How is the process of Pashtunization of drug production and smuggling going?
Author: Rustam Rushangar, analyst, especially for Sangar
The Badakhshan protesters have raised a fundamental, smart, revolutionary, and good question: why are the Helmandis and Kandaharis ruling Badakhshan?
Assuming that these Helmandis and Kandaharis are heavenly angels and are not evil and do not promote opium and drug trade, again the question of why the Helmandis and Kandaharis rule Badakhshan remains relevant and is the main and key question. Apart from this, any other questions for the Badakhshan people and the peoples of the North in general regarding the terrorist Taliban are secondary.
This issue, raised by the proud people of Badakhshan, must be taken seriously by all Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks in the north, center, and west of the country. Why Helmandis and Kandaharis (and Pashtuns in general) rule Panjshir, Parwan, Kapisa, Kabul, Takhar, Baghlan, Kunduz, Samangan, Balkh, Saripul, Jawzjan, Faryab, Ghor, Badghis, Herat, Logar, Laghman, Nuristan, Ghazni, Farah and Wardak (Tajiks, Hazaras and Uzbeks)?
What special do the Helmandians and the Kandaharians have that would make them rule over others? What are they? Who, for what, and how gave them the right to dominate a significant part of Khorasan and the people with culture and civilization? What else do these barbaric and savage and cruel creatures of the south have except that they are Pashtuns and servants of intelligence organizations?
Afghans/Pashtuns should know that it is not possible to impose primitive Pashtun rule on the entire land of Khorasan. The uprising in Badakhshan is the beginning of an irreversible historical process. The Pashtun Taliban may be able to prevent popular protests from spreading in Badakhshan for a while through subterfuge and conspiracies, repression, and violence, but the tide is growing and will rise again from Badakhshan or elsewhere. There is no doubt that at present the Badakhshani people, despite the political bribes given by the Pashtun Taliban to several Badakhshani Taliban, have initiated a process of popular uprising against the rule of ignorance, terror, and opium.
Badakhshan has a privileged geographical position in raising the flag of resistance against the oppression and tyranny of the southern tribes, and the high anti-Taliban spirit of brave and civilized people has caused Badakhshan to become the leader of the uprising and revival. This marked the beginning of the decline of Taliban rule.
As our experience has shown, the Pashtuns resort to any means to maintain their power. This is one of the means of discrediting and slandering opponents, critics, and rebels.
In the uprising in Badakhshan, Taliban terrorists try to portray protesters and insurgents as poppy farmers to justify their repression, so that residents of other regions will not decide to join the insurgency too. But people should be vigilant and know that this is just Taliban propaganda.
The point of this story is to say no to Taliban and Pashtun rule. Helmandis and Kandaharis are inventors and propagandists of opium. They also brought opium to Badakhshan, and their oppression and pressure on the people are also rooted in dominance, exclusivity, and totalitarianism. In a word, Pashtunization of drug production and smuggling.
Helmandis and Kandaharis are not against growing poppy, but they want the peasants of Badakhshan must grow poppy on their land for the Pashtun ruler of Badakhshan. This means that a Pashtun is a master, and a Badakhshani is a mercenary and a slave.
However, the popular uprising was not caused by opium. People are tired and looking for excuses. It is not necessary to have a justification to rebel against oppression and cruelty. Every justification is valid, legitimate, and reasonable.
