Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Untitled Scribble

In it, I read that my people, the Pashtuns, had persecuted and oppressed the Hazaras. The book said that my people had killed the Hazaras, driven them from their hands, burned their homes, and sold their women. The book said part of the reason Pashtuns had oppressed the Hazaras was that Pashtuns were Sunni Muslims, while Hazaras were Shi’a.
[….] The following week, after class, I showed the book to my teacher and pointed to the chapter on the Hazaras. He skimmed through a couple of pages, snickered, handed the book back. “That’s the one thing Shi’a people do well”, he said, picking up his papers, “passing themselves as martyrs.” He wrinkled his nose when he said the word Shi’a, like it was some kind of disease.

As this conflict is currently brought to the surface whether in Iraq or in Lebanon and with the rising Shia-Sunni tension in the Middle East in general, I was stunned to find out that this issue is chasing me even in the books I’m reading. The Kite Runner, seems to be a great book by the way, I’m enjoying it already. Actually Weddo was the one who first recommended it. Thanks Weddo!
I was just talking about this subject a couple of days ago with an Algerian friend who happens to be married to a Lebanese “Shiite”. The conversation touched me as she was expressing her immense anxiety and fear of the impact of what’s happening lately on the future of her kids. She told me that the school where her children study at called her informing her that her son pushed his friend saying: “don’t talk to me you filthy Sunni!” Her husband and she were shocked because they never talk about this Sunni Shia thingie in front of their kids at all.
“Where on earth did you get these ideas from?” The father yelled at the boy.
“but father, Sunnies are filthy. They hate us! We're not supposed to talk to them.” The boy’s reply was.
The parents couldn’t believe their ears. The father explained that this is not true, he wanted to get these poisoned ideas out of his son’s mind “How can you say that? Sunnis are not enemies! Do you know that your own mother is Sunni?”
The boy was taken aback; he did not know this fact.
His mother said: “What? Are you going to stop taking to me as well for being a filthy Sunni?”
The boy felt ashamed of himself and couldn’t answer. This incident left the mother in utter devastation. She was wondering, why can’t they just let us live in peace? Why do they have to impose hatred and violence in our lives, in our homes, on our children?

She was right. I’ve always hated these everlasting conflicts.. discriminations.. battles and wars..between east and west, black and white, Christians and Muslims, Sunnis and Shiites, left and right, atheists and believers, old and new, and and and and.. Can’t humans live in peace, for once? We are all humans after all.
I've always hated this everlasting tendency to kill, torture, burn, destroy. I can't understand how can humans be this evil. 1984 has obviously affected me and put me in a state of bewilderment.
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face--for ever."

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great Diana!! Now we're talking!!!

It's not a coincidence whatsoever that we are reminded of the Sunni Shia difference at this specific time! why, of course!! specially after the historical defeat of the zionists against hezbollah and to make a new enemy to the Arabs so they're not aware of their corrupted governments and Israel and the american occupation...This is just dangerous and could drag us into a new series of endless battles !!


Now speaking of The Kite Runner, I enjoyed reading it!! but, it's not as clean and innocent as it may seem.

you observed the mentioning of the Sunni/Shia conflict mentioned their!

Well, I don't think It's a coincidence that this book got this popularity ! It's a good book of course, but there are many books that don't get this popuylarity, specially it's the first book wirtten by this author.

Anonymous said...

Sorry for the long comment, but somethings must to be said.

I don't know much about Afghanistan history, but after reading this book, I was curious to know more..so I want to mention some things I didn't like about this book:

1) The awsome character of "Baba" who is wise and a true tribal Pashtun. He has an obvious opinion regarding Islam, and his opinion is respected in the story.

2) the unncecessary mentioning of Israel. What on earth Israel have to do with this story ??


3) Taliban and homosexuality ?? come on, they'll kill him millions of times before any Talib commit such sin! hello!


4) Pashtuns supported Taliban and still are supporting them !! Osama Bin Ladin was always bragging about the utter support of the Pashtuns!!


5) The best thing to do if your country is occupied is to run away and fly to another country! That's what Baba did.


6) A Massacre has been commited against the Taliban prisoners in the prisons of the UN after the war, commited by the Northen Alliance (most are Shia's supported by Iran and armed by the United States).


7) Last point The conspiracy theory of Taliban is popular and have good evidences. read this

(sorry 7afart raskom)

sweetlikearose said...

Thank u 4 writing this post .. it really affected me emotionally..
I'm reading this novel too.. it's a great one. It takes u to imagine every thing the writer talks about..
3njad bet7o6ek belmooooooood.
the struggle has noo end... the world started by a struggle between Adam and Satan ... kman between Adam's sons ...the issue is all about who to rule.. human's nature demands this struggle.. I mean human always wants to be the best … always want to show off . The struggle will continue between X and Y …..

