The Hazara people are known to be a minority group in Afghanistan. They are also known to be the oppressed group. For more background information, check out my previous article, “The History of the Hazara People”. 

On September 30th, a center for Hazara students was bombed in an area mostly inhabited my Hazara Muslims. The attack has not been claimed by any terrorist groups yet, but it is clear that that they were targeting Shia Muslims specifically and not just students trying to get education. 

This is not the first attack that Shia Muslims have been through and sadly, it will not be the last either. For what they believe in, the Hazara people’s faith will be tested time and time again as it has been for the last decade. 

The bombing occurred at Kaaj Higher Educational Center and took the life of at least 30 people, mostly female students. It’s said that the students were preparing for an entrance exam when the bomber entered the center.

“It’s a devastating loss and hundreds of families will be without their loved ones. We as Americans aren’t speaking out about it because it isn’t affecting us in our country but we have to take a stand and spread awareness,” says Pitman High sophomore, Emma Smith.

Not even the scariest attack, this incident has caused a stir among the Shia Muslims around the world. Many of which successfully escaped from these kinds of countries. However, their past seems to still be holding on to them. Their past keeps on repeating itself.

The best way to help is to raise awareness about this issue but the most worrisome part is that people are still unaware of the literal ethnic cleansing happening in the world. 

Educate yourself. Educate the people around you. Talk about issues, don’t turn your backs. Just because it isn’t happening to you or in places you know, does not mean it isn’t happening at all.