نشريه ارمغان ملي

 

Ghobar’s political life:

Ghobar was born in Kabul city in 1898. Ghobar’s youth coincided with a period in which the roots of social change were slowly developing. In Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, newspapers and Magazines were being published. Private libraries and both open and convert intellectual circle we being formed. These occurrences resulted in a political revolution and social evolution in the country, leading to Afghanistan’s victory in the Afghan British War. This victory helped to provide a positive environment for the social activities and movements among the country’s young generations. However, this period did not last more than ten years. Ghobar’s activities during this eventful period:

During the Amania(king Amanullah) period:

1-     Founder and chief editor of “Setaara-e-Afghan” (Afghan star) – winter 1919 to summer 1920. This weekly newspaper contained two pages, subjects were analytical and reformative originally printed and published in Jabulsaraaj stone printing house and later in Chareekar (parwan province).

2-     Official in the ministry of public safety, 1920-1921.

3-     Member of Herat (region in the west) regulation Committee, 1921.

4-     Member of Amania cooperative and Trade Mission in Moscow Convention, 1924 secretary in Afghan embassy in Paris, 1926.

5-     Official of customs office in regions of Kataghan and Badakhshan (north) 1927.

6-     Elected Representative (by citizens of Kabul) at loya-e-jerga (national assembly) in paghman, 1928.

During the government of Nadir Shah and His family:

7-     First secretary in the Afghan Embassy in Berlin, 1930. Ghobar resigned from this position and returned to Afghanistan to participate in the struggle against dictatorship and tyranny of Nadir Shah.

8-     Member of Kabul Literary society-1931-1932.

9-     Political prisoner, 1933-1935.

10-Political exile in regions of Farah. & Kandahar, 1935-1942.

11-Member of Historical Society in Kabul, 1943-1948.

12-Elected Representative of Kabul Citizens in the seventh national parliament.

 

1949-1951:

13-Founder and leader of Watan (Country) Party, founder and chief of Watan newspaper (Party’s political organ) 1951-1952: Main goals and objectives of the Watan Party were: Safeguarding of sovereignty and integrity of Afghanistan; introduction of democracy and justice in all aspects of political and social life; national unity; achieving civil and human rights; public education and public health; elimination of corruption; respect and devotion for peace and wholesomeness in the world (see page 244, vol. two Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh.) Watan newspaper was printed in four pages, in Kabul. Its style was analytical. On 1951 the government banned the Watan newspaper and in 1952 also banned Watan party. In 1956, the government officially announced that Watan party must be dissolved as of that date.

Political prisoner, 1952-1956: (Because of Ghobar’s leadership in a demonstration of Kabul citizens for free parliamentary elections.)

 

1956-1978:

For the next twenty years, Ghobar, the fighter for freedom, patriot, writer and historian was put under continuous surveillance by the ruling dynasty, and thus was forced to continue his political activities from his house. During this period, Ghobar wrote Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh (Afghanistan in the course of history). However, the government of the time used any and all means to prevent the publication of Ghobar’s written works including newspaper, articles, or books, and banned Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh. Through fraud in voting the government prevented election of Ghobar in the parliament for a second time.

 

Ghobar’s Death–February 5^th 1978:

Only afew months before the fall of the ruling dynasty by the coup that was run by the soviet’s puppet regime, Mir Ghulam Mohammed Ghobar, who had gone to West Berlin for the treatment of a gastric ulcer, passed on form this world while in hospital. He was put to rest in the burial place of his ancestors in Shohada-e-Saleheen in Kabul, Afghanistan.

God bless his soul.

Ghobar had written in his will that several hundreds rare books, his private library, be donated to one of Afghanistan’s public libraries. Following his death, his whish was carried out and the books were donated to Kabul public library.

Ghobar had also written in his last will, “I wish for my children the blessing of faith and belief in one God; kindness, success in serving the poor and needy and humanity, which will need to serenity of soul, a clear conscience, and positive outlook to live and death.”

