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Eyewitness Testimonies conducted by our Hazara Sources
of the Killings in Mazar Sharif, Afghanistan August 8, 1998
1 - MAZAR, HAZARA,Originally from DARYA TURKMAN
Car spare parts dealer, living in Saidabad.
Family living in Iran came to Pakistan through kunduz and kabul.
Narrates:
"On Saturday 8th August I was in the center of Mazar. We heard the sound of shooting coming from the west which became louder. At 11:00 a.m. the shooting started in the city center and people started trying to escape towards their homes. I was near Darwaz-Balkh when shooting started so I hid in one of the serais (a small hotel). the Taliban started searching the houses, serais.They searched the serai I was in. I donot looked like a Hazara which is how I survived. The rest of 25 people were interrogated seriously- all were civilians, mostly cart Pullers and street traders. They killed nine of them, who were Hazaras in Darwaze Balkh. One of them lied down before being hit but they then shot him. They were then all put in a wall. (Note: the walls are made of mud. kah-gil. So they put a mud wall and layer by layer put the dead bodies in it completing the wall). As I watched the situation I knew they will come and check again so I left. I saw many dead bodies of shopkeepers and civilians lying on the streets in the center of Mazar. During the first day they indiscriminately killed any one they saw, from Tajik Uzbek and Hazara ethnic groups but after that they started killing specifically Hazaras.
One women from this family was bringing news about the situation in Saidabad and Dasht-e-shor. When the Taliban entered houses in Saidabad and Dasht-e-shor, they shot the Hazaras even if they saw women
children or old men. They were looking for the Hazaras and if they found them they killed them. There were more than 100 bodies between Saidabad junction and the prison, and many on the side streets. In Karte Ariana men were
told to go to mosque and pray. After the prayers were finished all 150 people in the mosque were put in containers and taken to an unknown place. Many people were Arrested. On the second day (9th August) they killed 200 people next to Mazari's Shrine. In Sultan Razaia high school 300 people were killed (note: this is where all the Iranian diplomats were killed and buried too). We heard that 700 people who were arrested were then killed in Dasht-e-Hairatan."
2 - MAZAR, HAZARA, DARWAZ-I SHADIAN
Street trader in Mandai survived as he has a Pashtoon landlord in whose compound he was living and who facilitated his escape. He left Mazar, ten
days after its fall, through Kunduz and Chitral.
Narrates:
The first day when the Taliban entered the city killed every one whom they saw on the streets. I was in Mandai market selling things. I heard Kalashinkov fire from Darwaz-I Balkh and saw
people escaping from the city. I escaped through Muhabarat street (east of the SAKHI shrine). My cousin was with me. He was hit in the leg and I was unable to carry him. After the Taliban came into that area they killed them.
with difficulty I reached in my house in Darwaz-e-Sahdian. About 1.00 p.m. I heard a Datsun (Pickup)
passing my street and the sound of continuous firing for ten minutes. After that the firing stopped and I heard the sound of people crying and the voices of Taliban. They were asking people where the houses of Hazaras were and saying that you should tell us where the Hazaras were. They came to our house and our landlords spoke to them. They asked if there were any Hazaras here and he said no.
In our street a women was living with her husband and son. The husband was not at home and the Taliban killed her son in front of her. After killing him she was crying and saying that "I am not
Hazara, I am Uzbek" the Taliban then said "why didn't you say before."
The Taliban were not able to speak Persian well- they were speaking khandahari Pashtu and Urdu (the national language of Pakistan).
One of neighbours named Khodabaksh was a vegetable seller in Mandai. They beat him on his head with a stick (like a police baton) and killed him in this way. I saw a man trying to escape from our street. He was
Hazara killed by Taliban with a bayonet (BARCHA) in his head, face and eyes. In our street a sweet maker called Mohib Ali lived . The taliban entered his house where they killed him with 12 members of his family including
children women and old man.
During 10 days they killed 20 people from our neighbourhood. After that my landlord helped me and I was able to leave with half my family to Hairatan, then to Kunduz, Badakhshan and to Chitral. On the way from
the Rouza Sakhi (Rouze Hazrat Ali . asalaam) to Tasadi bridge (at the entrence to kamaz camp) I saw blood and oil (KHON WA CHARBI
JISAD) on the streets but the bodies had been taken away, but I could see bodies still on the back streets which were stinking. Half of my family are still in Mazar and I don't know what happened to them."
