Sunday, October 25, 2009

A Clarion for Pashtuns

This is something I wrote some months ago (in April, I think) in hopes that it'll increase love and sincerity in our hearts so that we will stand up as one and, instead of just complaining about everything that's wrong in our society, start *acting* towards a better future. In it, I define what it means to be educated, as I often come across Pukhtuns who claim to be educated and all they are best at is complaining about how pitiful Pukhtuns are. My response is that, "Well, you say you're educated. How about helping them instead of considering them as the other? How should an educated person deal with her/his own people, who happen to be less fortunate than those who are educated?"
But anyway ... sorry it had to get so long! I swear it wasn't intentional. :S
But then again, when was the last time I wrote something short? LOL. (k, no, that's NOT funny.)

Dear Pukhtano!

The last two years have been among the worst this Pashtun generation has ever faced. We lost thousands, if not more, of Pashtun, and it did not just start last year; it has been happening for quite a while now. We have been slaughtered, bombed, and maimed. Our properties, both public and private, have been destroyed. Our children have been denied the right to education, play, and even fresh and clean air. Our women have been harassed, tortured – both physically and mentally – raped, and butchered. Our progress and development have been blocked, and we are constantly being pushed towards the ages of darkness.

But have any of us been doing anything about it, whether as individuals or as groups? I don’t mean just prayers; I mean real action – which could be in any form. For example, arranging and/or participating in rallies against our genocide; writing to important news sources, online as well as print media, to give us full coverage in their news; arranging and participating in talks about Pashtuns to raise awareness about our sufferings; contacting humanitarian organizations to help us with foods, water, shelters, etc.; and doing whatever else we may have thought was important during our time of anguish. The problem is that many of us stayed healthy and in peace in our houses outside our war-torn land while our mothers became widows and our children became orphans in Pashtun lands, and this continues to happen on a daily basis. There’s nothing wrong with our being healthy ourselves, of course, but something goes wrong when we ignore our oppressed people back home.

Pashtuns have the potential to be geniuses; our great, honorable leaders of the past have proven that to us. We are an intelligent breed, and we can do so much for our own people as well as for the rest of the world if we try, but I am disappointed to see that most of us are not making any effort to help solve the dilemmas that are polluting our Pashtun soil. We abroad are doctors, lawyers, businessmen/businesswomen, professors, teachers, engineers, etc., but what we should be focusing on is: what good has our being so successful abroad done for Pashtuns in Pashtunkhwa and Afghanistan? I have actually started believing that education should not be measured by the amount of years we go to school, but it should instead be measured on how well we can use that education to do something productive for humanity, to bring a positive change in a place where it is severely needed. And as they say, charity begins at home – which, for us, is our Pashtun brothers and sister. If we haven't done anything for our people, I believe that we are worth nothing no matter what our profession is and how successful we may think we are. What is the purpose of education if it is not used to serve those in need? Unfortunately, quite a number of us tend to complain about the status of Pashtuns but are not providing any helpful remedies. We already know what problems we have, but we need solutions and action, not to hear anymore sad complaints from our own Pashtuns.

We all should be asking ourselves how we can make a difference in our lands. If our people are uneducated and poor, what have we done about it? What have we done to better our status nationally and internationally? We study abroad, we work abroad, we live abroad, but what good has any of it done to our people who are stuck in a land seized by the clutches of war?

Let us unite together and recognize our problems, discuss them with other Pashtuns, and figure out ways to bring us back to life. Let us make our language a priority among all the other languages we are living with, including English; let us not give our children the option of speaking either English or Pashto at home but practically forbid the usage of other languages in our homes so that they will learn Pashto. They are guaranteed to learn English – the current international language – as they grow up, anyway, and they can learn other languages on the way as well, but Pashto is our identity, and we must not let it be forgotten. In fact, if I may have the honor to admit so, I believe we should refrain from calling ourselves Pashtuns if we do not know our language.

Let us emphasize education and head on towards various different fields, instead of limiting ourselves to just one or two. We need variety, and having Pashtuns involved in many different professions will be useful in solving the problems that we face in many arenas of life.

