AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Hojat al-Islam Sayed Isa Hosseini Mazari, the head of the Tebyan Center for Cultural and Social Activities, in a meeting with officials of the ABNA News Agency, discussed the latest developments in Afghanistan, the situation of the Shia community, the Taliban government's policies, and the challenges facing the country. The meeting was held in September, and issues related to governance, security, economy, civil rights, the status of Shias, and the role of the media were among its main axes.
Opportunities and Threats of Five Years of Taliban Rule
Hosseini Mazari, at the beginning of his remarks, described Afghanistan's current situation as a combination of opportunities and threats, saying that over the past five years, both positive actions have been taken by the Taliban government and problems have existed that, if ignored, could become serious challenges for the country's future.
Comparing the current situation with the previous republic period, he considered the Taliban government's economic policy one of the notable points of this period and said that focusing on infrastructure projects, developing roads and highways, public construction, and efforts to improve the economic situation are among the actions that should be noted.
According to Hosseini Mazari, the fight against drugs is another area in which the Taliban government has performed notably. He also believes that the management of some public affairs and the implementation of development projects in cities and communication routes between Afghan provinces have made progress in recent years.
The head of the Tebyan Center also considered one of the features of Afghanistan's current conditions to be the more prominent presence of religious manifestations in the public sphere and said that compared to the republic period, a more uniform Islamic narrative is now observed in Afghanistan's social and governmental structure.
Afghanistan's Main Threat Is Internal Dissatisfaction
An important part of Hosseini Mazari's remarks was dedicated to the threats facing the Taliban government. Contrary to views that consider America, opposition abroad, or some neighboring countries as the main threat to the current government, he emphasized that the most important danger to Afghanistan's stability originates from within the country.
He said the real threat forms when parts of society feel dissatisfied and this dissatisfaction gradually spreads.
From his perspective, US pressure, statements by American officials about Afghanistan, the activities of forces affiliated with the former republic abroad, and even disputes with countries like Pakistan and Tajikistan can only become a serious danger if the internal ground for exploiting it is provided.
Hosseini Mazari, on this basis, called on the Taliban government to focus on reducing social dissatisfaction and increasing public participation instead of focusing solely on external threats.
All People Must Consider Themselves Participants in the Government
Hosseini Mazari considered social justice and respect for civil rights as among the most important preconditions for Afghanistan's stability and emphasized that all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, language, and religion, must feel they have a share in the country's political structure.
He said the government must be a "full-length mirror" of the Afghan people; meaning that an Afghan citizen should not feel that the power structure belongs only to a particular ethnicity, language, current, or group.
In his view, although the Taliban government has made efforts to include individuals from different ethnicities in the administrative structure, these actions are not enough, and broader reforms must be made to increase the community's real participation. This issue was also reflected in the official report published from the meeting as one of the main axes of his remarks.
Criticism of the Handling of Lands and Settlements
Another axis of the Tebyan Center head's remarks was the Taliban government's policy regarding lands that were seized by powerful individuals during the republic period and then sold to citizens.
He considered the principle of returning government lands defensible but emphasized that individuals who bought a house or land by paying money and based on existing documents should not become victims of the violations of the original owners or sellers.
Hosseini Mazari said determining government ownership for an area without considering the rights of people who have lived there for years and paid to buy a house can lead to widespread dissatisfaction.
According to him, this issue is not limited to Shia-populated areas or Kabul and exists in various parts of Afghanistan.
Criticism of the Treatment of Certain Shia Institutions
The head of the Tebyan Center went on to criticize the treatment of certain parts of the Taliban government toward the religious, cultural, and educational institutions of the Shia community.
He described the closure or restriction of the Khatam al-Nabiyyin complex as a "mistake" and said he had previously protested against such actions.
Hosseini Mazari also criticized the treatment of Tamaddon Television and considered this media outlet to be a collection whose activities, according to him, were in line with the national interests, security, and expediencies of Afghan society.
In another part of his remarks, he addressed Khatam al-Nabiyyin University and emphasized that because this university is private, the government should not interfere in appointing its managers and officials outside legal frameworks.
He also criticized some restrictions and treatments during Muharram and Ashura ceremonies and called for the correction of such approaches.
Problems Are Not Limited to Shias
Hosseini Mazari, at the same time, emphasized that all the Taliban government's criticized actions should not be interpreted solely as a policy against the Shia community.
According to him, similar problems exist for Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turkmens, and even parts of the Pashtun community, and part of these issues, rather than stemming from a purely religious policy, is related to the government's management style and decision-making structure.
