A Short Biography of the Martyred Leader, Abdul Ali Mazari (R.A.)
The demand for rights is a call for brotherhood amongst the different peoples, not for enmity." Martyred Leader, Abdul Ali Mazari (R.A.)
The life of the martyred leader, Abdul Ali Mazari, is a clear reflection of the lives of his people in our country's painful history. He was born to poverty and deprivation, lived as a refugee even in his own country, but died as a hero.
The exact birth date of the martyred leader, is not clear, but he was born into a poor peasant family in 1325 AH (1946) in Nanvayee, a village in Charkent, Mazar-i Sharif in Balkh province, Afghanistan. He began his primary schooling in theology at the local school in his village, then went to Mazar-i Sharif , and on to theology school in Qom and Najaf. Throughout this period, he faced poverty in his own life and was aware of it in the lives of his people, and strove indefatigably and with total honesty for its eradication. The political activities of the martyred leader in Iran led to his imprisonment and torture by the Shah's regime on several occasions.
Simultaneously with the occupation of our country by the Red Army, the martyred leader returned to his birthplace and took leadership of his people's armed jihad. The legendary struggles of the martyred leader in Charkent, Sholgar, Chantal and other northern regions is the pride of our nation's justified resistance. During the first years of the Jihad, he lost his young brother, Mohammed Sultan, in a face to face battle with the occupying army, as well as his sister and several other members of his family. His uncle, Mohammad Ja'afar, and his son, Mohammad Afzal, were imprisoned and killed by the puppet regime in Kabul. He also lost his father, Haji Khadadad, and his brother, Haji Mohammad Nabi, in the rebellion and liberation struggle of his nation.
The martyred leader was one of the founders of the Islamic Wahdat Party of Afghanistan and one of its hones, hardworking, brave and selfless members. In the first Congress he was elected leader of the Central Committee and in the second Congress, Secretary General of the Wahdat Party. Ustad Mazari's initiative led to the creation of the Jonbesh-e Shomal (Northern Movement), in which the country's most significant military force joined ranks with the Mujahideen, leading to a coup d'etat and the eventual downfall of the regime in Kabul.
The leadership of the resistance, and the holy struggle by our freedom-loving people in the city of blood and rebellion, Kabul, marked an immortal legendary war of resistance in our history. During this period, the martyred leader fought step by step alongside his proud nation, for the protection of our national honor and dignity, with steadfastness, certainty and honesty, to crush the twin monsters of monopoly and fascism. Twenty-six fierce wars imposed on his people by their enemies were repulsed, and wile the majority of our leaders escaped to safety with their own lives, the martyred leader vowed to his people: "I have no interests at heart other than your interests. I have never asked God to separate me from you just to save my own life and leave you alone on the battlefield... I have always wished for my blood to be shed and to be killed in your midst...Away from you, my life has no value."
The martyred leader was the promoter of human rights and Islamic brotherhood for all our country's peoples, and insisted that "the demand for rights is a call for brotherhood amongst the different peoples, not for enmity." He would proclaim in certainty: "we have never had anything in Afghanistan and do not want any advantages now. We simply want to crush the monster of monopoly." In the pursuit of national unity, the martyred leader initiated the valuable Supreme Coordination Council, where for the first time, the practice of brotherhood and equality amongst all our country's peoples was successfully put to the test.
With this initiative, the martyred leader transformed the atmosphere of black pessimism and hostility amongst our country's different peoples- the outcome of the doomed policies of Afghanistan's senseless leaders - to a healthy atmosphere of brotherhood and partnership. The poisoned and hostile relations between our country's different peoples was the cause of great suffering for the martyred leader. When asked by Sayed Mansour Nabi: "What are your demands for your people?", he replied: "Our only wish for our people is that being Hazara should no longer be a crime." The bloody tragedy at Afshar marked the darkest moment in the leader's life, the memory of which always brought tears to his eyes, whereupon he would sigh: "I wish I had not been alive to see the Afshar tragedy." In his speech in 8 Sour 1372 AH (28 April 1994), on the day of the execution of the traitors responsible for the events at Afshar, he said: "the Afshar tragedy has completely overturned my beliefs." The hatred inspired in our leader by the collaborators and traitors, was rooted in the depth of a tragedy which continued to pain him. In his speech at the commemoration ceremony for the martyrs of 23 Sonboleh 1373 AH (14 Sept 1994), Ustad Mazari, who exposed the depth of his pain, bitterly sighed: "the painful events of the Afshar tragedy, from whose memory our people and future generations shall always suffer and hurt, was the work of collaborators, led by Mr. Anvari." In recalling Sayed Hadi's betrayal, he added: "you must be aware that the bitter events accidentally; there were collaborators involved." He added: "it is Mr. Hadi who is responsible for the blood of Ashar's 700 martyrs and disappeared, and for the destruction and looting of 4000 homes."