Let us heavily focus on educating ourselves, other Pashtuns, and especially our youth about our history, our culture, our heritage, and the importance of all of these. Too many of us are proud of who we are, but do we know why? We need to ask ourselves what makes us a proud race, and if we cannot explain it to ourselves or to someone else, then that is a mighty sad sign that we lack knowledge about our own people. We have a beautiful history, and we should make sure to pass it on to our children so it can be kept alive; so our later generations avoid repeating the mistakes that we are making today or made in the past; so that we can successfully move towards a healthy future for ourselves, knowing that we are carving our footprints in the stones of our present while studying those of our past.

It is time to act and time to wake up. It is time to get united. It is time for us to use all our energy to help our Pashtun brothers and sisters in this time of depression. It is time to provide support in any way possible to our oppressed people in need. It is time to write, to get involved, to donate, to help, to provide support, and to do anything else we can to get ourselves out of our miseries.

May peace and prosperity be upon us all along with the rest of humanity; may we be successful in using our means, knowledge, and time in helping those who need us when they need us. Aameen!

Also accessible here.

21 comments:

  1. Congratalutions!
    Taken together, the members of all the Pukhtun groups are enough to form a substantial and effective force if their efforts were united and coordinated. But at the present time there is no cooperation, not even mutual respect among them. The end result of this is that their efforts and resources are scattered and isolated rather than being unified around one common goal, and as nothing concrete can be accomplished without a united, concerted effort, the suppression of Pukhtuns by subversive elements continues.
    But as I commented somewhere on one of your posts earlier, let me reiterate that do carry on with deep inner certainty for while the number of those to whom Pakhtun freedom is the dearest value is at present quite small, nonetheless I believe it is this relatively small group which by and large will carry forward and transmit true Pakhtun values and to live, strive and fight for them.

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  2. @Qrratugai; well written.
    I agree with Spogmai who have quite eloquently worded it that while there might be very few Pakhtuns without any personal or political interests or ambitions and to whom the Pakhtoon freedom and well-being is the most dearest, this relatively small group will be the savior of Pakhtoons destiny not those self-centred and failed leaders/so called intellegentia who have always betrayed, exploited and simply lip-serviced our simple and hapless people.
    Landa da che......everyone among us has to play a role and contribute to the progress, well being and success of our people in any capacity otherwise this exploitation will never end.

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  3. Yes, it's often (if not always) a small group of honest and sincere people who succeed in fighting for the rights to success and freedom of their people; and they're often not backed by the common people, who are usually afraid of standing up.
    And I'm sure that if each of us used our means and skills to do something practical for our people, we WILL be granted a peaceful and successful future. But, alas, too many of us are indulged in other things . . .

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  4. @Qrratugai quoting: "And I'm sure that if each of us used our means and skills to do something practical for our people"
    Khorey there were thousands of those young Pukhtaney women who had been brilliant in school who then became locked into traditional marriages--let us be exceptions; let us assume ownership of problems and let us dwelve deep into solutions for somebody has to do something and it's just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us! I know there will be precious gifts, priceless opportunties for those of us who play by the new rules!

    @Khugman, No! I cange my mind! Your pejandgalo was NOT enough...I was expecting more! If you please don't mind my asking you, tha da Destar.com Khugman kho na ye? See, I substantiated the date I posted Qrratugai's poem "Dear Lord of the Oppressed" there and the date of your first comment on the poem...and they almost match. Jo ka hagha ye no samey mazey ba wee! Za ba darla chay pokh krram...na kake ba warsara wee! lol

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  5. Spogmai! Da zrra sara me!! Khudey de khushala ao pa aman saata hamesha! I love you more than I've ever loved you before for saying: "Let us be exceptions; let us assume ownership of problems and let us dwelve deep into solutions for somebody has to do something and it's just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us!"

    Wah! :) THAT's the spirit, janai! All it takes is boldness from those who have the confidence and strength to speak! It's a promise: We're going to do it, Spogmai. We WILL do it, inshAllah. Bass, khudey dee hagha kaar wake che zamung da tolo pake khair wee, no ... Bya ba dera asaana shee.

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  6. @Spogami, great applause for your true spirit that you have in your heart.......yaqeen okai staso khabaro kho hasey pa zrra key lag sharminda ghundey krram....Sanga che Qrratugai welee che 'All it takes is boldness from those who have the confidence and strength".....Khudai dey mung tolo ke dagha jazba paida kee ao doomra himmat rakee che pa sa na sa shakal ke da khpalo bewasa khalqo madad okrroo (karrey mo hum dae o insha-Allah lagya yu kawo hum da khera sera kho pakaar da che nore hum wakh werla warkoo).

