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by Nadia Crisan ('03) and Aude-Sophie Rodella ('03) Humayun Hamidzada is a Fletcher student enrolled
in the one-year Master of Arts in Humanitarian Assistance (MAHA) program. He has spent about two thirds of his life in Afghanistan,
receiving a BA in Journalism from Kabul University. He is also an MBA
candidate at Preston University in Islamabad, Pakistan, and has a particular
interest in the design and management of transitional, emergency and
development projects in conflict zones. The Fletcher Ledger: What is the meaning of your name? Humayun Hamidzada: My name, Humayun, means "Lucky." At the same time it was a title of the Afghan kings. It is a very ancient Persian name, it was also the name of one of the Emperors, who ruled India, whose father was the founder of the Mugol Empire.
FL: What makes you proud of your country? What do you value about the Afghan people? HH: The very first thing that I am proud of when I think about my people is that they are very independent. An extremely independent people, they do not want to live under the control or influence of others. In addition, I am very proud of every aspect of the Afghan life. I think that Afghans are a very free people. We have many values and I don't how much people from outside are aware of it. FL: Could you share some of those values with us? HH: I think Afghans are fiercely free people and very compassionate at the same time. They are a kind, hospitable, faithful, patriotic people. Although they are very much into defending themselves, they are not aggressive. It is a very tolerant culture if you look at it from up close, especially if you consider that we have 20 different ethnic groups, and they all have lived in harmony for centuries. And our history goes back 5,000 years. FL: What is the main religion of the Afghani people? HH: The mixture of culture and religion has created a unique Afghan identity, which in itself carries both the principles of Islam and the principles of Afghan hoot, which is something very unique. FL: When did you leave Afghanistan for the first time? HH: I first left the country in 1989, when I was 18 years old. I went to Pakistan, to the Peshawar refugee camp, and I realized that many things were very different. Then I went back to Afghanistan, to finish university, because I felt that I would be more useful to my people after completing my education. FL: Could you tell us more about how things were different in Pakistan? HH: At that time, Afghanistan was ruled by a government that was very hostile - the government was supported by the USSR, which was a puppet regime, and then the Afghan resistance was based in Pakistan. I actually came with a mujahedeen group. However, there were other problems including a lack of education, but I did NOT want to go to war. My goal was to be with my people, to support them through non-violent means, to help them and promote the cause without getting involved directly in the war. Since my undergraduate degree is in journalism, I was contributing to the local Afghan newspapers, refugees' newspapers, and I was trying to highlight some of the facts. FL: When did you decide to move from Afghanistan again? HH: The departure for good was at the end of 1991. I left by myself and left my family in Kabul. Indeed, I had just graduated from university, and it was mandatory to join the army. Since I did not want to fight my own people, I decided to go and take refuge in Pakistan. Then, in 1992, my family joined me in Pakistan. It was a transitional period, and the government was going to collapse. The civil war broke out and my family had to escape. I was lucky again because I was offered a job at USAID. I was the assistant manager for operations and maintenance, which allowed me to escape economic difficulties, a major problem for refugees. This allowed me to be independent. FL: How did your family feel in Pakistan? HH: My parents are very deeply attached to Afghanistan. They did not want to leave the country. Although Pakistan and Afghanistan shared a similar culture, my father wasn't prepared to leave everything behind them. We have always been looking forward to go back home. But we couldn't be too hopeful. I have one brother and two sisters. Unfortunately, we are separated, my mother and father are in Islamabad, one of my sisters is also leaving in Pakistan, and my other sister and my brother are leaving in Canada. The last time our whole family was together was 15 years ago. FL: What piece of art would you consider representative of the Afghan culture and that makes you proud of that culture? HH: In terms of art, we have a lot to share with others. Afghanistan is the home of many great Central Asian poets. For instance, Rumi Jalaluddin is a very well known scholar and philosopher, from the 13th century. One of his poems illustrates the real position of the women in the Afghan society. FL: What is the women’s position in Afghanistan? HH: For instance, in my house, my mother is the boss. Not only does she make the decisions but also manages almost everything. And it's not unusual in Afghan families that the parents play an equal role in the family. In “The Love of Women”, Rumi Jalaluddin talks about the role of women in the Afghan society. The Love of WomenBy Rumi Jalaluddin If you rule your wife outwardly, yet inwardly you are ruled by her whom you desire, This is characteristic of Man: in other animals love is lacking, and that shows their inferiority. The Prophet said that woman prevails over the wise, while ignorant men prevail over her; for in them the fierceness of the animal is immanent. Love and tenderness are human qualities, anger and lust are animal qualities. Woman is a ray of God and she is not the earthly beloved. She is creative: you might say she is not created. FL: This is great, but is not reflecting the way women are
treated in Afghanistan today. Could you tell us more about the status of women and why is
the regime beating and killing Afghan women? HH: Afghanistan has been traditionally conservative, but
at the same time, it talks about the protection of women. Women used to have the right to
go to school and to work. However, once the Taliban came to power, the life of women
became miserable. I have seen and heard about many incidents where women were beaten in
public for no reason, and this is barbaric. FL: Is this part of the Afghan culture? HH: The Taliban phenomenon iss not an Afghan phenomenon, it is something imposed from outside. Everybody knows that the ideology has been exported from the South. In the past, our women were heroes. In the last Anglo-Afghan war, women played a key role. The one who was holding the flag of victory was a woman. FL: How did you adjust to the environment in the United States? HH: I
don't look at the differences between Afghanistan and Pakistan or between Afghanistan and
the USA. Rather, I am interested in the commonalities. However, Kabul is heaven on earth.
Afghanistan is a beautiful place to live, and a beautiful place to remember… Nadia Crisan, MALD ’03 is a free lance writer, doing stories
related to the European Union, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. For three years, she was
a journalist in Romania, working as a reporter and editor for a national newspaper, and
the Romanian National Television. At the Fletcher School, Nadia focuses on Security
Studies and International Negotiations. Sophie Rodella is currently an exchange student from Sciences-Po (Paris)’02, majoring in Security Studies and International Organizations. While at Fletcher, Sophie is focusing her work on International Negotiation and Mediation. Fascinated by Fletcher student’s diversity, through the articles she writes, Sophie is interested in sharing some thoughts with the rest of the community. Comments? Write us at letter@fletcherledger.com. |
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