Australia’s Hazara community mourns dozens killed in Afghanistan bombings at candlelight vigil

People in western Sydney gather to light a candle for those killed in Afghanistan. Source: Supplied / Zaki Haidari

Australia’s Hazara community united in solidarity at a candlelight vigil on Friday night to commemorate the dozens of people killed in a series of deadly attacks in Afghanistan this week.

Two Hazara youth groups, based in Sydney, organised the vigil in Granville, western Sydney, which saw a hundred people in attendance sparing a moment for those who lost their lives.

The event was held in honour of the six people killed in a bombing that targeted two boys’ schools in Dasht-e-Barchi, western Kabul, a predominantly Hazara neighbourhood — there were also 43 wounded.

Another two blasts shook the country’s north on Thursday, with a deadly bombing that killed 12 people at a Shi’ite mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif, and four others in a separate attack in Kunduz. Reports say 58 people were injured, including 32 in serious condition.

The most recent blast shook the country’s north on Friday, with a deadly bombing that occurred at a Sunni mosque, killing 33 people, including children.

Scores of attacks have taken place in recent weeks, mostly claimed by self-proclaimed Islamic State group (IS). No group has yet claimed responsibility for the school attack.

Hazaras, who are a minority Shi’ite ethnic group, have long been persecuted by the Taliban and other militant groups in Afghanistan for decades, largely due to their religious differences.

The attacks have been condemned by United Nations, with Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ramiz Alakbarov describing them as “senseless” and calling on violence to end immediately.

“Violence in or around schools is never acceptable. For the people of Afghanistan, already beleaguered by 40 years of war. Schools should be safe havens, and places where children can learn and flourish,” Mr Alakbarov said.

President of Hazara youth organisation, Saba Group, Soghra Sayyadi said it was uplifting to feel the support of the Australian community.

Among the attendees were state Labor MP for Granville, Julia Finn, and incoming federal Labor candidate for Parramatta, Andrew Charlton, who both shared their condolences in short speeches at the event.

“It was great to feel that community support and then also wider Australian support, as well from other communities,” Ms Sayyadi said.

She was born in Afghanistan, but her family fled to Pakistan when she was 10 years old. Ms Sayyadi, 26, is a community advocate who moved to Australia in 2010.

Ms Sayyadi admitted at times she feels “hopeless” seeing the scores of Hazaras slaughtered in attacks not dissimilar to those witnessed this week, but says the fight to shed light on her people’s plight for equality will never stop.

“We will continue the dreams of young people who have lost their lives in the pursuit of education. We will never succumb to despair, but we will fight for our rights, we will stand in solidarity with our fellow brothers and sisters,” she said.

She hopes that the event held on Friday night will place a spotlight on what she describes as the “ethnic cleansing and systemic genocide” of the Hazara people.

She said the event was also sending a message to the “enemies” of Hazaras, referring to the Taliban and IS.

“l hope to tell our enemies through these types of gatherings, that they’re not deterring us. By killing our youth, they’re not tearing our community apart, but they are making us more resilient and stronger in the face of injustice.”

“I hope that we can do something meaningful to stop these horrific attacks on young children.”

SBS