A Unique Mother’s Day Gift

Issue 14, April 2012

Number one in serving

the Afghan Community

in Australia

A Unique Mother’s Day

Gift (Page 1)

Happy Nowruz (Page 1)

Welcome Dandenong

Sharks (Page 2)

Najd and Shabnam’s Award

(Page 3)

Happy Nowruz (Continued)

(Page 3)

Moral crimes are severally

punished in Afghanistan

(Page 3)

Internation Women’s Day

(Page 4)

Inside this issue:

Editor: Namat Kadrie

The Association of

Hazaras in Victoria Inc.

E-mail: hav@bamyan.org.au

Website: http://www.bamyan.org.au

By : Hamed Saberi

The third round of our driving edu-

cation program for Afghan women

will be officially launched on Sun-

day the 13th May this year, when

some members of the Afghan com-

munity come together to celebrate

mother day. Supported by both

Refugee Action Program and city

of Greater Dandenong, the pro-

gram’s aim is to assist Afghan

women to learn how to drive and

ultimately obtain their driver’s li-

cence.

As we all know, Afghanistan has

undergone three decades of atro-

cious war including the cruel Tali-

ban regime, which has had a dev-

astating impact on the Afghan peo-

ple. Many people, especially

women, have not had the opportu-

nity of focusing on education, work and

driving.

However, here in Australia, women need

driving skills to contribute more to their

family life as a mother and also to partici-

pate in the community. Accordingly our

driving program, which will be launched

on Mother’s Day, can be considered a

unique Mother’s Day gift for a group of

newly arrived Afghan women for whom

learning to drive is identified a significant

challenge.

Both the association of Hazaras in Victo-

ria and Afghan women and youth associa-

tion are counting on the experience gained

from previous rounds to ensure the effec-

tiveness and success of the program in

2012.

If you would like to contribute by offering

your time as a volunteer driver or should

you have any queries regarding this pro-

gram, please do not hesitate to contact

Hamed Saberi on 0438 895 728. You will

be provided full support while assisting us

with this program.

Happy Nowruz

By: Namat Kadrie In harmony and peace, Afghans have gathered to celebrate the Persian New Year; Eid Nowruz. Eid Nowruz is the name for the festival that observes the New Year for many Persian and Cen-tral Asian communities, South Asia, and North West of China including Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Turkey.

Nowruz is a secular festival, but also an ancient cultural practice. Nowruz is also widely referred to as the "Persian New Year”. It marks the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of the New Year. This occasion has been celebrated by diverse ethnic communities for thousands of years and marks the beginning of the Persian New Year; 1391.

Nowruz, is a time of renewal, of joy, of forgiveness but most importantly of love.

For the first time in Victoria, Andisha Community Language School is offering Dari lan-guage course for English speaking Australians in 2012. Accredited by DEECD, our school is the only language school in Melbourne which provides such a unique opportunity to learn more about the rich culture and language of Afghanistan. Starting from July 2012 the course runs on school terms and costs $110 per term. For more information please call Hamed on 0438 895 728, or send an email to andisha@bamyan.org.au

Continued on page 3

unteering work.

Najd is now a part of Involve Youth Ministerial Advisory

Committee. A body established by the Hon. Ryan Smith,

Minister for Youth Affairs, which consists of 18 con-

sciousness students.

Shabnam is now a proud Ca-

sey Youth Ambassador. An-

other volunteering body con-

sisting of courageous young

individuals.

Both Shabnam and Najd re-

call the ADST experience as

awe-inspiring and wishes

their fellow youth Afghans to

get involved .

By : Namat Kadrie

Najd Hussein and Shabnam Safa, was amongst

twenty recipients who won the City of Casey Aus-

tralia Day Study Tour Award for 2011.

Australia Day Study Tour (ADST) is an official tour

which gives selected young enthusiastic and con-

sciousness citizens the opportunity to observe Fed-

eral, State, and Local Governments in Australia.

This annual event offers a unique opportunity for

young citizens of this great nation from all diverse

walks of life to enhance their understanding of the

three arms and the three bodies of Government in

Australia.

Najd and Shabnam’s award is a recognition for their

great interest towards politics and also their excel-

lent contribution to enhance their community. They

won this award shortly after they were nominated

for the ADST by their teachers.