3 - PUL-I-KHUMRI, HAZARA
Background: Farmers, small land owners
Son is a migrant in Quetta, Pakistan. Mother 65 years old who was living in the family home near Pul-I-Khumri when it was taken by local pro-taliban pashtuns. There was apparently no fighting in her
village which was evacuated by Hizb-I Wahdat before taliban- local or extra locals (Taliban of the village and other Taliban from other part of Afghanistan like Talib from Balkh, Qundoz, Kandahar even Pakistan) arrived. During
the interview she was distraught, crying and at times was unable to talk.
Son 25 Year Old- narrates:
"We were living in Gawsaran in Baghlan Province which was controlled by Hizb-e-Wahdat. After the Taliban came to this area they killed my wife and son Rauf and
Mohammad Asif and started looting. Only my mother aged 65 survived but has lost her mind. She came to Pul-I-Khumri and then to Quetta (Pakistan).
Mother narrates:
Two of my grand son were killed by the Taliban. They (the taliban) were from Kutub kheil and Khoghaini tribes who lived in our neighboring village. They looted our houses and
divided our land (75 jeribs - 10x 10 meter of land makes one Jrib) among themselves and now some of them are living in our house. We were happy with Hussain kheil and Zamon kheil (other pashtun tribes) who were also our
neighbors and who didn't do anything against us then. When the taliban entered our house they killed my two grandsons who were 12 and 10 years old. They hit them on their heads with riffle butts. When they became unconscious
they shot them. My daughter in law put her self at their feet to ask not to fire but they also beat her on her head with their kalashinkov riffle butts until she died. For one hour they looted our house of valuable things and
told me to leave the village. They did not allow me to bury my daughter in law and grand son. I did not know what would happen to me and I thought they would kill me after a few minutes. I do not know who took me to
Pul-I-Khumri and then to Jebal Seraj. There was a hazara family with six women and an old man who helped me come to Quetta where my son was".
4 - MAZAR, TAJIK, KARTE NUR-I-KHUDA
Narrator: Educated from Shomali
Occupation: streets money changer in Kefayat market. Came to Quetta through Maimana, Heart, and
Khandahar.
Narrates:
I was living in tappe Karte Nur-I-Khuda (a place in the Mazar) at 11 a.m. on Saturday. I heard shooting in the city which increased after a few minutes. I came out of my house to find out what
was happening. I saw people running away and some one said that the taliban had entered the city through Kodi barq (name of place in Mazar) and the Hizb-e Islami (Hizb Islami, because Hizb Islami people were also there in
the shape of Taliban) in the city were firing at people.
At this time I saw taliban vehicles coming from Sharak and Dashti- Shore which were entering Karte Nau Bahar, Saidabad and Karte Nur-I-Khuda.We were about ten people, mostly Hazaras and two Tajiks. We went back
to our houses. My house is on the main road and had two floors. I went upstairs and was watching what was happening from the second floor. I saw Mohammd Ali and Ghulam Rasool standing in the street as cars approached. Two
vehicles passed our area and two others stopped and shot them. I was watching from a distance of 70 meters but hid myself. After a few minutes I heard one vehicle start and leave but the other one stayed. I looked and saw
Mohammed Ali and Gulam Rasool laying on the ground still moving. I went downstairs and hid. I decided to leave the area and during the night I went to a friend's in Karte Bukhdi.
There were two groups of Taliban - one from Kandahar and one from Balkh.
All men were told to go to the mosques. The next Friday I heard mullah Naizi's announcement in the mosque in koocha Istalifi (koocha same as a
neighborhood), where some of my relatives lives, saying that Hazara should become proper muslims or pay "bawj" (non muslim tax if their lives were to be spared) or leave Afghanistan.
Ten days later I paid a lot of money to a pashtun driver and I came to Kunduz, then flew to Kabul and then to Pakistan via Torkham.
