A few days ago, we witnessed one of the streets in the city of Reims in northern France being named after Ahmad Shah Massoud; a figure who is considered a full-fledged spy. Although he was killed in 2001, the French government still occasionally takes various actions to appreciate this dark figure in the contemporary history of Afghanistan and strives to keep his memory alive.
In the past, the mayor of Paris had also named a part of a garden in the capital of France after Ahmad Shah Massoud.
Without a doubt, Afghanistan has always nurtured heroes and brave men throughout its history. However, the reason why the French government consistently refers to Ahmad Shah Massoud, a figure criticized within the country, as a “national hero” is that his services in securing France’s interests during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and thereafter cannot be overlooked. Among his most significant contributions was the collaboration in exploiting the country’s natural resources, particularly the emeralds of the Panjshir Valley.
Regarding whether the French government’s sustained support for Ahmad Shah Massoud and his son is a form of human sympathy or a political message against the caretaker government, it must be said that France’s historical crimes and injustices are not hidden from anyone, not only against Muslims but against humanity as a whole; a brief look at this country’s colonial past reveals this reality.
How is it possible for France to claim humanitarian sympathy for Ahmad Shah Massoud when, during the occupation of Algeria from 1830 to 1962, more than one and a half million Muslims were killed by this country?
So it can be said with certainty that such actions by the French government are not out of compassion, but rather have specific political goals and messages against the caretaker government. Such positions indicate that the severing of the Masood family’s influence in Afghanistan has threatened France’s illegitimate interests within the country.
It should also be noted that these trips and meetings of the opponents of the caretaker government have brought no benefit to the people of Afghanistan and are merely a sign of their efforts to secure the personal interests of their fictitious parties and fronts; a practice that was clearly evident during the twenty years of the Republic’s rule. Figures who introduced themselves as representatives of the people were never truly in service to the people and always prioritized their personal interests.
But the question is, what benefit do foreign propaganda and support have for Ahmad Massoud and the Resistance Front? And can this type of support guarantee his political survival? The answer is that although such propaganda may be beneficial for him in the short term, the history of the actions and betrayals of these figures during their rule will neutralize the impact of this propaganda in the long run and render all their efforts fruitless.
In conclusion, it must be said that what is today observed as the open support of the French government for Ahmad Massoud and his ilk stems from the same colonial and interventionist policies that were pursued years ago by figures like Ahmad Shah Massoud in Afghanistan. But experience has proven that false hero-making and foreign propaganda have never been able to find a real place among the awake and aware Muslim nation of Afghanistan, and sooner or later, the mask of deception will be removed from the faces of these claimants.
Note: The articles, essays, and comments published in Hindukush Voice only reflect the views of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the agreement of Hindukush Voice.