The martyred leader, Mazari, more than anything else suffered and was pained by treachery and collaboration by outsiders against the people. Reactionary Shi'ism, servile by nature and essence, always pressurized him and kissed the hand that shed the blood of our people's sons. The conspiracy of 23 Sonboleh 1373 (14 Sept 1994) by Massoud's fascism in collaboration with reactionary Shi'ism, was neutralized as a result of the martyred leader's steadfastness and certainty, and Kabul's aware and freedom-loving people. Following this conspiracy, reactionary Shi'ism was rejected by the people, and revealed its true anti-populist nature in its flight into the arms of the enemy.
Following the utter failure of fascism's assaults on our people, it was the forces reactionary Shi'ism which continued to encourage the enemy to attach and conquer West Kabul. Following the withdrawal of Hizb-i Islami forces from Kabul, reactionary Shi'ism began its program of propaganda against the people of West Kabul via Showra-ye Nizar's radio station....
Following fascism's barbaric reprisals at the end of Dalv (February), the martyred leader and the heroic people of West undertook a legendary and brave defensive which lasted until Saturday, 21 Hoot (11 March 1995), and immortalized the legend of resistance with their defense against its last three-day assault.
However, when the Taliban - these false bearers of peace - suggested mediating to end the fighting, the Islamic Wahdat Party leadership welcomed Taliban with honesty and trusting belief in the Taliban's aims, and placed them in some if its front-line positions. Unfortunately, in view of outside provocation and the Taliban's lack of familiarity with the social strains on our people and country, in particular the people of West Kabul, they forcefully disarmed the Islamic Wahdat Party's brave fighters and evacuated them from their positions, ignoring the concerns of the Islamic Wahdat Party's leader over the Taliban's inability to defend these positions in West Kabul. Even so, our martyred leader, Mazari, in view of his own sincere desire to end the Taliban's insistence, and handed over the party's positions to them. Alas, following the fascists' first assault, the Taliban abandoned their positions and the people of West Kabul to their fate at the hands of the bloodthirsty adversary without defense.
In spite of this, at 2:30 PM on the afternoon of Saturday (3/11/1995), martyr Mazari sent this, his last letter, to Mulla Burjan via the honorable Al-Haj Abdul Hussain Maqsoodi, member if the Islamic Wahdat Party Central Committee: "Mr Mulla Burjan, Greetings...
We told you before that you would not be able to defend our front-line positions. We are still ready to defend our people if you release our heavy arms and arsenal into our hands. We can form a front-line of defense against Showra-ye Nizar and Rabbani composed of these people. Our envoy has come to you; clarify your position so that we can take control of all of West Kabul."
After sending this letter our martyred leader dispatched a letter to the brave people of West Kabul, appealing to them to fight to the last breath to repulse the enemies of their honor and good name, and to prevent a repetition of the Afshar tragedy.
The leader's letter, which was sent at a very sensitive time, was read only in a few mosques in West Kabul. When Mulla Burjan, the Taliban commander, requested a personal meeting with Ustad Mazari, the leader set off at 3:30 PM, in the company of a group of the Islamic Wahdat Party Central Committee members, in a convoy of two cars towards the arranged meeting place, whereupon Mulla Burjan abducted them in the most shameful and un-Islamic way in the vicinity of Pul-e Ghul Bagh and transferred them to Char Asia.
The dishonorable and un-Islamic treatment of Ustad Mazari by the Taliban has been witnessed and reported by foreign journalists. This treatment exposed the continued existence of the depth of hatred and blind prejudice in the face of the ideals of truth, freedom and justice. The Taliban's next move of transferring Ustad Mazari and his martyred companions to Qandahar and their execution on the way there was the conclusion of the Taliban's treacherous anti-nationalist conspiracy and the exposure of their blind prejudice and hatred.
Alas, Mazari, our people's brave child and the immortal personification of legendary honor and self-sacrifice was executed by the Taliban on Sunday 21/12/1373 (March 11 1995), and began his holy ascent to that holy place reserved for him. To our nation's painful history, was once again added. The loss of the martyred leader, Mazari, signals a repetition of the unrelenting tragedy suffered by the Hazara people and each and every oppressed soul in our country.
Mazari, who was a refugee just like his people, even in his own homeland, has now turned into our nation's immortal hero, whose red blood boils in the veins of every conscientious human being.
Today, Mazari is no longer an individual, but the personification of a nation. Today our society's every justice-seeking Hazara and citizen is another Mazari. The Taliban, whose deceitful and murderous face was tainted for the first time with the blood of our people's leader, shall pay a heavy price for their shameful and inexpedint actions and for the death of justice and liberation at the black hearts of the Taliban and their supporters.
Mazari's soul will be the totem of the dispossessed which will forever be in flight from its resting place to knock on the door of every conscientious Hazara and Afghan. Thus Mazari will be immortalized. May Allah bless his soul, Ameen.
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah
The Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds;
Most Gracious, Most Merciful;
Master of the Day of Judgement.
Thee do we worship,
And Thine aid we seek.
Guide us to and in the straight Way.
The way of those on whom
Though hast bestowed Thy Grace,
Those whose (portion)
Is not wrath,
And who go not astray.
(The Holy Qur'an-Al-Fatihah)
Martyr Abdul Ali Mazari'z Cultural Centre