5 - SYED HAZARA, PUSHT-I-BAGH, DAIDADI, SHEIKHABAD
An other newly arrived Hazara, Syed Mohammad Hussain Hashmi Khurd who lived in Pusht-I-Bagh Daidadi ShiekhAbad, was Moaazan (the person who
calls for prayers) of Takya Khana (mosque)
Narrates:
I arrived in Quetta 5th in November via Peshawar from Mazar Sharif. Taliban has closed all religious activities of our Takya khana in Pusht-I-Bagh where 175 families lived. Taliban head (leader) asked me to close the main gate of Takya Khana and leave the building. Next day one of the person who use to come frequently to Takya Khana informed me that Taliban has left Dogs in the Takya Khana and put guards on the main gate (Note: Traditional muslim belief is that dogs are not clean) The following day I wept and left the area for Pakistan. On the way to Pakistan Taliban captured my son in law who had accompanied us with the rest of family. After travelling several days to Pakistan my daughter, who was pregnant, faced a lot of painful events. She delivered a baby in a local Chai khana (a small roadside restaurant that serves tea) on the boarder of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The suggested questioneer has been asked soon after Mazar massacre by different humanitarian agencies mainly by UNHCR to collect the facts and figures from newly
arrivals families and eyewitnesses. The Questioneer has been followed during survery in Peshawer and Quetta in different time period from eyewitnesses and victims of Taliban invasion in the Mazar Sharif.
SUGGESTED QUESTIONS ABOUT EVENTS IN MAZAR-I-SHARIF
AFTER IT WAS CAPTURED BY TALIBAN ON 8TH AUGUST.
1. GENERAL:
describe the first day, subsequent days... general situation and any first hand experience
of killings.
: why did the Taliban enter the city earlier than people expected?
: does the witness know of any repots of activities by any northern alliance faction during
the few days prior to the taliban captur of mazar that may have aggravated the events
that took place later in Mazar?
: did some commanders switch sides? if so, who and why?
2.WHAT TYPES OF GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS WERE KILLED DURING/AFTER THE TALIBAN ARRIVED IN MAZAR?
3.WHO CONDUCTED THE KILLINGS? e.g Balkh Pashtuns (if so, who were these "Balkh
Pashtuns " exactly since it is clear not all Balkh Pashtuns were involved?
Mainstream Taliban from southern and eastern Afghanistan? Arabs? Pakistanis? Others?
Or a mix of various different types of Taliban?
4.WERE ALL HAZARA DISTRICTS EQUALLY AFFECTED? If not, please explain.
how long did the house to house searches of Hazara districts continue?
were there other incidents in Hazara areas after the initial search period ended?
what was the situation regarding Hazaras at the time that the witness left the city?
5. HOW WERE THE SEARCH GROUPS (OPERATING IN HAZARA DISTRICTS) ORGANISED?
[NB one witness said that many of the groups consisted of five Balkh Pashtuns under a
mainstream Taliban commander]
6.WHAT WAS SAID OVER THE MOSQUE LOUDSPEAKERS?
on the first day? subsequently?
if possible can the witness identify the people preaching from the mosques? Local
Mullahs? Mainstream Taliban?
7.WERE WOMEN AND CHILDREN KILLED? IF SO, WHO, WHEN, HOW AND BY WHOM?
8.WERE SOME HAZARAS SPARED ARREST AND EXECUTION? IF SO, WHO AND WHY?
9.DOES THE WITNESS KNOW OF ANY NON-HAZARAS WHO WERE EXECUTED OR TAKEN PRISNOR?
IF SO, WHO AND WHY?
10.DOES THE WITNESS HAVE ANY FIRST-HAND EVIDANCE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH PRISONERS?
who were taken away in containers? Ethnic group? Gender? Age?
where were prisoners taken?
does the witness know any prisoner who was later released? If so, what did the prisoner
report about his/her time in captivity?
11.DOES THE WITNESS KNOW OF ANY OCCASIONS WHEN MAINSTREAM TALIBAN (THOSE FROM THE
SOUTH) INTERVENED TO STOP KILLINGS OR OTHER ABUSES OF CIVILIANS?
12.DID THE WITNESS EVER HEAR ANYTHING SAID ABOUT SOME ONE CALLED MULLAH FAZAL MOHAMMED, OR FAZAL AHMED? IF SO, WHO IS HE, WHERE IS HE FROM, WHAT DID HE DO?
13.DOES THE WITNESS KNOW THE IDENTITY OF ANY OTHER FIGURES INVOLVED IN SPECIFIC MAJOR EVENTS? IF SO PLEASE GIVE AS MANY DETAILS AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE FIGURES AND EVENTS CONCERNED.
14.CAN THE WITNESS DESCRIBE HIS/HER JOURNEY TO PAKISTAN AND ANY DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED ON THE WAY?
15.DOES THE WITNESS HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING DIS-PLACEMENT OF PEOPLE FROM MAZAR OR OTHER AREAS OF THE NORTH?
