
The Politics of Prejudice and Extremism
Abdul Waheed Waheed
For the past few decades, our social body has been greatly impacted by the viruses of radicalization and commercial politics of prejudice. The lack of quick and prompt response to catastrophes and disasters are symptoms of the deadly political virus infection of our society. Our national conscience is unable to react to the atrocities inflicted on our people. We do not have clear objectives. We still consider repeatedly failed leaders as our heroes, praising them and putting their pictures on our profiles. Not only Afghanistan, but the progress of the entire region has been paralyzed by the presence of extremism and radicalization. We have seen the failure of radical mentality in socialism and democracy in Afghanistan during the last few decades. Unfortunately, we have adopted an extreme direction in religion that advocates moderation. If we choose not to seek and look for justifications of the commercial politics of prejudice and radicalization in our country, we would be able to achieve our objectives.
The diversification of culture, languages and ideas in Afghanistan adds to its national beauty, however the destructive virus of prejudice is destroying our national unity and degrading our social characteristics. Our politics is largely in the hands of political opportunists who exploit the names of languages, sects and ethnicities. As long as our religion, nation and language are used for personal gain in the political arena, we will remain a pawn in the game of proxies. Unless each ethnicity speaks out against their own criminals, traitors, killers and corrupt individuals who use ethnic, cultural, linguistic and sectarian values for their own benefit, the political exploitation of the people of Afghanistan cannot be stopped.
At present, some commercial politicians are shouting slogans of ethnic deprivation, some have vowed to gain political advantages through linguistic preferences, and others are misusing patriotic and spiritual values. It is a harsh reality that we have lost the capability to establish a civilized system in our country for more than four decades and have had to rely on outsiders to do it for us. Zameer Kabulov and Thomas West have been working tirelessly to shape the upcoming regime structure for us. We have learned the tricks of destruction, but are completely unfamiliar with the art of settling our disputes by ourselves, and adopting a civilized attitude to rule the country. Considering the current critical scenario, if we were ever given the opportunity to establish a system, we would likely be unable to succeed in the task.
The current situation in Afghanistan is dire, with a high percentage of the population living below the poverty line and many skilled and professional Afghans fleeing the country in search of food or safety, some even resorting to selling their children or kidneys to fight hunger. This is the result of yesterday’s false democracy and today’s autocracy. The nation is paying the price for the actions of warlords, corrupt and incompetent leaders, and those with extreme mentalities and corrupt elements who are now living in peace and luxury in the country and abroad. In order to escape this critical situation with few opportunities, we must put aside ethnic and linguistic differences, respond adequately and effectively, take advantage of existing opportunities for essential changes to secure the nation’s destiny, or else we must be mentally prepared for permanent failure or a future of constant disasters.
Similarly, it is rare for an impossible task to become easy for some individuals and groups, but if they make a small mistake, they can face permanent failure. As a result, they not only fall behind the ever-moving social caravans, but also suppress the commendable effort that brought them to the first stage of success. Unfortunately, our rulers have always viewed themselves as supreme, obligatory and respectable, yet irresponsible when it comes to the tragedies and hunger of their people. In their eyes, whatever they do is always right, and it is the people’s duty to follow their orders, with no tolerance for consultations, research, debates, or arguments.
The unjustifiable, unfair, and unrealistic views based on prejudice and extreme ideologies of political leaders do not reflect our beliefs, nor do they demonstrate courage and do not solve the problem. Supporting such doctrines shows our lack of awareness in defending someone who has taken the wrong path. Most of our illiterate and semi-educated people blindly follow individuals instead of making judgments based on objectives and motives. They insult humanity for their ultimate support or opposition to individuals, not their manifestos.
The Afghan people had already distanced themselves from the former government leaders due to the disintegration within the government, the presence of numerous islands of power, administrative, financial and moral corruption, and the paralysis of their operational ability, leading to the anticipated breakdown of the system. People had hoped that, in addition to recognizing their own past shortcomings, the IEA leadership would have learned from the failures of the previous system as well, but unfortunately, this did not occur. Despite having opportunities, the Taliban have made an unprecedented record of monopolizing power. They have broken their promises and neglected their responsibilities regarding the welfare of the people, the legitimacy of the government, people participation and national consensus, pushing the country back into darkness.
If we do not learn from history, we will be subject to the cruel whims of merciless oppressors. If we allow them to continue to make decisions based on their own interests and privileges, we will be deceived and remain trapped by our own errors.