Khaled Hosseini

1
Khaled Hosseinis The Kite Runner

• A Brief History of Afghanistan

2
Map of Afghanistan and its Neighbors
3
Afghanistans Location

• Afghanistans history relies largely on its
  location, which is at the crossroads of Central,
  West, and South Asia.
• This location has brought migrants since the BCs,
  leaving the country a mixture of ethnic and
  linguistic groups.
• This location has also brought numerous armies to
  the area many established temporary local
  control.

4
Afghanistans Political History

• For centuries, the country was a zone of
  conflict this conflict stemmed from its
  heterogeneous ethnic groups within and from
  strong neighboring powers.
• In 1747, the monarchy was established it is this
  monarchy that rules until the coup in 1973, which
  Amir describes in Chapter Five. (This
  establishment is considered the beginning of
  modern Afghanistan.)

5
Afghanistans Political History, cont.

• Zahir Shah, whose forty-year reign Amir mentions
  at the beginning of Chapter Four, ruled from
  1933-1973 and was the last monarch.
• He established a bicameral legislature in 1964.
• This effort brought about few lasting reforms,
  but it did promote the growth of extremist
  parties on both the left and the right.
• One group, the communist Peoples Democratic
  Party of Afghanistan, had close political ties to
  the Soviet Union.

6
From Monarchy to Republic

• As you discover in Chapter Five, Zahir Shah was
  overthrown by his cousin, Daoud Khan, in a 1973
  non-violent coup.
• Daoud Khan abolished the monarchy and established
  a republic, declaring himself its first president
  and prime minister this republic remained in
  place until 1978.
• Daoud Khan attempted much needed social and
  economic reform, but failed.

7
The Fall of Khans Republic

• In 1978, a prominent member of the Peoples
  Democratic Party of Afghanistan was killed by the
  government.
• Fearing the government planned to exterminate
  them all, the group organized an uprising.
• In April, 1978, the Peoples Democratic Party of
  Afghanistan overthrew Daoud Khans regime and
  assassinated him and his entire family.
• The uprising, which you will come to read about,
  was known as the Saur Revolution it established
  the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.

8
The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

• The Saur Revolution led indirectly to Soviet
  Military Intervention, which began in 1979 and
  lasted until 1989.
• This republic was in place until 1992 when
  Afghanistan entered a state of anarchy.
• As you read more, we will pick up later with the
  history of Afghanistan post the 1979 Soviet
  Invasion.

9
Afghanistans Religious and Ethnic History

• Hazaras Ali and Hassan
• They are thought to be of partial Mongol descent,
  which explains the references you see to the
  flat nose.
• Most adhere to Shiism, the second-largest
  denomination of Islam.
• Since the establishment of the monarchy in 1747,
  Hazaras have faced persecution at the hands of
  Pashtuns.
• Hazaras attempted three uprisings between 1888
  and 1893 ultimately, many were killed, and many
  others fled to neighboring Pakistan. (Amir
  references these uprisings on page 9.)

10
Afghanistans Religious and Ethnic History, cont.

• Hazaras in the Twentieth Century
• Severe social, economic, and political
  discrimination continues for example, the
  government often levied taxes against Hazaras but
  not Pashtuns.
• Local Hazara uprisings continued as did their
  distrust of the government.
• In 1989, there was an alliance of all Hazara
  resistance groups, but this group eventually fell
  to the Pashtun Taliban in 1998. (These ideas will
  be referenced later in Chapters Sixteen and
  Seventeen.)

11
Afghanistans Religious and Ethnic History, cont.

• Pashtuns Baba and Amir
• Pashtuns are the worlds largest tribal ethnic
  group the groups total population is estimated
  to be well above 42 million.
• Pashtuns practice Sunni Islam, the largest
  denomination of Islam.
• The monarchy established in 1747 was Pashtun, and
  Zahir Shah was the last Pashtun king although
  Pashtun leadership has continued in one way or
  another even through today.

12
Afghanistans Religious and Ethnic History, cont.

• Pashtuns in the Twentieth Century
• Starting in the late 1970s, many Pashtuns joined
  the opposition against the Soviet Invasion.
• In the late 1990s, Pashtuns became known as the
  primary ethnic group that composed the Taliban, a
  religious government based on Islamic law.
• The Taliban government was ousted by the US
  Invasion in 2001 still, the current Karzai
  administration is dominated by Pashtun ministers.
• The important thing to remember is that there are
  many, many Pashtun tribes who represent all kinds
  of ideas however, Pashtuns have been more or
  less in control, so others have had to learn to
  deal with Pashtuns on Pashtun terms.