Emamali Rahman's sacrifice should be appreciated and his warnings should be taken seriously.
Author: Rustam Rushangar, analyst
Usually, the greatness of the political leaders of countries is associated with the large population under their rule, or with the size of the geographical territory, which is not true. Some politicians lead small countries, but they are significant figures. One of them is undoubtedly Emamali Rahman, the President of Tajikistan. I don't know exactly how much the Tajiks know about this great man, but it is clear that he has high thoughts and a strategic vision for the Tajiks (both the Tajiks of Tajikistan and the Tajiks of Afghanistan).
One example and sign of Emamali Rahman's lofty thoughts and strategic vision towards the Tajiks, as well as all anti-Taliban and anti-terrorist forces in Afghanistan, is the firm, unwavering, and timely support for the National Resistance Front led by Ahmad Massoud. I have no doubt that Emamali Rahman's serious support for the National Resistance Front forced Russia, Iran, and some other countries of the region to some extent correct their views towards supporting the Resistance and the danger of international terrorism from the territory of Afghanistan.
It followed from the situation and the facts that all countries in the region considered resistance to be futile even before the Taliban returned to power. All of them, in the conditions and political propaganda atmosphere created by the US, Pakistan, and the Gulf countries in favor of the Taliban and terrorist organizations, were ready to give them an "apocalyptic" role in Afghanistan, accept their rule, and follow the strategy of gradual official recognition. But the courageous and timely act of Emamali Rahman surprised everyone and called into question such a “reality” called the Taliban.
In fact, Emamali Rahman's support for the Resistance Front took place at a time when Afghanistan's desperation to return to non-Taliban/post-Taliban conditions was at its peak both inside and outside of Afghanistan. More precisely, the conditions were even worse than in the fall of 1996, when the Taliban first came to power. At a time when everyone was looking forward to the Taliban and no one could imagine a future after the Taliban, Ahmad Shah Massoud, the founder, and commander-in-chief of the resistance, declared that even if he had a place the size of his pakul left, he would stand there and resist. Emamali Rahman did the same as Ahmad Shah Massoud did in the second round of the Taliban's rise to power. In the midst of the desperation of the people of Afghanistan and the CA, he supported the resistance and said that resistance is the only way to prevent Afghanistan and the region from falling into the clutches of terrorism and major colonial plots.
Undoubtedly, Emamali Rahman took a big risk in the short term. By declaring its support for the Resistance Front, Tajikistan has become the center of attention of the Taliban terrorist group and its terrorist allies. But Emamali Rahman had the courage and foresight to take short-term risks to insure his country and region against terrorism in the long term.
Now terrorists may have movements on the borders of Tajikistan and even inside Tajikistan in order to take revenge on the government of Emamali Rahman, but without a doubt, his support in the long term created a reliable protective shield against the terrorist threat not only in Tajikistan but in Central Asia as a whole. He created the address where you can easily find a solution to the issue.
The Tajiks and the anti-Taliban forces know that Emamali Rahman and the government under his leadership stood by their neighbors and brothers in a time of need, and they will not forget this kindness in the future and will not allow terrorism to spread to Central Asia and will take action against it. Maybe in the short term, the terrorists can do it, but in the long term, there will always be anti-Taliban resistance forces that will attack the terrorists from the rear and prevent them from conquering Central Asia. There is no doubt about this.
Of course, the creeping danger should not be ignored. The fact is that terrorists try to increase religious schools in the north, and north-east (Takhar, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Baghlan, Samangan, Juzjan, Faryab, etc.) under the name of expanding religious education. They want to prepare enemies of Central Asia, primarily from among the Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turkmens, and others.
Experience shows that Tajiks of religious schools are much more radical than Pashtuns, Hazaras, and Uzbeks. When a Tajik goes to a religious school, he forgets his identity, history, culture, and origin and is ready to draw a sword against his blood brother. This risk must be taken seriously. This is the only hole from which there is a possibility of a snake bite.
Taliban terrorists are constantly training terrorists in the northern regions under the pretext of paying attention to religious schools. In the first stage, the graduates of these newly organized schools will destroy and declare blasphemers of local theologians, and then raise the sword against the people. In this area, a great responsibility lies with the intelligentsia of Badakhshan, Takhar, etc. In my opinion, the Resistance Front, the government of Tajikistan, and the countries of Central Asia should implement a preventive strategy program. Support for representatives of the intelligentsia, writers, and cultural figures of northeastern Afghanistan, as well as the creation of educational centers and the conduct of broad information campaigns for young people, can become part of this program.
The reason for writing these lines was the recent statement by Emamali Rahman, President of Tajikistan, at a meeting of the leaders of the Central Asian countries regarding the growing terrorist threat in Afghanistan and information about the graduation of a group of girls from the newly established Taliban religious school in Badakhshan. These two questions are very related, and Emamali Rahman knows much more about them than others. Not only is he the representative of the Tajiks and stands alone against terrorism in order to fulfill his Tajik responsibility, but the warnings he makes about the growing threat of terrorism are correct and timely. Sooner or later, countries that for some reason do not take these warnings seriously and casually point to Emamali Rahman's ancestral ties with Afghan Tajiks will realize their terrible mistakes. The day may come when terrorists will appear in all the countries of Central Asia and create islands of negative and chaotic force that the governments of this region will not be able to cope with! Then it will be too late!