Cooperation Centre for Afghanistan - CCA
One of the big Hazara NGO in Hazarajat
ETHINIC CLEANSING IN MAZAR:
Eyewitness stories of the August 1998 killings: SEPTEMBER 1998
1. Mahboba a 25 year old girl and a student of university in Balkh who lived in Sayed abad, Mazar-I-Sharif has come from Mazar in September 9th in Peshawar:
Narrates:
It was a normal day that day. Every body was busy in his/her business. I ,like others, went to university to attend my classes. That we had a test and the student were busy in taking
the test. Suddenly I heard the sound of some rocket blasting. All escaped from the university. After that sound of rocket blasts, we heard firing of the light weapons such as Kalashinkoves etc.
No one knew what happened at that moment. some thought that the fighting might have started again between Shir Arab, a commander from Junbish-I-Mili Islami of General
Rashid Dustom and Shura Nazar of commander Masood. But it was not a face to face fighting as it used to happen before. There was firing from one side - the
Rouza-e-Mubarak. In the area close to interior ministry, a number of armed fighters and civilians were killed. Then all were escaping from the main roads to the small streets to
save their lives. Still people were asking each other what was happening.
Once some pick ups (four wheeler trucks) entered the city with white flags (taliban's flag) on them. Still people were confused if Taliban had come to the city. The firing continued
from 10 to 12 am on 8th august 1998.
Witnesses from Rouza Mobarak said while Talilban entered the city they set Pickas ( kind of Russian anti-aircraft gun) at both sides of streets and started to fire directly on people.
These people lost their lives while they were escaping the incidents.
The most targeted areas were Ziarat, Saidabad, Ali Chopan, and Alam Arab. However the other areas of the city were also targeted.
Civilian's dead bodies were ordered to be left in the spot for three days as taliban revenge when last years taliban dead bodies were remained unburied in the streets for many days.
During these three days dogs in the streets ate the dead bodies. The taliban, after three days, ordered the relative of the victims to go in the streets, search, find, and bury dead bodies.
Among these people I know a 12 year old boy named Ehsanullah. He was the only breadwinner of the family. His mother used to bake the bread and he was selling them in the streets.
Karat Shafa Khana, Ziarat, and Hazara inhabited areas had the largest number of victims. Other areas, however were searched and then the men were detained. They took the
prisoners to Mazar central prison, Qala-I-Zaini, Balkh , and Shiberghan. Some have been taken to Khandahar.
Before the fall of Mazar to the taliban, about 3000 fresh fighter troops were sent by Hizb-I-Wahdat from Bamyan to defend taliban offensive into Mazar. They did not do that,
as the northern alliance forces were disorganized. Therefore they did not succeed to use the newly arrived potential from Bamyan.
All who manage to survive reamined hidden in their houses. Now it was One p.m. and there was a death like silence in the city. Shortly after a while a home to home search
began. My sister Shafiqa and I saw that the taliban were searching houses and they took men of Hazaras, Tajiks, Uzbeks to the central prison of Mazar. These searching were continued for three days and young men were detained.
One of neighboring families who had no relation with any political parties lost two men and some In-laws with whom they lived together in a house. Their fault was just that they
were Hazaras. The In-laws, Hussain Ali and Yusuf, were known later to be taken to Shiberghan and the fate of the two young boys Nabi and Mohammed remained unknown.
The neighboring Pashtoon boys, witnessing of the event, told their mother that your boys have been killed, we saw ourselves. Then the poor mother went to search for the dead
bodies of her dear sons. She was looking in the streets and streams. When she was searching for her two sons dead bodies she witnessed a women who found her sons dead
body that was torn into pieces by dogs. She was collecting parts of the body in to a bag. Nabi's mother wished if she could find the bodies of her sons hoping their dead bodies were not torn apart by wild dogs.
People remained locked in their homes. No one could manage to arrange dinner or lunch. Taliban did not accept food from prisoners' family members nor did they provide them. But
the third and fourth day they started sorting out prisoners by the ethnic identity such as Pashtoons, Tajiks, Uzbaks, Turkmans, and Hazaras. Other were gradually released but Hazaras were not.
One of my relatives who was released later said "Taliban placed the prisoners mostly Hazaras in three containers to take them to Shiberghan or Khandahar. They died inside the
containers as result of hot weather and no holes to reach fresh air inside". There is a very hot weather in Laili desert in which even the normal trips are difficult to cross. During the
trip while these containers were crossing the desert all died except two men. Their dead bodies were thrown in the desert.