A year has gone by, and yet Najd and Shabnam are

as enthusiastic as ever about being involved in vol-

By Hamed Saberi Dandenong Sharks, a soccer team established and sponsored by the association of Hazaras in Victoria will be playing for the Grand Final Cup in a multi-cultural youth tournament on Saturday the 14th April. Facilitated and coordinated by IEmpower Youth Inc, the program’s aim is to link young peo-ple from refugee communities to a sustainable sport. For many young Afghans soccer is their so-cial link. It has also been used as a mechanism for greater integration and social cohesion.

The leadership and players of Dandenong Sharks have worked very hard to make sure this tourna-ment is a success story. As we know with every success there is a challenge. This became obvious when Dandenong Sharks went down five to two in the opening game. They, however, bounced back incredibly well and managed to reach the final.

The Multicultural Youth Tournament is a community event that will hopefully continue for many years to come. Dandenong Sharks and the management com-mittee of the association of Hazaras in Victoria will work with iEmpower and other organisations to ensure this tournament and the structure of the teams re-mains intact.

Najd and Shabnam’s Award

Welcome Dandenong Sharks

ISS U E 1 4, A PR IL 201 2

Shabnam Safa and Najd Hus-

sein holding their ADST Cer-

tificate with joy.

Authentic Afghan, Iranian and Indian Tandoori Cuisine

Afghan Masala Restaurant cordially invites you and your guests to celebrate your special

events and private functions in our newly expanded venue with capacity of up to 120 people.

247-249 Thomas st, Dandenong, Vic 3175

ISS U E 1 4, A PR IL 201 2

judges to treat women and girls who run away as criminals. The supreme court of Afghanistan says, that this is based on Sharia Law and according to the HRW report, the chief justice claiming that women and men are treated as equal citizen of the country regardless of their gender. They deny of any wrong doing or any negligence on any individual cases.

There is no single government or country in the world who treats flee-ing home as a crime. Moral crimes in Afghanistan usually involve adultery or fleeing home without permission.

Also, according to the HRW re-ports, the majority of the women who have been jailed fears of “honor killing” by their families because they have been convicted of these crimes.

The Afghan constitution provides equal treatment of men and women but when it comes to the law enforcement you see the op-posite site of the story and women are treated far from equal.

Karzai does issue presidential par-

dons from time to time for women and girls who have been convicted of moral crimes but it doesn’t make much differ-ence to the fundamental rights of women in that society.

I should say that the Karzai govern-ment must respect and protect women’s rights according to the Afghan constitution and simultaneously en-force such laws actively.

During the past ten years of Karzai’s government, although there have been some amendments and developments in the education, employment and healthcare department for women but despite of all that changes women still face significant challenges in their social lives. Afghanistan is a conservative soci-ety which is influenced by religious and more extreme groups. Women are treated as a second class citizen in many aspects of their social lives in the coun-try.

After more than a decade of interna-tional efforts to reform the legal system and women's rights in Afghanistan, and despite a number of improvements, women still face extremely limited pro-tection in the justice system.

According to the Human Rights Watch, there are approximately 400 women imprisoned in Afghanistan for running away from their families or abusive hus-bands, and the main reason for escaping is domestic violence or forced marriage.

Running away from the family or fleeing home without permission is not consid-ered a crime in the criminal justice sys-tem of Afghanistan but the supreme court of Afghanistan manipulates its

On the 24th of

March, people of the Afghan community

members celebrated Eid Nowruz which was held by the Association of Hazaras in

Victoria in the City of Greater Dande-nong.

In Afghanistan, the outskirts of Mazer-

Shariff would have blossomed with gul-

esurkh, red roses, during the period of Nowruz. People would have taken the

mountains and climbed the hills and

would have enjoyed Nowruz.

But here in Victoria a more modernized

approach is taken towards Nowruz. Af-ghan community members gathered to

celebrate the New Year by reciting po-ems, eating exotic cultural foods and

playing traditional music and entertain-ment. Nowruz is sought to bring harmony

and friendship not just in Afghanistan but

in all around the world.

Page 3

Atoms

Moral crimes are severally punished in Afghanistan

Happy Nowruz

"O day, arise! The atoms are

dancing.

