Mother's Breadwinner Went

Note: He has lost everything. He says, "My name is Zabihullah, son of Abdullah, a resident of 8th District, Tang Shah Shahid 1st street. Anyone who comes to the first road should ask: where is the place a suicide attack has happened? Where is Zabihullah’s house?"

Zabihullah is a disabled person who has no hands and no eyes. “I have neither hands nor eyes, and my legs are secured with skewers.” These are the same phrases that Zabijullah expresses in his introduction, and shows the summary and clear results of the war to everyone. No more explanation is needed about him. What he says is the truth that the war has put on him and his family.

The story starts from the point where we ask him for permission to film and take pictures of the interview. He gives permission and tells his story in a strange, constant, and current dialogue that goes on always between all people. A conversation between him, his sister (Zhila Abdali), and his wife (Adela), who are sitting together in the interview session, continues and forms the meaningful thread of the narrative. In addition to how Faisal and Ahmadullah were victimized, the life of the narrator is also mentioned and said. If we pay a little attention, the corner of the life of five people is expressed in a dialogue that is sometimes accompanied by anger and insults.

Zabihullah's physical condition is such that he cannot move without his wife and sister. These two women are also narrators who have their own account of the incident. Although a large part of the speech is from Zabihullah, they also speak their words, each of them recorded in their own place. We have not changed the structure of the narration, and we have recorded it in the order in which they spoke.

Narrator: Dagarwal Zabihullah

Victims: Faisal and Ahmadullah

Time of the incident: 29 March 2015

Place of the incident: Kabul City, Shah Shahid

I say, take a hundred photos, scare someone from taking a photo who really is scared of it. Today, you brothers who are working for human rights, who defend human rights firmly and stubbornly in our homeland - today you come to talk to us. You seek info about the martyrs, you interview their heirs. I thank you on behalf of the families of the martyrs of Shah Shaheed and district eight, district nine, and district ten of Kabul City. I am extremely grateful of human rights activists. I am especially happy for the branches that have opened offices in every corner of the city, making them ready to reach the problems of all districts and people of Afghanistan regarding human rights. Your efforts are appreciated.

We are the family of two martyrs (actually four martyrs; two martyrs belong to the distant past), the two school students who were killed on 29 March 2015 as a result of a suicide attack in district 8 in front of Abdul Ghafoor Nadim pharmacy. One of them was Faisal, my son, a ninth-grade student at Sirat private school. The second one was Ahmadullah, my niece, whose mother is here with us. Both of them were in the same school.

They used to go to private school at 6 in the morning and come back at one o'clock. Then they would go to the pharmacy. There, they would do their homework and work until eight in the evening. They had a 2.5 to 3000 AFN salary per month. They were killed on 29 March 2015, and the funeral ceremony was held on the 30th March 2015, at Eidgah Mosque. Then they were buried in their eternal home.

Today, when we see people shouting about democracy, they are talking about human rights. We are not pessimistic about both; we are half pessimistic. What kind of human right is this? Today, when one commits theft, looting, murder, and fights against the government, and human rights activists stand against the government and say don't torture or execute this person, don't kill them, human rights say this? Today, as a result of a suicide attack on a Member of Parliament (MP), our children were killed. How come human rights organization and activist do not investigate and ask about them? We remember the Siyasang incident; how many people were killed, how many people lost their lives. They were our brothers and they are no longer with us. We are the educated people of Afghanistan, we are matured Afghans: Tajiks, Turkmen, Uzbeks... We live under the flag of Afghanistan and are subject to one human right, not ten human rights. America has its own human rights, England has its own, Canada... Well, four continents of the world have human rights, but we only know the human rights that work on a global level. Today, we request that the families of the martyrs, those who have no home, no place, and no life, not only my children, all victims, I say, do not give me anything. Human rights organization and activists should have a consideration in this regard. Let the leaders understand that martyrs have no age, brother!