He, however, believes the Shia community, due to having broader cultural, religious, and media networks, has been able to raise its problems more in the public sphere.
Internal Disputes; An Important Challenge for the Shia Community
One of the notable parts of Hosseini Mazari's remarks was dedicated to the internal situation of Afghanistan's Shia community.
He said the disagreement among different Shia personalities, currents, and groups has caused this community to be unable to adopt a coordinated and effective position on common issues.
As an example, he referred to different reactions to the treatment of some Shia institutions or issues related to land and ownership and said that sometimes part of the community expresses satisfaction with an action taken against another group, while the same policy may affect another group in the future.
Hosseini Mazari believes Shia elites, scholars, and social figures must set aside ethnic, political, and group differences and prepare a list of their common issues so they can take action to resolve them through dialogue with the government.
He also emphasized the necessity of greater cohesion among the elites, clerics, and figures of the Shia community and learning from the political disputes of past decades.
Emphasis on Dialogue Instead of Confrontation with the Government
The head of the Tebyan Center described Afghanistan's Shia community as a community that, according to him, does not have a subversive approach toward the Taliban government.
He said that despite efforts by some currents outside Afghanistan to intensify the dispute between Shias and the government, the majority of the Shia community has not chosen the path of confrontation and has tried to pursue its demands through dialogue and interaction.
Hosseini Mazari considered this approach appropriate and said existing problems should be pursued through civil and peaceful means.
He emphasized that, on the one hand, the government's positive actions should be noted, and on the other hand, weaknesses and managerial mistakes should be raised transparently and efforts made to correct them.
Security and Employment; Afghanistan's Two Main Priorities
Hosseini Mazari considered one of the Taliban government's management problems to be insufficient attention to prioritizing issues.
In his view, some secondary issues are sometimes highlighted, while the community's fundamental issues are marginalized.
He identified ensuring security and creating employment as Afghanistan's two main priorities and said that if the government can establish sustainable security and simultaneously provide the conditions for economic prosperity and employment, the possibility of foreign powers exploiting internal dissatisfaction will be greatly reduced.
He believes security and economic prosperity can strengthen the government's foundations and provide the ground for development and increased public welfare. These two issues were also raised in the official report published from the meeting as priorities emphasized by him.
Support for Preserving the Existing Structure Along with Reforms
Hosseini Mazari, in summarizing his positions, stated that he supports preserving Afghanistan's existing political structure and does not agree with its weakening or collapse; however, he considered continued support for this structure to require serious reforms.
He said Afghanistan's elites and figures, instead of moving toward destabilizing the country, should offer plans and proposals for reforming the government structure.
According to him, the most important needed reform is that the government, in terms of political, administrative, and social composition, represent all the people of Afghanistan.
He emphasized that the perception must be removed from people's minds that governance belongs to a particular ethnicity, group, or language.
Government Policy on Shias Is Ambiguous
The most important part of Hosseini Mazari's remarks about the Shia community's situation was criticism of the absence of a clear Taliban government policy toward this community.
He said the status of Afghanistan's Shias in terms of legal, citizenship, and political participation is not sufficiently clear and defined.
Hosseini Mazari, referring to the population and social role of Shias, said this community in Afghanistan has universities, schools, seminaries, cultural institutions, and an extensive social network, and its presence and influence cannot be ignored.
He called on the Taliban government to clearly announce its policy regarding Shias and, in particular, to make a specific decision about the official status of the Shia religion.
He emphasized that no government or political current in Afghanistan can ignore millions of Shia citizens or be indifferent to their rights.
According to Hosseini Mazari, the Shia community is an active and influential part of Afghan society, and the country's sustainable stability will not be possible without considering the rights, status, and participation of this part of society.
Emphasis on Expanding Media Cooperation
In another part of this meeting, the role of the media in reflecting Afghanistan's developments, the situation of the Shia clergy, and the experience of this community's political currents in past decades were discussed.
Hassan Sadraei Aref, the managing editor of the ABNA News Agency, also emphasized the importance of Afghanistan's developments and the necessity of increasing media attention to the country's situation. He considered the internal cohesion of the Shia community and increasing interaction among scholars, elites, professors, and social figures as important issues.
At the end of this meeting, the parties emphasized the continuation of communication and the expansion of media cooperation and greater attention to Afghanistan's developments and the issues of the Shia community. Media cooperation between the two organizations is also set to expand.