Ghobar was deeply affected by human sufferings, especially the suffering of the poor and needy. Hashmat Khalil Ghobar remembers a time when he was a young child, stating, “On one of the cold days of winter, when the snow was coming down heavily, I was walking with my father (Ghobar) on Jada-e-Walayat in Kabul. He had my hand in his hand. At the comer of the street, next to a wall, an old man was trembling from the cold and sadness poured from his dignified gaze. The man had only an old shirt and pants on. My father took off his coat and gave it to the old man, and spent the winter without a coat, since the one he gave away was the only one he had. He was not able to buy another one. What Ghobar did then, remained hidden under the rushing thick snowflakes, but I witnessed his deep feeling and his love for humanity.”

Ghobar, who in his last will had wanted his children to serve the poor and needy, made this service his occupation in his own life. He spent his life on this path, and never once gave up or caved in under the threats, the danger of death, and the dictatorship of the ruling power. Through all the years of pressure, prison, and exile, Ghobar never wavered from his path and never gave into rulers.

When the ruling dynasty realized that they had failed to break Ghobar through the use of prison and chains, they became furious and started to use their intelligence apparatus to conduct an extensive subversive propaganda against Ghobar.

When the second era of “democracy from above” was announced following the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Dawood, the government prevented, by fraud, election of Ghobar as the people’s representative to the parliament for the second time. It was giving a speech to the citizens of Kabul in Zaynab Nendarea (While government agents were present too).One government agent verbalized this negative propaganda, suggesting that Ghobar’s release from the prison was an indication of Ghobar’s surrendering to the government. Ghobar answered, “The despotic government does not sop is cowardly and shrewd manipulations and propaganda against its opponents. The keys to the prisons are in the hands of the government. The government keeps anyone in, or lets any one out of prison at any time that may suit the government’s schemes. But I, here in front of everyone and in presence of the government’s agents, challenge the government of Afghanistan that if they had so much as a single proof of my giving up during my political life, they must present it so that everyone can see it and know about it. The government does not have such proof. However, I will write the real history of the people of Afghanistan. In this history I will also document crime government and their operatives.”

Ghobar kept this promise and wrote Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh (Afghanistan in the course of history).

Ghobar, truthful and loyal to his people and humanity, was fearless and courageous with a straight back and his head held high. Two of the most dangerous and despotic rulers of Afghanistan, Nadir Shah and some years later, Prime Minister Mohammed Dawood, invited Ghobar to cooperate with their dictator governments (see 2^nd volume of Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh.) Ghobar, accepting the risk of death and years of prison, exile, and house arrest, refused this invitation, which he considered to be not in the interest of Afghanistan and its people. He always expressed and wrote the truth. This is evidenced by his very act of writing Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh (Afghanistan in the course of history) during the time that the ruling dynasty was still in power.

His son, Hashmat Khalil Ghobar, recalls a day when a government agent came into their house. He insinuated that if Ghobar is imprisoned again because of these political activities, what would happen to his three young daughters? Ghobar ask this person, “How many do you estimate the population of Afghanistan?” the man answered that it was been 12 and 15 million people. Ghobar said, “Half of this number, about 8 million, is girls and women. How can I give up fighting for the rights of 8 million daughters of this nation because of my three daughters?”

When Ghobar died, he left behind his wife, Saleha Ghobar, and seven children (Maria Ghobar, Rona Ghobar, Donia Ghobar, Asad Hasan Ghobar, Ashraf Shuhab Ghobar, Ibrahim Adham Ghobar, and Hashmat Khalil Ghobar). Ghobar has written in his notes about his life “saleha Begum” intelligent and hard working, my life long friend, has participated with patience and dignity in all of the sad and dangerous events of my life, has raised good children, and has tolerated many difficulties.

 

Ghobar’s work:

It must be noted that until 70 years ago, the history of Afghanistan, in spite of its richness, had been left unclear and unknown in the history books written by foreigners and other writers. Even in schools throughout Afghanistan, the history the country was taught from 18^th century onward. Of course, this sad and regrettable situation was undermining the country’s history, its national unity, and integrity. Ghobar is the first individual who, seventy years ago, felt this great loss and started to document the true facts and to remedy this loss. These written works were the first on Afghanistan history as a country. New generation of Afghan historian all come after Ghobar. Forty years later, Ghobar once more presented, through writing Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh. The developed, form of writing analytical and scholarly history of Afghanistan.