A ten-years-old, twelve-years-old martyr is the breadwinner of his family. What does the Martyrs and Disabled Ministry say? "A boy should be 18-years-old, a girl should be 16-years-old", while this is the age of marriage in the Afghan Civil law and in the Afghan Constitution, it is not the age of martyrdom?! You might have seen, among those who are killed, most of them are young children. They work as car washers, newspaper sellers, plastic collectors, or those kids who help the taxi drivers calling for passengers, calling the routes so that people know and get on board; they are breadwinners. These are the innocent and pure children who are killed by the cruel. They are killed by those who do not fear God, the foreign enemies of Afghanistan, the hundred-year-old enemies of Afghanistan; they have no mercy in Afghanistan and they are killing our people. They kill our children, kill our daughters, kill our fathers and mothers... it even destroys our journalist brothers and human rights activists. Why are human rights organizations being silent today? For the sake of God, the head of the Afghan Human Rights Commission should stand up, warn, threaten, and sit with the Secretary of the United Nations, saying that they are the head of human rights in Afghanistan and telling of the situation in the country.

Today, I speak on behalf of all the bereaved people of Afghanistan, whether it is my Tajik brother, my Uzbek brother, or my Turkmen brother; we are all Afghans. Right now, in this gathering, we are all members of the same family, we are around the same table. We request the same from human rights organizations to pay a bit of attention to this country. For what oppression and tyranny has been imposed on the people of Afghanistan, this human rights organization should send a curse on them. It should say that they are tyrant, don't fear God, and question why they kill children and their brothers. Today, human right organizations advocate for the rights of a thief, the rights of a murderer. A Muslim girl was stoned to death in Shahe Du Shamshera. Women are killed everywhere in the country.

We demand human rights organizations and activists do not defend the rights of reactionary, tyrannical, treacherous, and traitorous people. For the sake of God, defend the tribes, take our voices to the head of human rights organizations. Say that (swear on what you believe in), Afghan people demand that. Please, keep the war away from our homeland. The head of human rights should discuss this with the elders, with the leaders of America, England, France, with the Secretary General of the United Nations, the President of Pakistan, and the President of Afghanistan. How long will war and killing continue in Afghanistan? How long will mothers suffer? Let the tears dry in their eyes.

The breadwinner of the family has been killed. He had a 6000 AFN income. Their children's funeral costed 300,000 AFN, where can they get this from? Pay attention to these human rights today. We demand human rights organizations to pay attention towards of Afghanistan. We are neither happy with the government nor with human rights if this is not prevented.

This was the pain in my heart that I said on behalf of the people of Afghanistan, on behalf of the martyrs of Shah Shaheed, the martyrs of District Six and District Seven. Today, I brought their voice to you through the media, through the news, through the computer... we request the Secretary General of the United Nations; we have the same request to punish our leaders and elders of Afghanistan! Tell them, you are oppressors. Afghan children are being killed today, and you call the enemy a friend? An enemy never becomes a friend. We never befriend our enemy and never accept this friendship.

This is what we request you to convey to the head of human rights of the whole world. We have a human rights commission chief, there are human rights offices in every province, in every country, but we request you convey the same to the human rights chiefs of the four continents of the world. Come today to defend these human rights.

Don’t defend from the rights of the thief, murderer.... What young people have we not lost? See his picture there (the victim’s picture was on the wall). Just a young child, had just got a mustache, 9th grade of school. I put him to the eternal grave. I don't have anything else to say. Again, I request you and your central office, which serves in Afghanistan, to convey my message to higher levels through your organization. I wish killing and war doesn’t continue in Afghanistan. Afghanistan should not become like Iraq and Syria. We have the same request for the human rights community to make an effort to stay away from the murderers and to try to bring peace and tranquility to the country. If there is a question, I am ready to answer. I shared my pain which was not mine alone; it was from all over Afghanistan.

- Zhila: We also demand the same from human rights...

- Zabihullah: Now listen, Hamid Jan.

- Zhila: ...to stop murder, fratricide, infanticide of mothers. I had a child at the time, only one child. My guardian was my child, he was my hope. I don't have any relatives anymore.

- Zabihullah: Her husband too...

- Zhila: It has been ten years since my husband left me. He disappeared from Kandahar. I am a teacher and I live only with a small income. I have no house, no place, no life. I wonder what to do with my life. I completed the twelfth grade of school and three years in a faculty… They take me as nothing, they say I am nothing.

- Zabihullah: It was not completed well.

