Loya Jirga to Violate Non-Pashtuns’ Rights and Undermine Democracy
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Kabul Press?: Experts mostly from the non-Pashtun peoples, including the Hazara, Tajik, and Uzbek, strongly criticize Loya Jirga and question it as a solution for the long-term war and ethnic tensions in so-called country Afghanistan. The Pashtuns have called themselves as majority while there is no reliable data and a comprehensive national census. The self-called majority allowed Pashtuns to invite mostly Pashtuns to Loya Jirga and undermine the rights of non-Pashtuns.
A Hazara expert says, “Loya Jirga is not like a transparent election or referendum. Loya Jirga is a tool in the hand of Pashtuns to continue their ethnic totalitarian over none-Pashtuns. Such aims have not solved any problem, and as we see, the war and the tensions increase every day”.
Loya Jirga is to maintain the power of the self-called majority. When the Pashtuns cannot maintain their power, they use tools like the Taliban to violate non-Pashtuns’ rights or Loya Jirga to pretend they also have democratic tools. It is like cheating non-Pashtuns”.
While Loya Jirga is not considered a solution, many experts among non-Pashtuns believe that the only solution is to share power. Power should not be in the hand of one ethnicity as it is now in the hand of the Pashtun Taliban.
A Hazara expert says, “while Pashtuns enjoy a federal system in Pakistan and they become prime minister, in so-called Afghanistan, they deny non-Pashtuns to have the same right.”
In general, most experts from non-Pashtun people believe that without a fair share of power and human rights respect and practice, the only solution would be partition.
