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Sunday, September 1, 2024
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Paris, September 2024 – Despite all odds, three Hazara athletes, Zakia Khudadadi, Abbas Karimi and Rohula Nipay, won medals at the 2024 Paralympic Games, drawing global attention to the plight of their people facing genocide, forced displacement and brutal oppression in so-called Afghanistan and in their occupied homeland, Hazaristan.
Zakia Khudadadi’s bronze medal in taekwondo was an astonishing achievement, especially considering the horrors her countrymen face every day. As an ethnic Hazara woman, Khudadadi’s victory was a direct challenge to the brutal Taliban regime, which sought to completely erase women from public life. Under the Taliban’s extreme rule, influenced by a radical interpretation of Islam and an oppressive Pashtunwali legal code, women were banned from school, prohibited from entering the workplace, and deprived of any form of social life. Khudadadi’s success was more than just a sporting victory – it was a defiance of tyranny.
Abbas Karimi’s silver medal in swimming was another powerful symbol of the Hazara people’s resilience. Karimi was born without arms, but his journey to the Paralympic podium was a testament to resilience and an unbreakable spirit. His victory came at a time when his people were enduring unimaginable suffering under the Taliban’s control – a regime that systematically targeted the Hazaras for their ethnicity and faith, uprooted them from their homes and sought to erase their identity.
Rohullah Nikpai, who has long been a symbol of Hazara pride, has added to this tradition. As the region’s first Olympic medalist, Nikpai’s continued success in taekwondo has brought hope to the relentlessly persecuted Hazara people. His achievements highlight the great potential of the Hazara community, despite the severe oppression they face.
Adding historical depth to this narrative is the legend of Muhammad Ibrahim Khedri, also known as Palawan Ibrahim. Born on April 11, 1938 and died on May 22, 2022, Palawan Ibrahim was a legendary Hazara wrestler who represented his nation on the global stage, competing in the featherweight division at the 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics. His illustrious career and unwavering courage left an indelible mark on the Hazara community, embodying their enduring spirit of resistance and pride.
The achievements of these athletes stand in stark contrast to the harsh reality faced by the Hazaras, a stateless ethnic group that is enduring a genocidal campaign by the Taliban. Driven by an ideology of national supremacy and extremism, the Taliban has taken control of Hazaristan and committed atrocities ranging from mass killings to forced displacement. The Hazaras have been systematically targeted and exterminated, but their resilience remains unbroken.
The victories of Khudadadi, Karimi and Nipayi were not just individual victories, but also defiance of a regime determined to exterminate their people. These athletes showed the world that the Hazara spirit is unyielding, even in the face of genocide.
As the Hazaras continue their fight for survival, these Paralympic medals serve as a powerful symbol of resistance, calling the world to recognize the atrocities that are taking place. The world must not only celebrate these athletes, but stand with the Hazaras in their fight against erasure and oppression. Their courage and determination are a testament to the enduring strength of a people who refuse to be silenced.
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