    Now to tell you the truth, you got me totally of the guard. You have already paid 'yao jahan manana' for the pejangalo, jo bia mo waley changed your mind again? Taso kho poora detectives yai ma kho hasey da khazo da walqey khabara na wa karrey....:), hasey gup lagome cherta khapa pey na shai.
    Yes you are absolutely right but I didn't know that you'r the same Spogmai. However, from the Tapey verses I did think for a while that you might be the same. My goodness, I'm just totally speechless....ao kana sa waleekam? Da taso likwaal kho zama pa neez hasey 'intellectuals' na yai kana sa waja kho da che mental level mo zamung na ziat wee:). Soch kome wema dasey na pa khabaro ke mey dasey sa likalee wee che taso raporey khandai ya pre khapa na shai cherta. Ao kana taso tole zamung dapara da ehtaram warr yai.
    Zama kho yara da che cherta dasey na da kake pa zai rapasey saplai rawaley che dalta derna hum na khlasegam ao ya Qrratugai khore ta owai ao da blog ke da rakhkara kedo darwazey rabandey bund!.......:)

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  7. LOL! Yaa warho, what's this website/forum you speak of? Za hum de destar.com ta darzama, kha. http://destar.com/ Daa website ye dey?

    Ao, Khugmana, mara ... bass ka kana. Zama ao da Spogmai khor sara dumra wakh kumzey dey che pa chaa pore wakhandu ya bade khabare pre wakoo? :)Besides, nothing you've said (so far :P) has disappointed us girls with deep love for our people, especially our women, so you're safe! lol.

    Staso kho dera manana adaa kawal ghwaru che taso laa rashai zamung de haagha dagha blog ta ao khpal draana sochuna ao khyalat pake zamug sara share kai. Khudey de khushala lara, sara da korrme.
    BTW... staso khandan pa Swat ke che kum deem, da haghoi sanga halat dey? Barabar dee, jorr dee, ka sanga?

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  8. Yeh. i m really agree with you, you said what you have heard form others, and i being the swati observed whole the situation bieng there.
    i have written some thing on my aryana institute of regional research and advocacy, by the topic of " Madyan my beautiful villege in swat.
    Sami khan.
    I RESPECT YOU LINES AND FEELING.S

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  9. @ Khugman Saib! Marra domra khushala shooooooooooooom che bas I find myself loose of words! Jo da sar sadar ba khairati warkrram no! ~ I am smiling this broad ~ Qrratugai Khugman – Allah de ye jwand barakatee krree – gwarey der da kar sarrey dey!

    @ Sami Khan! Welcome Sami Khana! Would love to read your article on “Madyan—My beautiful Village in Swat”.

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  10. @Qrratugai;"Zama ao da Spogmai khor sara dumra wakh kumzey dey che pa chaa pore wakhandu ya bade khabare pre wakoo? :)"

    Na na zama khabarey cherta pa wrana wa na rrawai.....da kho hasey gupshup dapara mey yao so khabarey likaley wae. Da kho hasey staso pa shaan dey net bandey domra pa na-ashnayai ke cha sera gup lagao kana da cha kaar sa dey.

    Baqee pa Swat ke da halato mutaliq; Staso dhera manana che tapos mo okrro.......halta kho tole dar pa dikey ao be-izzata shawee, gwarey ka soke pakey dasey pathey wee che dagha halato mutasira karrey na wee. Zama khpal khpalwaan hum kha mutasira shawee woo. Uss kho kher dae ao byarta kore/kalee ta raghalee kho hagha poora sakoon kho nishta kana, ao da kho ba taso ta hum pata wee.
    Buss da Allah na ba dagha dua ghwarro che Swat bia hagha zore swat shee -Ameen!

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  11. @ Sami Khan: Thank you too much for dropping by! Welcome! I, too, would love to read that article of yours, so please do let us know how we can access it. I'm looking for it and see that it's found at www.airra.org/Reports/MadyanMybeautifulvillageinSwat.html BBBUUTT ... the link says "page not found"!
    Pa kumzai ke ye ugooru bya?