In "Karte Shafa Khana" Taliban threw the people from the roof of the houses to kill the innocent people. They killed 4-5 people in each of the houses.
After a week I could go to one of my friends house who was a Tajik family member. They Narrates:
In our street more than 50 people were killed. A Hazara boy came down from the wall of the house who was being chased by a Talib. His name was Nasrat. He looked to be 19 year
old. We could manage to hide him. When the Talib came and asked us where the Hazara boy is, we started to speak in Pashtoo, he suddenly changed his manner and said we have
come here to defend you Pashtoons we do not harm you. Do not be afraid. He then went back…"
They were searching for boys of 14 or above to arrest them if they were Hazaras. If they could speak Pashtoo it was enough to excuse and release them.
2. Shabeer Ahmed s/o Bahadur khan a 20 year old boy is a student of literature, Balkh University. He is living in darwaza Shadiyan. He narrates:
Taliban entered Mazar city shortly after two hours resistance by the opposition groups. It was11 a.m. of 8th august, 1998. At the moment I was at south part of the Rouza-e-Sharif
when taliban entered the city. They came in to the city from two directions, from Balkh district and Dahdadi district.
In the first two hours taliban killed everybody in the streets. Afterwords, they started to detain people from everywhere. Most of the detainees later were killed collectively.
Taliban treated people with violence. About 12000 people were arrested and taken to the Mazar central prison, two prisons in the Marmol street and one in the Ustad Ata, a
commander of Shura-e-Nezar, headquarter in the west side of Rouza. More than 5000 people have been killed. The victims are mostly Hazara.
Taliban targeted areas of Saidabad, Dasht-I-Shor, Ali Chopan, and Ustad Mazari's (the most beloved Hazara leader and father of Hazara nation) Grave the most. Peope belonging
to other ethnic group saved Hazara lives especially pashtoons. Among the victims there were a number of children. While Hazaras were hiding, their family member's dead bodies
remained unburied in the streets for two to three days. Dogs ate most of the dead bodies.
Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi governor of Mazar in his speeches told Hazaras either to change their religious from Shia to Sunni or to leave Afghanistan for Graveyard (i.e.
IRAN). After many days people could come in and go out of the city, if they were not Hazaras. Prison were full of prisoners. The detainees were pressed in the rooms and yards.
There were no food and water. Fire fighter trucks were set up to pump water from out side the prisons, as there was no space inside. Prisoners could not drink enough water to cut
down their thirst. They kept their handkerchifs under the trucks water pumps to absorb water and then to press the water in to their mouth.
3. Mohammed Kabir, a 17 year old boy student of grade 10 of one of the schools in Mazar-I-Sharif , Afghanistan lived in areas around Rouza-e-Sharif. He recently came
from Mazar-I-Sharif. He narrates:
Before the Taliban captured Mazar, it was under the control of northern alliance forces. Taliban catured Mazar on August 8th .It was 10:25 am. They fired on people in the street
when they first entered the city. The firing continued for two hours. Afterwards, the taliban started to enter people's houses and killed male members of the families. They did
not rape. They killed and arrested people in the first day. For the next days they killed only Hazaras. They killed people with torture.
It was the third day of taliban control in the city that they enter our house. They hit me. They fired on me, but with God's blessing, it did not touch me. They repeatedly asked us
to give guns and weapons you have hidden, although I told them we do not have any. They looted our property. They took our car, cash, tape recorder…they stayed in our
house for three hours, searching all things. They did not find anything, but they asked me to go with them. My uncles wife and other females started to cry loudly and requested
them to leave the boy. The Cammander, an 18 or19 year old young boy, was very bloodthirsty one. He kept on saying that: I will be killing you. You Hazaras killed 10000
Talibs last year. That day they let me stay at home. When they left I escaped and stayed in another place for twenty days. The taliban killed about 20,000 innocent civilians and 5000
military gunman. The streets were full of dead bodies. Mothers were searching for their son and husband's dead bodies in the streets and streams.
Taliban detained most of my friends. Some of them, who were released, said that Taliban took the prisoners to kandahar in the containers. First they kept the prisoners in Mazar
prison, then to Shiberghan, then to Maimana, as there were not enough room for such a large number of prisonrers. Taliban, mostly, targeted Saidabad, Karta Shafa Khana, Ali Chopan, Ziarat, Aammurad, and Ustad Mazari's Grave.
