Keynote Message
By HE Wahidullah Waissi
Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the Commonwealth of Australia
On the occasion of the 103rd Anniversary of Afghanistan’s National Day
20 August 2022
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In the Name of Allah, the most Compassionate, the most Merciful
I would like to especially thank and acknowledge presence of the Chief of Protocol, Ambassador for Women and Girls, members of the diplomatic corps, veterans, members of the Australian Defence Force, Home Affairs and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, fellow members of the Afghan community from Canberra and those who have travelled from all states of Australia to join us tonight.
Good evening and welcome to the Anniversary of Afghanistan’s National Day combined with the beautiful Sparrows of Kabul show, which is an extraordinary and unique performance of Fred Smith and his band.
Tonight, I am really honoured to see friends and supporters of Afghanistan under one roof on this auspicious occasion, setting a milestone in the history of Afghanistan.
Tonight, we are gathered here not only to celebrate the 103rd anniversary of Afghanistan’s reclamation of independence since 1919 but to reflect on the last turbulent year of Afghanistan. A year of sad ending, losses of all gains and our people’s veiled freedom, independence, and shattered dreams.
Dear Participants,
At the outset, please allow me to express my deepest gratitude to the Government and people of Australia for standing in solidarity with the Afghan people, over the last two decades, as they do continue to support, in particular, during the evacuation processes, and for their warmth welcome extended to the Afghan evacuees.
I would like to thank the Australian veterans, the courageous service men and women and the Australian heroic soldiers who have fallen to promote the shared right cause and aspirations. Our hearts and minds remain with the grieved families and friends, for ever.
Also, I would like to thank His Excellency General the Honourable, David Hurley, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia for his comforting words and gracious messages, extended to me and to the people of Afghanistan on the occasion Afghanistan’s National Day.
Australia’s virtuous policy in expressing this great nation’s solidarity with the Afghan people and the sense it delivers, remain invaluable and will be remembered for years to come.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Exactly, last year around this time, the Taliban’s occupation of Afghanistan, once again put the country into a deep political, economic, social, and humanitarian crisis, and uncertain future. Where it disrupted the hard-won gains achieved through our joint efforts and sacrifices of the Afghans, Australians, and the international community since 2001.
What is certain, and I am sure you share it with me, is that, despite the false and imposed optimism, the Taliban have not changed. The group has re-enacted their draconian policies and directives from the 1990s.
Arbitrary detentions, including of women activists, forced disappearances, collective punishment, media crackdowns, extra-judicial killings, and torture, including of former members of the national security forces and government officials remain normal practices under this militant group. An absolute prevails of fear, trauma, physical and psychological insecurity, that have been forcing hundreds of thousands of vibrant Afghans to leave the country.
Traditionally, the speeches for the national days are more jubilant, eloquent, and progressive. Sadly, it falls short for Afghanistan this time. In June, the UN Security Council reported the Afghan economy had contracted by an estimated 30%-40% since the Taliban takeover in August last year. More than half of the 40 million people of Afghanistan are facing severe malnutrition and grinding poverty, and 90% struggle with food insecurity. Most women are blocked from returning to their places of employment and business, with only 15% of women able to work.
The mass exodus of brain-drain continues and hundreds of thousands of Afghanistan’s best and brightest have already fled the country.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Sparrows of Kabul have more stories to share tonight.
Enhancing public and private education, boosting economic development, democratic institutions and political representation, safeguarding human rights, women and girls empowerment, freedom of speech, freedom of press, flourishing arts, culture, music, sport, and all other areas of socio-economic development in Afghanistan have now faced with meaningless impediments and restrictions by the Taliban group due to their mis-interpretation of Islam and the sharia law, which is totally strange and not acceptable by any country and Muslim community throughout the world.
The Sparrows of Kabul witness, that with all these wrongdoings of the Taliban that we know about, even though there are lack of freedom of press and media in Afghanistan, how can be convinced that the Taliban have changed for the better, compared to their repressive totalitarian regime of the 1990s.
Should the Afghan nation and the international community accept the deprivation of millions of Afghan women and girls from their fundamental rights, such as employment and education as a new normal?
Hence, on this occasion, on behalf of my people, I call on the international community and the United Nations to seek pragmatic solutions to the current economic, political and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan through putting in place all necessary measures to meet the urgent needs of the people of Afghanistan.
Enhancing support for the preservation of the fundamental human rights of the people of Afghanistan, including the protection of the rights of women, girls, minorities and other vulnerable groups is important. Robust international accountability measures should be put in place to deter further human rights, abuse of women’s rights and international humanitarian law violations.
Enhancing humanitarian assistance to meet the urgent lifesaving and life-sustaining needs of the Afghan people is highly recommended.
With the evacuation of Afghanistan’s best and brightest, the investment is assured for Afghanistan’s future. Today’s brain-drains are our tomorrow’s brain-saved
I appreciate the Australian Government, the Australian people and the Afghan diaspora for maintaining their current principled position and supportive role, together with the rest of the world, to the cause and struggle of the people of Afghanistan, particularly women and girls, for staying away of “not recognizing the Taliban” as a government.
The embassy of Afghanistan in Canberra together with the diplomatic missions of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan around the globe remain firmly committed to meeting the needs of our growing and vibrant diaspora community including by providing continued consular services. We further remain committed to working closely with our host governments, friends of Afghanistan, and our diaspora community.
Dear Guests,
I am so delighted to find another opportunity to participate, and this time to celebrate our national day with tonight’s show. Fred and his team have put this into a wonderful and heart-uplifting concert.
It is not an ordinary show, and as you have already chosen to be, soon you will find yourselves that you are not ordinary audiences either. You will be touched by the experience as the beautiful lyrics, sound and performance will take us to the most beautiful retellings of Australia’s Afghanistan experience.
My appreciation and thanks also go to Virginia Haussegger, for her exceptional support to be our Master of Ceremony this evening.
Tonight’s profit will be distributed equally to support girl’s education in Afghanistan and vulnerable women suffering from economic hardship in Afghanistan and recently resettled evacuees.
I thank the Indigo foundation, Helping Afghans digital platform, and Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia for stepping up to reach out to vulnerable Afghan girls and women.
I also thank Mr Maurice Reilly, CEO of National Press Club, and his wonderful team for their support of this event.
I would like to conclude my speech by this very fine lines of Khwaja Shamsuddin Mohammad Hafiz Shirazi, one of our popular lyric poet:
رسید مژده که ایام غم نخواهد ماند
چنان نماند چنین هم نخواهد ماند
غنیمتی شمر ای شمع وصل پروانه
که این معامله تا صبحدم نخواهد ماند
ز مهربانی جانان طمع مبر حافظ
که نقش جور و نشان ستم نخواهد ماند
Arrived the glad tidings that grief's time, shall not remain
Like that joy's time remained not; like this grief's time, shall not remain
O candle reckon union with the moth, a great gain
For even till dawn, this commerce, shall not remain
Hafiz sever not desire for the true Beloved's favour
For the picture of violence and the mark of tyranny, shall not remain
With this promising and hopeful note, Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me to welcome, Fred Smith and his team, for the Sparrows of Kabul.