empathy among communities.”
Shah Gul Rezaie, a former member of Afghanistan’s Parliament, wrote, “Removing the Uzbek plaque from Jawzjan University is clear discrimination, disrespect for the rights of the people, and a dismissal of cultural and linguistic diversity. The policy of erasure and denial has historically been a major barrier to the country’s development and to establishing a system based on justice and equal citizenship rights, causing Afghanistan to fall behind the caravan of human civilization.”
Dawood Naji, head of the Political Committee of the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), wrote, “Removing the Uzbek language from the Jawzjan University signboard is the most blatant form of discrimination and inequality. The Turkic communities of Afghanistan have a distinguished record in nation-building and unity, and the Uzbek language is part of the shared culture of this land. This action by the Taliban, however, is not surprising because this is the nature of the group.”
Meanwhile, several Uzbek-speaking social media users accused the Uzbek members within the Taliban of incompetence and being merely symbolic within the group’s ranks. They stated that these members cannot even defend their own identity and language within the Taliban regime for which they fought. These users also sharply criticized the silence of Uzbek Taliban commanders and senior officials in the regime, calling their presence indifferent and merely performative.
These reactions come at a time when the Taliban, over the past four years, have removed the term “Danishgah” (University) from all universities and replaced it with the Pashto term “Pohantoon,” describing the former as a foreign word.
Findings from an investigative report by the Hasht-e Subh Daily on Takhar University also show that Kamaluddin Muneeb, the Taliban-appointed head of the university, ordered in February 2024 that all official correspondence of the institution be switched from Persian to Pashto, and prohibited the use of Persian terms such as Danishgah (university), Danishkada (faculty), and Danishjoo (student). He also dismissed more than 17 staff members for using Persian terminology and replaced them with individuals affiliated with him.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
حذف زبان اوزبیکی از لوحه دانشگاه جوزجان؛ نمادی از تبعیض و نفرت زبانی طالبان
