How can we youth promote peace, "A response to the terrorist attack on Bacha Khan University Charsadda Pakistan".

How can we youth promote peace A response to the terrorist attack on Bacha Khan University Charsadda Pakistan

On a foggy morning, four fanatic attackers stormed Bacha Khan University in Pakistan taking everyone by surprise and went on a killing spree once again resurrecting the horrors of Peshawar School attack, Kenya’s Garissa University attack and Umpqua Community College shooting in Oregon. A Pashto (language of the Pashtuns) poetry function was being held on the day on the theme of peace and the services of Pashtun leader Bacha Khan for education and his non-violent struggle for human rights. Attackers chose the institution because it is named after the legendary Pashtun leader Ghaffar Khan aka ‘Bacha’ Khan meaning ‘King Khan’ (Khan is a title used for respect and prestige among Pashtuns).This attack was a clear message against education and non-violent means of struggle; one practiced by Khudai Khidmatgars (Servants of God), the volunteers of the movement started by Bacha Khan in 1929 from his village Charsadda in North West Frontier Province of British India east of Durand Line carved across Pashtunistan region (Land of Pashtuns) by British ‘Raj'.

In the aftermath of the attack, scary rumors of mass beheadings of girls and media cover up of actual higher death toll started to circulate. There were also rumors spread by a few far right conservative Islamists that an orgy or a drunken music party was held at the campus on the night before the attack. It seems that there has been a deliberate attempt by the backers of these so called savages to spread terror. The masterminds of the attack had also planned and devised conspiracy theories to spread misinformation and to divert attention from the resilience shown by students and civil society to condemn and vow to continue their education defying the terrorist threats.

It is very important to use this tragedy into an opportunity. This is an opportunity for us to pool the anger of the people into something positive; peace-building actions to show a globally united front especially by students and youth. We need to reach out to students around the globe to condemn all forms of terrorism that lead to civilian deaths; hiring mercenaries to overthrow a regime or to defend a regime, facilitating foreign covert operations to weaken an enemy state, terrorism by states or by non state actors, religiously or racially motivated terrorist acts and supporting terrorism by states or other organizations to gain resources. People around the world need to realize that our world is a global village. Acts of ‘organized’ terrorism are not isolated acts of violence in a particular country but have causes and consequences linked to other countries of the world. The promised age of technological advancement has also brought with itself an age of ‘global terrorism’. It doesn't matter where these attacks against education happen, it is our loss collectively.

The essence of education is the same throughout the world; to transmit accumulated knowledge and search for more. Students need to play a more responsible and important role in international peace-building. Students and youth need to organize internationally and be united in celebrating diversity. As students are not directly part of any stake holders in the adult lust for power, struggle for resources, weapons trade and spreading terror, we the youth certainly need to organize ourselves to take coordinated actions in promoting peace globally. Exchange visits of youth activists to understand each others’ culture in equally important. Research scholarships and awards on the themes of peace and student activism will also provide us some more suggestions for future action.

The terrorist attack on Bacha Khan University seems to be an attack on the message and legacy of Bacha Khan and the morale of Pashtun nation residing in the terror-hit South West Afghanistan and North West Pakistan. Bacha Khan (1890-1988) and the struggle of his un-armed comrades greatly contributed in raising awareness among the independent Pashtun tribes about modern democratic ideals, civil rights and the spirit of sacrifice for freedom. For his unflinching struggle against un-democratic regimes, Bacha Khan was labeled ‘red shirt’ (communist) by British ‘Raj’, ‘traitor’ by many Pakistani regimes, ‘Pride of Afghan’ by Pashtuns and ‘Frontier Gandhi’ by Indians.

There needs to be a paradigm shift in US policy on Afghanistan by focusing on strengthening genuine civil administration backed by cultural conventions of the country. The youth and students of India and Pakistan should put pressure on their governments to stop their proxy war through terrorist mercenaries. We the youth of both the South Asian countries need to have dialogues and meetings on this issue. Of primal importance is to create an international youth alliance for peace. The aim of education is to help students and youth understand the world and the interdependence in it; develop thinking, questioning and answering ability, and most importantly the respect for diversity.

Bacha Khan was like the Pashtun prophet of education and targeting Bacha Khan University means terrorists and some powers do not want Pashtun nation to be educated. Peaceful environment and education challenges students to question authority, develop curiosity and self motivation to change the world. We need to focus on the similarities between peoples of all nations, and celebrate the differences. The most important step in fighting back terrorists is acceptance of diversity. To remove all forms of hatred, prejudice, bias and negatively stereo-typing each other. Youth and students are the future and we can create a world where there is solidarity among students and they stand united for peace. We students have a central and most pivotal role to play to fight off attacks on academia and create the peaceful future so vital for human progress and write our own future - No more attacks on education!

By Muhammad Junaid Mandoori (Social Activist and Social Work student at University of Peshawar) and Basit Khan (Sociologist and Research Scholar at Bacha Khan University Charsadda)

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