Source: Global Times
【Global Times Comprehensive Report】Editor's note: Afghanistan has been in constant war in history, but in modern times there has been a "golden age" of peace and stability. Hua Liming, former Chinese ambassador to Iran and the United Arab Emirates, worked at the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan in the 1960s and 1970s and witnessed those precious years. Thirty years later, when the afghan war broke out, he set foot on the land again. In his eyes, what kind of historical existence did Afghanistan's "golden age" look like? What changes has the war in Afghanistan brought to the country? Recently, a reporter from the Global Times conducted an exclusive interview with Ambassador Hua Liming.
Hua Liming narrates Zhang Ni finishing
After a 1973 coup d'état, Daoud declared the abolition of the constitutional monarchy and the establishment of the "Republic of Afghanistan". After a few years in power, he tried to break away from Soviet leadership, only to be overthrown by Soviet-backed forces, and in 1978 Daoud and his family were killed in the palace. Since then, there has been no peace in Afghanistan.
In addition to the invasion of external forces, there are also constant disputes among the various tribes of Afghanistan. There are also contradictions between the Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks and Turkmens. Pashtuns speak Pashtun and northern peoples speak Persian. At that time, The Afghan newspapers were in two languages, Pashto on this side and Persian on this side. Radio and television stations are also, one is Pashto, the other is Persian, and both languages and cultures must be taken care of at the same time. The Pashtuns were fierce and belligerent, and even in peacetime, tribes often fought each other for a piece of land or a water source. It is common for Pashtun men to fight in the mountains with guns on their backs. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was not easy for King Zahir to unite these two different peoples and many tribes under the central government. Once this central government disintegrates and the tribes become independent, it will be difficult for Afghanistan to have peace.
Hua Liming (left) and King Chahill
When the War broke out in Afghanistan in 2001, the United States invaded Afghanistan and overthrew the Taliban. In 2002, King Zahir, who was in exile in Italy, returned to power. At that time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry wanted to find an old diplomat who knew the king to go to Afghanistan to get a preliminary understanding of the situation. So I set foot on this land again and saw King Zahir again. Thirty years on, Zahir is much older, his hair used to be black, and it was all white. The queen is dead, but Zahir seems to be in a calm mood and confident that he can rule Afghanistan again.
The streets of Kabul in 2002.
Seeing the earth-shaking changes in Afghanistan, everyone is very sad. At that time, Kabul was like it had just experienced an earthquake of seven or eight magnitudes, and it was in ruins. The prosperity of the past is all gone. The streets and shops I used to know were blown up, and the houses where the embassy had lived for decades were blown up. The women on the street wore robes and headscarves. Many teenagers and twenties roam the streets with guns on their backs. I asked local government officials, how come young people are carrying guns? He said young people should have gone to school, but now the schools are gone, and there is no food to eat without carrying guns. I went to the local school, the classroom was blown up, the teacher was gone, empty.
At that time, there was also a Water Conservancy Project built with Chinese assistance in northern Afghanistan, and I also went there to see it. The Chinese staff told me that there were mines everywhere near the site of the project. When I was going to a place, they quickly reminded me not to go there, and then there was a minefield. I am saddened to see Afghanistan devastated, how a good country has become like this.
Zahir's return to power was short,perhaps less than half a year. Because the forces did not accept King Zahir, he had to leave Afghanistan again. Time has passed, and Zahir is still the same Zahir, but Afghanistan is no longer the Afghanistan it once was.