- Zhila: Yes, it was not complete. I got married and went to Kandahar while it was war in there. After, I became a teacher. I am a literacy teacher in the 16th district. I receive seven thousand AFN per month as salary. I can’t do nothing with that salary. I swear, my brother is a witness that my salary dose not suffice... A week ago, they cut off my electricity because I couldn't pay. There are many expenses, like food and water, electricity, school… I request human rights organizations stop these bad things. Why did those who have enemies come to the area? It was just his personal issue. Yet, if you had a meeting, why didn't you close the pharmacy and all the shops?

- Adela: They should have informed police in the area.

- Zhila: ...the oppressed and the poor would not have been killed, my thirteen-year-old child, at 7th grade, was martyred. Now I am left with two daughters who are in 5th grade. What will happen to my life? I am worried about this life every day. I am thinking about how my daughters will be. I have a heart problem; the walls of my heart are enlarged. My brothers are taking care of me. I can’t treat myself with my salary, my dear brother.

- Zabihullah's wife: There are some Members of Parliament (MPs) in Shah Shaheed, they must...

- Zhila: These MPs should leave the area.

- Zabihullah: No, the MPs have their house, they should live in their houses.

- Zhila Why?

- Zabihullah: But they should hold their meetings somewhere else.

- Adela: Should be coordinated with police in the area.

- Zabihullah: They are having this meeting again...

- Adela: Even if they hold their meeting secretly, the suicide bombers will come to them if they get news.

Zhila: Well, personally, I am not happy with this government. Because I voted for Ashraf Ghani myself, I regret that my child was killed for this vile person. Let my voice reach them, no matter if they like it or not. I am not afraid, even if I would be executed.

- Zabihullah: I served in the government for almost 28 years. In the course of my service, my hand was cut off. In the service of the Holy Askari, this leg of mine was hit by a bullet. You see, my legs are supported with skewers. This is clear, and after that I worked hard. I raised myself from the second rank of Tharni to the rank of Samunvali. In the last five years, my eyes became blind, my nerves dried up, I got heart disease, I got pollen, my nervous pressure increased, and my diabetes became severe. It's been five years since I lost my eyes during this Karzai government.

Five years ago, I worked as the commander of the 101 Asmai Zone of Kabul. I lost my eyes and after that I was hospitalized. My heart was not treated, and then I went to Pakistan. I lost my eyes while I was in the police hospital and after being treated for a while, since I was not able to see, I faced serious problems in my daily life. For example, going to the toilet. I am sorry.

They forced me to retire, I was paid 40,000 Afghanis a year, while I was included in the reform process and had succeeded it. My salary was 20 thousand Afghanis per month. They give only two months of my salary for one year, which they give now. I have no breadwinner anymore; my child was the only breadwinner. I have another son who has finished 12th grade. He is jobless. I am afraid of his future. What if he became addicted to something? What if he...

This is my wife who works as a teacher in one of the schools in Kabul. My daughter is studying in Darul Uloom Bibi Ayesha Siddiqa and my second daughter is in the 10th grade of school, my third daughter is in the 6th grade of the school. I don't have any land, house or apartment in my name, or in the name of my wife or children.

When I became disabled, no one supported us. While there were billions of monies and many houses, ah, in came the Martyrs and Disabled Ministry. They distributed houses and other supports to their friends, but we were not included.

- Zhila: We didn't see anything.

- Zabihullah: They gave those houses to the thieves. There is a person who has received six flats so far. Human rights organizations should consider this thing, the human rights of those countries that support Afghan disables through the Ministry of Disables and Martyrs. They support that disabled families live peacefully like in other developed countries of the world.

- Zhila: When we go, they don’t answer us.

- Zabihullah: You may have heard about Mr. Sarwari. He received lands for 200 houses, which were divided among ten people of his own. They have committees, they take money, lands, and flats.

- Zhila: Yes, I wrote a petition on behalf of my husband. They said to bring my husband's ID card. They didn't register anything, no.

- Zhila: He looked at me and said: get out. He said: It is fake. I said: is it fake?... I went to my brother's house and told him. My brother said: Go sister, you have honor and dignity...

- Zabihullah: This is for the sake of the children...

- [Zabihullah] I went because of my martyred child. I went to Aziz Rasa, because of him and my children.

- Zhila: I still have his number, his card.