Anonymous said...

We all know that there is no end in sight, we are always in some type of conflict. It started before us, we were born in and it will probably outlast us..One can only hope for it to be all a nightmare that we will wake from soon..
It seems to be an interesting book, am going to look for it here.

Be well..

Amjad Wadi said...

Hi
i changed my blog address to http://amjadwadi.blogspot.com/ can you update the link in your friends list please .. sorry for the inconvinience :wardeh:

W. said...

Commenting on what Abed's said:

I really don't know much about the history of Afghanistan, these things you're talking about aren't the base of the novel, it revolves around something else! So yeah it might hold wrong perspectives, but it's more about what it's basically about :P

It's a good read... and it gets you into thinking after reading it!

Now back to Diana
people are silly.. this life is silly, I'm really fid up with these conflicts 5aalas mestas5efeh el bashareyyeh la ab3ad 7ad! yehdo 3aad

Anonymous said...

It's a good indeed...but the author has something against Islam and Taliban. I'm not defending Taliban, but the author is biased.

of course it's not what the plot about, but it could be sensed between the lines.

It's the best way to stuff ideas into readers minds, by hiding them between the lines.

This is my personal opinion, but however, I enjoyed reading it! a delightful read 3anjad :)

Diana said...

The Kite Runner is one of the best books I've ever read. It took me three days to read it, which means that the book was too interesting to put aside.
Reading a book by an Afghani writer and about life in Afghanistan for the first time was really interesting. I thought that Khaled Hosseini is an Arab!
The story itself is very touching, and I teared up more than once reading it. And here lies its greatness, it directly touches your emotions and moves you to smile and to cry..
So, I strongly recommend it.

Diana said...

Now back to you Abed,
The book was described as "painfully honest" and I liked the description.
Of course it's not a coincidence that the sunni shia conflict is mentioned in the book because it's an inseparable part of the Afghani history, and what the author wrote about it is a fact.

Akeed Hosseini has a lot of messages between the lines to deliver to the reader, and one of them was his stand on Taliban. Again, I think that what's he's mentioning is facts. Talban did destroy the country, and left thousands of orphans and widows suffering.. hungry and homeless.. thy did a lot of evil things in the name of Islam. But I have to agree with you about the homosexuality which the author mistakely related it to Taliban where it's only related to the character of Assef who happened to join them.

About the character of "Baba", I think that Amir described him with both his merits and faults, what's important is that Amir eventually came to a conclusion that God do exist and that He was there for him.

I may have more to add, as Weddo said the book makes one think and analyze. I'm glad to talk about this book with you guys and to know your points of view regarding it,I did enjoy reading your replies :)

sweetlikearose said...

I want 2 support Abed's idea .. actually Taliban may not be bad as the writer describs them ... I felt like the writer is trying to draw a false image 2 them .. y3ne ymken ykon fe tla3ob bel facts .. to reflect another image about Taleban .. they are bad , complecated , mota5alefeen and so on ... bedhom yebno be32olna sora say2a 3nhom since we don't know the real facts ..AND maybe they are bad ... bs still m32oool ma ykono mna7 abadan ???
The book is interesting .. I enjoyed reading it really .. mn aktar elkotob ele betshedak latkamelha...

Anonymous said...

Hola!!!

Dear Diana,

The country has been destroyed by the red army (the soviet union) in the 80s, then by the northen alliance in the 1990s, Taliban came after the destruction by the support of : Pakistan + Saudi Arabia + USA !!

The country was already destroyed, IM NOT DEFENDING TALIBAN. To me, they're nothing but American puppets!!

now,-again- they ended drugs dealing + crimes in the country, which wasn't mentioned.


Khaled AlHosseine beleived in God, but he described Mullahs as the ones who beat women, and as monkeys w absar sho...this is Islam he was speaking about and not beleiving in god. This is a killing difference.

Again, it shouldn't be a coincendce that this book took all this propaganda.

Yes, it's a great novel, but we should be careful.

Anonymous said...

I looked today for this book at the public library, and it seems there is a high demand for it..all copies are out, even the ones on cassettes and I have been told that it is on a recommended reading list for high school kids.

Diana said...

tala3ob bil 7a2aye2, yeah that's possible. After all each one understands history in his own way.

Yes Abed, Taliban came after the destruction to make things even worse. I don't blame strangers in destroying a country as much as I blame the people of this country in destroying their own land and torturing their own people. American puppets, maybe. I think I have to read more about this subject.

Noura: When you find it, enjoy reading it and come to tell us what do you think :)