    @ Khugman: Aameen to your dua. Aao, zama hum yaqeen na keegi che sok ba pa Swat ke dasi hum paati shawey che hado asar ba pe de halato na yee karey. Swat de hum Khudey ubakhee, ao zamang Swatyan de hum Khudey ubakhee, aameen.

    @ Spogmai: Kha, jo ta baare Khugman pejane ho. Daa kho dera kha khabara shwa baare ;) Now we can talk about him in our private chats :D:D (jokes! haha)

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  12. @Qrratuagi:"Daa kho dera kha khabara shwa baare ;) Now we can talk about him in our private chats :D:D (jokes! haha)".....

    Ya Pira Baba! Khudai dey kher kai.....za kho gwarey da noro pashaan dher da khabaro na yam, dher da sarrey seeney khawand yam ao da khpaley jabey ao da dey da likwalo dher qadardaan.....khyal kawai cherta dher akhwa dekhwa rapasey wa na wayai ao cherta mey wa na zghalawai gwarey....lol..... just kidding!!
    I know Spogmai is not that kind of person and neither you.......kho za kher staso sa patha hum na lagee, zama gunahoona ba kam kai.....:)

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  13. Alaaa...Khugman kho zama hagha comment chorlat ignore krro! ta warega barey....

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  14. lol. Wo kana! Gunahuna ba de kam shee!
    Spongmai ... I'll speak on his behalf: "Ya Spogmai khorey, ta pakhpala dumra drana khor ye zaka mung drana ganre :) Allah de mal sha!"
    Khushala shwe? :D

    Khogmanda, da Khudey de paara, da haghe comment ta lag paam waka :P (kana gwarey zghebat ba de na kom ao bya ba de gunahuna na mu'af keegi! lol). Zrra me tang yee che Spogmai 104.8% khushala na yee!

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  15. Na na hasey gup mey lagawo dasey na cherta dagha comment mey serious wakhlai ao pa rishtya pre khapa shai..:(
    Spogmai kho haqeeqat dey che dhera drund-khoya da ao sanga che pa khpala izzat manda da dasey ye mala pa dagha khpal comment izzat rakho ao za ye dher khushala krram.
    Allah mo tal izzat manda lara!

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  16. Za kho waim, kana, Spogmai ao Khugmanda, che taso dwanra hum dalta ke zaan la blogs jorr kai. You can share your thoughts about ANYTHING you want, write and say whatEVER you want, and it's really refreshing :)

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  17. Qrratugai khore, rishtya mo wayalee!
    I'm really sorry as I just pondered at what you have written.........mung kho derna pa rishtya sta da blog qabza karrae :).....which I think is wrong, my sincere apologies for that. Pakaar da sta pa likalo sa comments wakoo kho sa okoo da khabarey na khabara jorra shee JO zaka. Ma awal search karrae wo che keday shee da Spogmai blog wee, koma che pakaar da haghey pashaan da Pukhto yawa drana ao poha likwaley yao khpal blog wee, kho mata pa net milaw na sho. Keday shee wee.
    Kho pa rishtya, staso na dher maazarat!

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  18. Alaa!! No, no, no! Khugmana, dessi matlab me na wo, mara, lol. I value writing and sharing knowledge with others, so I think that more and more of us should turn to blogging. I did *not* mean that I don't like you guys coming here and talking away :) It's actually fun, and I enjoy and appreciate it very much.

    So, like, in your blogs, you can share your own works/poems/articles/thoughts and other people's (if they give permission -- or then people like Ghani Baba :D:D:D). It'd be really worth reading over, kana.
    Think about it, kha? And then give us the link so we can visit and support you like you visit and support us.

    And I don't think Spongmai Babo has a blog. I'm still in the process of pressuring her to get one! lol

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  19. eeeeeee wor akhlam...domra loy comment me waleekooo aw bijlai pre larra

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  20. @Spogmai: "eeeeeee wor akhlam...domra loy comment me waleekooo aw bijlai pre larra"....

    Hahaha.........da la pakey Qrratugai wayee che blog likalo ta kenai....lol

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  21. LOL!! Wai zaaar! Amrikey ta raasha, dalta bijlai na zee :P

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Dare to opine :)

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