Tired of washing dead bodies: Morgue worker

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): A morgue official in the provincial hospital of southern Ghazni province says he is tired of washing dead bodies of the youth killed in the country’s conflict.

Awaiting peace, the morgue worker says he has so far bathed hundreds of dead bodies and daily washes the corpses of young people.

Raz Muhammad, 40, has been working at the hospital morgue in Ghazni City, over the past few years and is suffering from mental problems due to the nature of his work.

After hectic efforts, Hazrat agreed to be interviewed by Pajhwok Afghan News.

“I have been working here for the past few years, I wash the dead with my own hands. Most of the dead are those killed in the conflict, who are young people.”

During the past one year, Ghulam Hazrat said he washed more than 400 dead bodies. A few months back when the conflict intensified, he washed 70 corpses in a month’s time.

“There were clashes in many areas and dead bodies were brought here on a daily basis. I washed 70 bodies in a month and most of them were young men who were killed in the war.”

To a question, he said the dead bodies he washed included members of Taliban, military, police and civilians.

“Every day I spend here is a bitter moment. I receive headless and mutated bodies. Other people fear even watching them, but I wash them, clean them and place them in coffins.”

He paused for a moment and then said: “If peace comes, I will not work here. If peace comes, people like me may not need to work in this morgue and people will wash their dead on their own.”

Raz Muhammad says he has become habitual of seeing dead bodies but his work has mentally affected him and he even could not properly treat his family members.

Raz Muhammad, who lives in Asfandi area of Ghazni City, said two weeks ago his wife was killed by a stray bullet inside their home during a clash between militants and security forces in the area.

“The death of my wife saddened me a lot. She left behind our small children. For how long this war will last?”

He asked the government and the Taliban not to sacrifice common people for their own benefits. He said the warring sides must declare truce first and then pave the way for lasting peace.

Red Crescent official in the southeastern zone, Samiullah Sadiqi, said they alone delivered 180 dead bodies from battlefields to the civil hospital this year alone. He said the dead included civilians, government forces and militants.

All big hospitals in Afghanistan have morgues where people like Raz Muhammad work.

According to UNAMA report, during the first nine months of this year, nearly 6000 civilians were killed in the conflict.

This report has been produced by Pajhwok and financially supported by UNDP.

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