Thanks to Him the universe is

dancing.

The souls are dancing, overcome

with ecstasy.

I'll whisper in your ear where their

dance is taking them...

All the atoms in the air and in the

desert Know well, they seem in-

sane.

Every single atom, happy or mis-

erable,

Becomes enamoured of the sun, of which nothing can be said.

By: Mawlana Jalal-al-din Rumi

Farsi Translation:

ای روز برا که ذره ها رقص کنند

آن کس که از او چرخ و هوا رقص کنند

جانها ز خوشی بی سر و پا رقص کنند

رقص کنند در گوش تو گویم که کجا

هر ذره که در هوا یا در هامون است

نیکو نگرش که همچو ما مفتون است

هر ذره اگر خوش است اگر محذون استسرگشته خورشید خوش بی چون است

One of many women imprisoned for

mere moral crimes such as running away

from home.

By Arif Hamdam

Continued from page 1

The Association of Hazaras in Victoria is a not-for-profit organization

established in April 2002 to assist Afghan refugees in Australia . The

challenging and diverse work of the Association is carried out by a

management committee of 11 volunteer members elected biannually.

Our organisational aims are:

To assist Afghan refugees and migrants with their resettlement in Australia.

To bring the Afghan community together and promote their active participation

in Australia’s multicultural life and society.

To support human rights, democratic freedoms and the rights of ethnic minorities

in both in Afghanistan and in Australia.

1-3 Lightwood Rd

Springvale VIC 3171

PO Box 7268

Dandenong VIC 3175

T HE ASSOCIATI ON OF H AZARAS

I N VI CT ORI A INC.

E-mail: hav@bamyan.org.au

www.bamyan.org.au

International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated across the world

on March 8th each year. The first international women day was

celebrated in 1911 where women stood against the patriarchy

and shook the world in surprise for demeaning and underlining

inequality of women.

A century has passed celebrating international women day,

many achievements have been made in the life of women and

today the significant role of women is recognised and distin-

guished in global stage. Unfortunately, Afghan women are still

struggling for their basic human rights. They are motionlessly

treated as second class citizens. Early March 2012 the Uleama

Council, Afghanistan's highest Islamic authority, issued a non-

binding edict saying: "Men are fundamental and women are sec-

ondary," adding women should avoid "mingling with strange men

in various social activities such as education, in bazaars, in of-

fices and other aspects of life, women should wear full hijab and

accept polygamy". This implies that women should not go to uni-

versity or to work at all. Many women are increasingly concerned

including Afghan Human Rights Commission that Mr Hamed

Karzai's Afghan President’s desire by this edict is to pass the

massage to Taliban that he could compromise amending the

constitution and to bring the hardiness Islamists into mainstream

politics. One could ask what does it means in a real life for Af-

ghan women.

On 12 March 2012 the story of underage girl (15) marriage with

49 years old man captured the attention of media both in Af-

ghanistan and some foreign countries.

Basir Ahmad Mallani ( Basir Khan) residence of Herat province

got engaged to Parwana , a 15 years old girl. Parwana is a student

of ninth grade and she is Mohammad Basir relative. Basir Khan is

49 years old now, his first marriage was when he was 23 years old

and he is father of 5 children. Parwana’s father is satisfied of his

daughter's marriage with Mohammad Basir.

Another 15 years old girl Sahar Gul’s story shocked the international

media and those who are concerned over issue of Afghanistan and

mainly women’s rights. Sahar Gul, “the tortured child bride, horrific

ordeal of Afghan girl was rescued from toilet prison after husband's

family mutilated her for refusing to work as a prostitute. The 15-year

-old was beaten and burned with cigarettes after being locked in a

toilet for five months. These are not the only stories, there are thou-

sands of girls/women who are imprisoned, tortured and even killed

on basis of moral crimes such as refusing to get married to a man of

twice her age. We know successes of IWD and we are furthermore

aware that the international forces will withdraw from Afghanistan by

2014 but the only thing that we may not know, and we may do not

want to know is brutal abused and struggle of thousands of Afghan

women in Afghanistan.

By Zamera Shariffie

Parwana and Basir Ahmad Mallani

International Women’s Day