Ghobar’s written works:

 

14-Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh (Afghanistan in the Course of history)Volume one 1967:

(840 pages, Kabul General Printing House, first print 3000 copies) this book was banned by the government of the time before the books distribution. Later, this book was published, repeatedly, outside of Afghanistan (more than 55,000 copies). This book is the first analytical history of Afghanistan that covers the period from the beginning of history to early 20^th century.

 

The story of printing and publishing of the first Volume of Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh:

In 1967, the book publishing house in Kabul signed an official written contract with Mir Ghulam Mohammed Ghobar to print his book in 3000 copies. Three hundred copies were promised to the author. At this time, this particular book publishing house belonged to the ministry of Information under Minister Abdul Rawoof Benawa. The current Prime Minister was Mohammed Hashem Maywandwal. However, as soon as the last page of the book was printed, the book was immediately banned by the ruling dynasty without any official announcement. Later, the new Prime Minister (Noor Ahmad Etemaady), officially announced in a parliamentary meeting, without any legal or court process, the Banning of the first volume of Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh. At this time, Mohammed Anas, The new minister of Information, officially summoned Ghobar to the Ministry of Information, and requested the return of 40 copies of the book that Ghobar had obtained during the printing process, based on the signed contract. The Minister questioned Ghobar with a threatening tone, “You have spent much of your life in prison and in exile and the locks and chains of prison are weary of you, but still you write this kind of book?” Ghobar answered “You have not seen my house. Only a wall separates my home from the Kabul city prison. The room I have is smaller than the one given to me when I was in prison, so the threat of prison has no effect on me. I consider it my duty to write the true history of the people of Afghanistan. Legally, the history book I have written must be released. The government can then use its power to hire and assign writers who serve the government, writers who have already distorted the facts and history of the past, to respond to my book in writing.”

While this ruling dynasty was in power, and throughout Ghobar’s lifetime, the first Volume of Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh remained banned. One month after the fall of the ruling dynasty by the communist coup in 1978 (several months after Ghobar’s death), the new soviet puppet regime, released Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh (vol.1) in summer of 1978, for the purpose of gaining people’s trust. However, three days later, the puppet government sought to ban it, realizing the strong “anti foreign invaders” spirit of the book. At the time, most of the three thousands copies had already been purchased by people, and there was nothing left to be banned. Since that time, this book has been republished several times (about 55,000.copies) in location outside of Afghanistan.

 

15-Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh (Afghanistan in the Course of history) Volume two:

At the time that Ghobar wrote this book in Kabul in 1973, there was no possibility of its publication because Afghanistan was run by the dictator president, Mohammed Dawood. Ghobar, in his written will, assigned the job of safekeeping and publishing this book (at an appropriate time) to his son, Hashmat Khalil Ghobar.

Dangerous times of continued dictatorship and foreign invasions slowed the process of getting the book out of the country, printing, and publishing it. In June of 1999Hahmat K. Ghobar course of history at American speed print house VA, USA (in 285 pages), 5000 copies were printed. This book covers the eventful years of the second quarter of the 20^th century. So far (July 2000) this book has been re reprinted three times in other countries in 50,000 copies.

16-Afghanistan wa negahe Ba Tareekh-e-Aan (Afghanistan and A Look at its history), 1931:

In 190 pages, Kabul printing house, published in Kabul journal (2^nd – 12^th issues). This book covers the subject of Afghanistan geographical history.

 

17-Afghanistan Dar Hindustan(Afghanistan in India)1932:

In 95 pages, this book projects the history of Afghanistan’s political influence in India.

 

18-Tareekh-e-Mokhtasar-e-Afghanistan (A Brief history of Afghanistan), 1932:

In 68 pages, printed in the first volume of Kabul Saalnaama (yearly) Kabul printing house. This book reviews the history of Afghanistan from the beginning of Avesta period until 20^th century, and includes a list of Afghanistan’s initial names, regions and borders in the form of an appendix.

