In Farah, 62 enmities turned into friendships in a year

FARAH (Pajhwok): Thanks to mediation and efforts of government officials and tribal elders, 62 enmities were turned into friendship in western Farah province during the past one year, an official said.

Vice and Virtue department director Maulvi Abdul Majeed Samim told Pajhwok Afghan News that 62 feuds were resolved during the past one year with the help of tribal jirgas and provincial government officials.

He said there were up to 20 rivalries which had claimed many lives. “But Alhamdulillah (Thanks God), we were able to establish an atmosphere of brotherhood between these people.”

Samim also said during the past one week alone, they resolved two enmities that had claimed eight lives. “Last week, we solved two blood feuds. In one of the cases, the rival families agreed to end their 21-year-old enmity which had claimed six lives on both sides.”

Some of the families who ended their enmities and reconciled were grateful to the government and tribal elders.

Haji Nimatullah, a resident of Bakwa district, who had enmity with another family since last 21 years and has now reconciled with his former foes, said he was grateful to the elders for their efforts to end their enmity.

He said 21 years ago, his dispute with Khair Mohammad’s family led to enmity and six people from both sides were killed during the period.

“Life in enmity is hard and unexciting, but life in peace is honorable and pleasant,” he said, requesting all people to avoid enmities and live in peace.

Similarly, his former foe, Dur Mohammad, was also happy with the tribal jirga’s decision and said that enmity was a misfortune.

Dur Mohammad said he spent 21 years in enmity and now he was happy that he had reconciled with the opposite side and now the two families lived in an atmosphere of brotherhood.

“Our enmity started 21 years ago and during this period, three people from each side were killed. Fortunately, we reconciled last week with the mediation of the provincial officials and the Qaumi Jirga.”

He said due to the enmity he moved his family to Karachi, Pakistan, and lived there for 12 years. He said all his family members were happy and relieved.

Religious scholars also urged people to end their enmities and live in an atmosphere of peace and brotherhood.

Maulvi Muhammad Sadiq Tariq said Allah had described all Muslims as brothers and had ordered them to live in peace and brotherhood.

He added: “People and tribes should take inspiration from the government that pardoned all after returning to power, so people should also forgive each other and live with each other in an atmosphere of peace.”

Another religious scholar, Mullah Abdul Hameed, also said: “Muslims should choose the path of peace instead of violence. It is a wise move that dozens of disputes have been resolved through the mediation of government officials and tribal elders.”

Sakhi Jan Jamali, a tribal elder and mediator from Bakwa district, said they had always tried for peaceful life of people and would continue their efforts to resolve disputes with cooperation of other leaders and scholars.

He said if a small issue was not resolved on time, it could lead to a prolonged dispute, so every member of the society had the responsibility to resolve petty disputes among families.

He added the country could no longer afford wars and enmities and everyone should make efforts to maintain peace and stability.

Mohammad Yunus Sapand, a civil society activist, also said trivial issues often led to big quarrels and disputes in society, therefore all people should try to resolve them as early as possible.

He said was peace and security was the most important condition for development and all people should pay attention to this point.

Ahmad Khan, a resident of Farah city, said enmity between two people in a village disturbed the lives of all villagers and had a negative effect on the society. He asked the government and tribal leaders to make more efforts to end hostilities.

Farah information and culture director Maulvi Abdul Hai Sabawon also said it was a good culture of Afghans that they respected the decisions of religious scholars and tribal elders and solved their problems through their intervention.

He also asked the people to live like brothers in society because it was a divine order.

The caretaker government after coming to power in August 2021 has started efforts to end enmities among the people in many provinces.

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