Ethnic Conflicts In The Kite Runner Essay

Who are the Pashtuns And Hazaras? Pashtuns and Hazaras are two different ethnic groups living in Afghanistan. There has been conflict between the two groups for centuries. (ehow.com) The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, is a story set in Kabul, Afghanistan told by Amir, a Pashtun, about growing up with Hassan, a Hazara. As a Hazara growing up in Kabul, Hassan faced conflict all his life because of his ethnicity. In The Kite Runner, ethnic conflict between Hazaras and Pashtuns is a major theme and is supported in the story with details of the Hazara role in Pashtun households, name calling and abuse from other Pashtuns, and persecution of Hazaras by Pashtuns.

Pashtuns were considered as upper class, a ruling class while Hazards were lower

(The Kite Runner Chapter 2 Page 9) Assef, a neighborhood Pashtun kid, was the worst. He always referred to Hassan as “Hey, Flat-Nose”. Assef would make comments in front of Hassan, “Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns.” We are the true Afghans, the pure Afghans, not this flat-nose here, His people pollute our homeland, our watan. They dirty our blood.” (The Kite Runner Chapter 5, Page 40) Assef also raped Hassan when he refused to give up Amir’s kite in the alley. Assef referred to Hassan as “A loyal Hazara, Loyal as a dog,” when Assef’s buddies, Wali and Kamal, wouldn’t join in Assef remarked “It’s just a Hazara.” Wali said, “My father says it’s sinful.” Assef responded, “And there’s nothing sinful about teaching a lesson to a disrespectful donkey.” (The Kite Runner Chapter 7,Pages

From 1996-2001 when the Taliban ruled over the country, Hazara people were targeted by the government for persecution. (asianhistory.about.com) After Baba and Amir fled Afghanistan for the U.S., Rahim Khan had lived in Baba’s house and kept watch over it. (The Kite Runner Chapter 15 Page 199) When Rahim Khan’s health began to fail he went to Hazarajat to find Hassan. He asked Hassan and his wife to come back with him to Kabul and help take care of Baba’s house. Hassan agreed. (The Kite Runner Chapter 16 Pages 201-207) Rahim Khan left for Peshawar, leaving Hassan, his wife and son at the house. A neighbor telephone, Rahim in Peshawar and told him Talib officials came to the house because they heard a Hazaran family was living alone in the house. The Talibs didn’t believe Hassan’s story and called him a liar and a thief like all Hazaras. They ordered him and his family out of the house, but Hassan protested. The Talibs took Hassan out to the street and shot him in the back of the head. His wife came screaming and they shot her too. The Taliban claimed self-defense. (The Kite Runner Chapter 17 Pages 218-219) Hazaras of Afghanistan experienced repeatedly human rights violations. Hazaras were massacred for the purpose of ethnic cleansing.