Thread by @Kon__K

I am going to share some findings of @NamaKadrie about the history of the Hazaras in this thread. This may help you in understanding the current situation in Afghanistan a bit better.

1. "In analysing the history of #Afghanistan, scholars and historians often assessed the independence and autonomy of a given region based on their ability to resist an imposition of tax. Paying levies was therefore the way power-relations and supremacy was understood.

2. "In this sense, the #Hazarajat as a whole was what scholars often deemed as a “semi-independent” region. By 1891, aside from #Uruzgan, every other region (14 districts) of the #Hazarajat paid taxes to Abdur Rahman Khan.

3. "Most regions throughout the #Hazarajat were headed by ‘mirs’ or ‘khans’ and a system of feudalism operated throughout this sphere.

4. "Between 1880, when he was enthroned by the #British, and 1891 when the #Hazara Wars formally commenced, Abdur Rahman Khan not only increased the already exorbitant taxes but introduced new ones throughout the #Hazarajat (excepting #Uruzgan).

5. "This was at a time when #Durrani #Mohammadzais in #Kabul were receiving annual allowances from Abdur Rahman Khan on the basis of being considered partners of state (or sharik-e dawlat)

6. "Abdur Rahman Khan also imposed his own authorities over them in the form of sub-governors & governors.
In 1890, Abdul Quddus Khan was appointed governor of Bamiyan & tasked with the authority of subjugating the still-autonomous regions of the Hazarajat, namely, Uruzgan.

7. "As Dr Jonathan L Lee points out in his new book, Abdul Quddus Khan was “somewhat fanatical in matters of religion … a #Tory of the most crusted type in politics, and an apostle of #Afghanistan for #Afghans [#Pashtuns].”

8. "Choosing this “hard-line #Sunni and #Pashtun supremacist,” in Dr. Lee's words, proved catastrophic for the #Hazaras.

9. "From the moment of entering #Bamiyan, Abdul Quddus Khan and his army began imprisoning and executing #Hazara leaders, disarming the population, raping Hazara women and imposed ‘Sunni rites’ on the mainly #Shia population of the region.

10. "As Fayz Mohammad Katib Hazara relates in Siraj al-Tawarikh, Abdur Rahman Khan's soldier's and officials did not differentiate between unmarried and married girls. They violated their dignity equally -- irrespective of their marriage status.

11. "It reached the stage where the #Hazaras could no longer tolerate the oppression and tyranny.

12. "This passage from Siraj al-Tawarikh in the form of an oath taken by a group of mirs whose wives had been raped before them captures not only the #Hazara people’s developing sentiments during that period but their sheer necessity in commencing opposition:

13."Death 100 times over is preferable to enduring such things which should never occur in a humane world&one in which the excellent Shariah prevails. Should we simply excise the sighs of grief and regret from our hearts, wrap the foot in the skirt of disgrace & suffer patiently?

14.

15. "In sharp contrast to his earlier predecessor (Ahmad Shah #Durrani), Abdur Rahman Khan, as Prof Benjamin D. Hopkins & Dr Niamtullah Ibrahimi point out, internalised the "war of conquest and economy of plunder."

16. "Whereas before the focus of earlier rulers were outward conquest, Abdur Rahman Khan - beset with big powers surrounding what he considered was his dominion - resorted to pillaging inward.

17. "On numerous occasions Abdur Rahman Khan told his #Durrani and #Ghilzai co-ethnics that part of his motive in conquering the #Hazarajat was to secure an "impregnable natural position" which #Uruzgan and other Hazarajat districts offered.

18. "Some #Pashtuns who voiced their dissent were told that they were stupid and did not understand their interests.

19. "In order to penetrate #Uruzgan - the most populace of the #Hazarajat districts - Abdur Rahman Khan devised 3 strategies which were extremely effective though to the detriment of the Hazaras.

20. "First, he gained knowledge about the geography of the #Hazarajat by employing #Sayyids in the Hazarajat to construct a map of the region, particularly #Uruzgan, which had hitherto been a lacuna. This would prove beneficial when he later attacked Uruzgan from 3 dimensions.

21. "Second, Abdur Rahman Khan being a master of implementing the "divide and rule" policy sought to destroy a potential synergy between the various mirs of the region by creating political rivalry amongst them as in the case of Mir Azim Beg and Mohammad Hussain Khan.

22. "Third, Abdur Rahman Khan knew that his manpower, in the form of regular army, was not sufficient. He needed a much larger army in order to subjugate the #Hazarajat.

23. "So Abdur Rahman Khan played his strongest card:sectarianism. When some #Hazaras- tyrannised & unable to endure any more oppression- mounted an opposition & defeated the gov. army, Abdur Rahman Khan compelled Sunni mullahs to issue a fitwa declaring the Hazaras as infidels.

24. "With the promise of plunder & the enjoinment of jihad as an obligation, Abdur Rahman Khan was able to secure an army of 100,000 men with most being irregular forces (iljari)."
Please check the next thread for the remaining parts.