- Zabihullah: We went there to register our petition. He said: You can go for now and come after Eid al-Adha. After Eid al-Adha, we visited him, and he said: your child was under 18 years old. Yes, he was under eighteen and was a good breadwinner for us. If he had become 18 years and beyond, he would not work at the pharmacy, wash cars, or sell newspapers.

- Zhila: Yes, wash the car.

- Zabihullah: Or stand in the square, calling out for passengers to get on the car of a certain route. For example: Kote Sangi, twenty rupees only, Kote Sangiiii Kote Sangiii. These are the children who became breadwinners. The grown-ups, who made themselves millionaires in this 13 year... Mr. Karzai started from zero. Half of Afghanistan was looted by Mujahidin. Not the real Mujahidin, I do not insult the real Mujahidin. Those who joined the real Mujahid later for their personal interests and picked up arms and looted, did not act as real Mujahidin. I have never seen the true Mujahid do bad things. I have a due respect to real Mujahid, and I am proud of them for doing Jihad. Mujahidin who gathered from the city of Kabul, from alleys and markets, stole half. Talib stole other half, but Karzai started from scratch and prepared the government.

Everybody has armored cars and armored land cruisers. The ministries, the water supply system, the canalization, and the electricity has been fixed and today the National Unity Government is ruling. Now the Government of National Unity, may God destroy the intention of those who work as civil servant... in which constitution of Afghanistan is it stated, in which law of human rights, in which civil law of Afghanistan is it stated that: the age of the martyr(boy) should be eighteen; and sixteen for girls if they are killed? We demand human rights organizations to make these things clear to the leaders. Why are ministers are doing this?

If I have 10,000 AFN, I would give it to the martyrs and the disabled. I will not see the age, neither eighteen nor seventeen. Indeed if I have ten thousand rupees.

To see my real life, I will take you to my house right now. It has been cold in the winter; we have no firewood in the house. I have three children. We have no firewood or heating, what else I should tell you from my pain? What can I do with seven thousand (my wife's salary)? The government only gives me forty thousand a year. Forty thousand! While I have spent three hundred thousand in the death ceremony of our children...

-Adela: Niece...

- Zabihullah: This amount was consumed for my niece, her mother borrowed it... We couldn't do it alone and we were six families.

Zhila: Once I pleaded with Golpacha [the MP who was attacked] that I am in debt. He is a religious person. I said, "Brother! My children were killed because of you, yet you didn't come to our house to share sorrow with us... I was like your sister... It's okay, but please support me with something now; my debtor has put me under pressure." I called him a couple of times. On the third day, he calls shamelessly on the phone, "Hey crazy! Don't call again! If you call, I'll come right now and kill you. Also, if your brother says something, we will arrest your brother and put him in prison."

- Zabihullah: This is an MP, he works in the House of the People. Please let the head of the Parliament hear that a parliamentarian...

- Zhila: ... calls me ... crazy woman. It's crazy woman that you have this power and...

- Zabihullah: Curse on you. First myself, my wife, my sisters, my brother, and my brother's wife voted for you, and made you an MP because we know you and you are our neighbour. But you threaten my sister that you will assassinate her and put her brother in prison. While you are the killer of our children, you are cause for the martyrdom of our children Golpacha Majidi!

- Zhila: Golpacha is the real killer... it was his personal matter...

- Zabihullah: He had not informed the police in the area, had not informed the intelligence, under the name of bodyguard. He receives the salary and living of twenty people from the government. He did not even take his own security measures and due to that, our children are not alive today. A suicide bomber will not come for me, who am I? I am neither minster nor an MP.

- Zhila: A thief will not enter our alley if it is open from evening to morning.

- Zabihullah: I have a good property. Let him see the house, you also come to see how I live. I am living in a heritage. My sister's electricity is cut off, my other sister's electricity is also cut off, mine was also cut off, I reconnected it.

-Zhila: My children tease me that I am living in my father's house.

-Zabihullah: But this is our father’s legacy, everyone has the right. We find some money. I have nothing else. Although I had worked with the government, I was not a traitor and I am not afraid.

Dear Hamid, the representative of human rights, who you were assigned by the head of human rights of Afghanistan to talk to us, listen to us. So these were the pains of our family, I shared them to you. These were our secrets and needs, this was my personal secret and need. And it was about martyrs; this is about our personal lives as we told you. If there is any other question, I am ready.