19-Tareekh-e-Ahmad Shah Baba (History of Ahmad Shah Baba),1943:

In 352 pages, Ghobar wrote this book while he was in exile in Kandahar (a region in a south of Afghanistan). The book was published (with some difficulty) after he turned to Kabul. It includes historical events in Afghanistan during the 18^th century.

 

20-Khorasan, 1947:

In 100 Pages, Kabul Printing House. This is a study and research re “Khorasan”, which was the name of the country (now Afghanistan) for more than 1500 years. The study is based on valid sources of historical and geographical documents.

 

21-Resal-e-Omara-e-Mahalee Afghanistan (Pamphlet on local Government in Afghanistan), 1933-1934:

In 58 pages, Kabul printing house, published in “Ariana” journal, 2^nd year, volume 3-7.

 

22-Tareekh-e-Islam and Nofooz-e-Arab in Afghanistan (History of Islam and Arab Influence in Afghanistan). 1947:

In 112 pages, Kabul printing house is included in 3^rd volume of Afghanistan History.

 

23-Quroon-e-Ula (Early Centuries), 1947:

In 226 pages, Kabul printing House, Ghobar wrote this book in cooperation with Dost Mohammed Khan, a history teacher, as part of history curriculum 10^th grade of public school.

 

24-Afghanistan Ba Yak Nazar (Afghanistan at one Glance), 1947:

In 284 pages, Kabul printing House. The government of the time (who belonged to Mohmmedzayee dynasty), did not like the page with information about Mohammedzayee Ruling period, and censored and replaced that part.

 

25-Adabyat-e-Dowra-e-Mohammed Zayee (literature in Mohammed Zayee Period), 1952:

In 81 pages, Kabul printing house, published in the fifth chapter of history of Literature in Afghanistan.

 

26-A series of articles historical social and political 1943-1949:

These articles were published in Kabul periodical and newspapers, (among them in “Ariana” journal, 1943-1949). Ghobar, through these articles, projected Afghan scholars, and introduced some of Afghanistan’s historical handwritten books, as well as others.

“Iqtesad-e-Ma” (our economy), Ghobar’s famous article, was published in the daily newspaper “Islah” (correction), 51^st Vol, October 9^th, 1946. This analytical article expounded the nature of the economy of the country and a small group of major merchants and money holders who in cooperation with the government conducted trade. In this article, Ghobar revealed facts about a system, which greatly increased the financial by this group and resulted in increased general poverty among the people of the country, and destruction of urban and rural middle class economy and the middle and small businessman and merchants. This article much discussion and awareness. The government, during a session of the cabinet, interrogated and threatened Ghobar and punished the chief editor of Islah newspaper.

 

27-Setara-e-Afghan (Afghan star), 1920-1921:

Weekly two-page newspaper, printed in Jabul Saraaj print house (stone print) and later in Chareekar print house. Ghobar was chief editor and goal of the newspaper was to keep the spirit of fighting for independence from Britain. The time of the newspaper’s publication and distribution conceded with the beginning of Afghanistan war for liberty. Ghobar’s articles in the last issues of this newspaper were critical of the government too.

 

28-Watan (country). Political organ of Watan party, 1950-1951:

This weekly newspaper was published in Kabul. Ghobar was the founder and chief editor of Watan, and many of his political at that time were published there. Watan was banned by the government of the time and its publication was stopped.

 

29-Tareekh-e-Adabyat-e-Afghanistan (History Afghanistan literature):

From the beginning of historical era till 20^th century.

(This manuscript has not been printed yet.)

 

30-Ghobar’s notes about his life:

(This manuscript has not been printed yet.)

 

Reminder:

One must realize that most of Ghobar’s works were written within limitations imposed by the despotic regimes, during the publication of Ghobar’s works, government censors felt free to alter his original by adding, subtracting, and changing words and sentences, even deleting or changing pages.

Afghanistan Dar Maseer-e-Tareekh, (Afghanistan in the Course of History), was Gobar’s first work that was written without consideration of despotic environment and the government censors did not alter it, because as soon as the first volume of this book was printed, it was immediately banned and remained banned during the ruling dynasty’s governing period and Gobar’s life time. The second volume of this book was kept hidden, intact, until it was printed later in the US.