We – Tajiks – are a Persian-speaking East Iranian nation. We are indigenous to various parts of Central Asia,
including Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and even parts of Pakistan and China.
Afghanistan is a diverse country made up of ethnic minorities. Unfortunately, no reputable census has ever been
conducted in the country. Current estimates indicate that approximately 30% of Afghanistan’s population is
made up of ethnic Tajiks*
Throughout history, the Tajiks of Afghanistan have been at the forefront of science, philosophy, and poetry. Tajik
– figures like Biruni, Maulana (Rumi), Rabia Balkhi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), and Firdowsi – all from the territories of
present day Afghanistan – have left a rich legacy not only in the region but also globally.
Although we have played an important role in the history and culture of Central Asia and Afghanistan, we are
underrepresented and we have been deprived of the opportunity to have power over ourselves time and time
again by the various rulers of Afghanistan.
The greatest threat to our existence currently is the Taliban – an Islamist and Pashtun nationalist fascist force
that is currently enacting both physical genocide and ethnic cleansing of Tajiks, but also cultural genocide in the
form of marginalizing our Persian language and customs.
