درمورد بنیاد
Who was Fayaz?
Ahmad Fayaz was a student of Pharmacy faculty of Kabul University, an active member of the underground Union of students and professors Esteqlaltalab. He was involved in student’s protest strikes and distributing of propaganda material against the Soviet invasion, written by the professors within the Union. He was 19 years old, when he along with some members of his family were arrested on 14 February 1982 because the intelligence department of the puppet regime, found some pamphlets in his room, prepared to be distributed among fellow students on the occasion of celebration of the anniversary of uprising of the people of Kabul against the Soviet invaders and their puppet regime (22-02-1981). Ahmad Fayaz was killed under torture in interrogation directorate at Sedarat, a department of the General Directorate of States Security (KHAD). We gave this foundation his name, because, Ahmad Fayaz is a clear example of civilian victims of the brutality of the DRA regime and its Russian masters against critic of even a young, unarmed civilian , who only used his fundamental right to express his meaning secretly to other students.
Ahmad Fayaz was born in a middle class family in Kabul city. His father, Dr. Mohammad Asef Faqiri, a well-known internist, was passed away in 1965. Fayaz lived together with the rest of his family in Kabul city. As a child, he was a pupil in Said Jamal din-e-Afghan elementary school. His next school was Habibia High School, before he started his study in Kabul University.
Why a human rights Foundation in exile?
Human rights situation: For centuries Afghan governments have been averse to respecting the natural rights and freedoms of individuals, but the widespread and systematic human rights crisis rife in the country started shortly after the establishment of the Soviet-installed “Democratic Republic of Afghanistan” in 1978. The Islamist political parties, including the Taliban, added to the dimensions of the crisis after grabbing the power. The disappearance of the violent theocratic Taliban regime from the political scene in Afghanistan could be considered as a positive step towards the establishment of law and order in the country, but the human rights situation was in July 2004 when the decision for founding the organization was taken, was still too bad and reason of serious concern for those who believe in the universality of human rights. In the preamble of the Statutes of Fayaz Foundation we read: “The people of Afghanistan suffer even today under lawlessness, insecurity and violation of their fundamental rights. The situation in the capital is not much better than it is in the countryside. The ineffective administration of justice, limited women’s legal and social rights, violence against women, harassment of journalists, impunity for past war crimes and human rights violations, abuses by US-led military forces and the horrible conditions of repatriates and internally displaced people show that the human rights crisis is far from over in Afghanistan”. Unfortunately, little has been changed in the positive way since then. In contrary, the number of civilian victims of war crimes is growing sharply as war continues. A war in which the Afghan geography is used is war-field and Afghan youth is as foot soldiers but it does not serve the interests of the people of Afghanistan.
Necessity of a human rights organization in exile: The preamble of the Statues answers this question: “International human rights organisations work hard to report on the different dimensions of the human rights crisis in Afghanistan. These reports play an important role in attracting the attention of the public opinion World-wide to ongoing violations in the country.
The establishment by the Interim Administration, with the assistance of the United Nations, of the Independent Commission for Human Rights in Afghanistan is a remarkable development serving the cause of human rights from an official and intergovernmental perspective. But there is still room and the need for an Afghan human rights organization initiated by Afghan Diaspora. Many of them have been a victim of human rights violations before leaving the country. They have therefore the motivation to contribute to the promotion of human rights in Afghanistan and advance the awareness of the people of their host countries from the facts not published by Western media. An Afghan human rights organization in exile can manage useful lobby work to influence the official policy of the authorities of host countries. Initiating joint projects with the organizations of host countries for upholding human rights in Afghanistan will be another working area for Fayaz Foundation for promotion of Human Rights in Afghanistan”.
Vision & mission of Fayaz Foundation
Following principals, as mentioned in the preamble of the statutes, constitute the vision and mission of Fayaz Foundation:
- We, the founders of Fayaz Foundation, acknowledge our duty and responsibility by establishing this organization as a focal point for those Afghan human rights activists working abroad but wishing to contribute for the promotion of human rights in Afghanistan.
- Our foundation will serve ordinary Afghans, advocate their rights, freedoms and make them aware of their obligations, will attach as much importance to their social and economic rights as to their political and civil ones, and will not acquiesce to political correctness and censorship.
- Those human rights have a universal character, and that awareness of the existence and the importance of these rights by ordinary Afghans is the main condition for their enjoyment.
- That mere awareness and recognition of civil and political rights cannot and do not entail enjoyment of such rights if the majority of the citizens of Afghanistan are deprived from their internationally recognized social and economic rights, and if the people of the country cannot exercise the right to self-determination.
- That the objectivity of human rights organizations in their judgment of facts is non-negotiable and that such organizations cannot and should not be vulnerable to pressure by governments, intergovernmental organizations or financial sponsors. Donations by natural and legal persons must be free of conditions that would impinge on the objectivity and independence of human rights organizations.
Objectives
Fayaz Foundation shall endeavour by all means within its power to:
1). Advocate the realization and improvement of the status of human rights in Afghanistan.
2). Launch, lead and facilitate the process of documentation, verification and publication of human rights abuses and violations perpetrated by war-criminals in Afghanistan.
3) Offer and promote all possible assistance to every natural or legal person who works or wishes to work for the observance, promotion and implementation of human rights in Afghanistan.
4). Foster cooperation, exchange and dissemination of information with:
a) Country Chapters of the Foundation
b) Afghan human rights groups and activists inside and outside Afghanistan,
c) International human rights organisations.