They killed people even by firing from Halicopter from the air. I know my neighbours who have been killed by Taliban. They also killed Iranian diplomats in the Iranian consulate in
Maindan Namak (Maadan Namak mean Salt mine, this is also an area in the Mazar like Surai Namak in Quetta, Pakistan), Mazar-I-Sharif. The Taliban authorities in Mazar were very
violent with Hazara ethnic groups as mullah Abdul Manan Naizi, the governor of the Mazar city, in his speeches was inciting and encouraging so.
4. Mr. Namatullah s/o Mohammed Yunus, a 22 year old boy from Saidabad of Mazar Sharif came recently.
He narrates:
I left Mazar on 26 August, 1998. I lost my two young brothers. One was 12 and other was 19 years old. They were killed just for their ethnic identity. It was midnight, 12:30 am, when
they knocked the door. Two pick-ups with 12 Taliban fighters asked my youger brother, Hashmatullah, where are you from and to which ethnic group you belong? My brother said
the truth,"we are from Kabul and we are Hazaras." Then they entered our house and started to search. They took my brothers outside the house. Firing sound was heard.
When my mother looked outside they had been already killed. My appearance is not like Hazaras, although I am. That was why I could manage to go to Kunduz from the house of
my pashtoon friend, then to Pakistan. My family is still in Mazar but they change the house after my brothers were killed.
Everyday 75 to 90 Hazaras were slaughtered (slit their throats with a knife) on Mazari's grave. At nights Taliban were entering in Hazara's houses and killing men, or taking them
to Laili desert for mass killing.
5. Mr. Mohammed Naseer, a final year student in medical, Balkh university of Mazar-I-Sharif, left mazar to Peshawar in 10 September 1998. He narrates:
Taliban treat people according to their ethnic identity. They treat with violence with hazaras while with others they were a little bit smooth. I twice was arrested by taliban. In
the first I was released with the help of my director who was a private hospital director in which I was employed. In the second time they released me when I show the ID card of the hospital.
Taliban arrested my two cousins Mr. Nabi and Mr. Iqbal. Their families had contact with them till ten days. Afterwards, they went unknown. Nabi was disabled from his two legs.
The prison had very bad and severe health conditions. The prisoners received no food or drinking water. The central prison of Mazar was emptied many times. People say most of
them were killed in Laili Desert. Some who have seen the desert say "there are hills of dead bodies in the desert."
The Taliban ordered all people in Mazar to practice Sunni style Islam in their daily life. People should attend the five time prayers in the nearest mosques. Taliban washed all
carpets cushions, mattresses and other belongings of the Shia Muslim mosques in order to make them clean in "an Islamic way." They also washed the wall of these Mosques. Then the prayers perform in a Sunni style Islam.
Parts of
MULLAH MANAN NAIZI SPEECHES
GOVERNER OF MAZAR.
This announcement has been made in the mosque during the Friday prayers
"… Do you know last year you fired us from every house? You killed 10,000 Talibs, those who Memorised Quranic Verses in their chests. Pashtoons, Tajiks, Uzbeks,
and Turkmans are brothers. Turkmans are good people. They have never fired on us. Hazara should study their past hundred years history. What you become? If
you won't be honest, all of you will be killed. Where do you escape? If you go to Bamyan, it is in our control. Every where in Afghanistan you go, will be our
territory. I am clearly saying that if you won't hand over and not show your honesty, either you will be killed or thrown out of the country or you (like Hindus)
should pay us. If even one fire come from your side, we will put on fire the entire area [1].
If you want to live along with other Afghan ethnic groups, you should never think of sharing and participating in the future government structure. Hazaras! Where
would you escape? If you jumped in to the air we will grasp your legs, if you enter the earth we will grasp your ears. Hazaras are not Muslim. You can kill them. It is
not a sin. Oh Hazaras! Become Muslims and pray God like us. We won't let you to go away. Every border is in our control. 10,000 Talibs came last year as guest but
you kill them. we will kill you the same way you killed them. They must remain unburied on streets for three days. We will kill you and nobody is allowed to bury the dead bodies till three days…"
On women issues the governor said:
"…we actually do not need women to work. What positive roles can they play in the society? What is the impact of their roles? We donot need women. They
should stay in their houses. Those who send their daughters to the university can say me who ensure that these girls have no illegal relation with boys.
[1] Note: they have made good on this "promise." The eyewitness testimonies from Victims of Bamyan which later fell to the Taliban right after the mazar suggests that
Taliban burned Hazaras alive in their houses (June, 1999).
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