Canada’s Deputy Speaker Urges Remembrance of Hazara Genocide, Notes Ongoing Abuses

Canada’s Deputy Speaker Urges Remembrance of Hazara Genocide, Notes Ongoing Abuses
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Tom Kmiec, Deputy Speaker of Canada’s House of Commons, has commemorated the anniversary of the Hazara genocide, stressing that the community in Afghanistan continues to face targeted violence and harassment. In a statement marking the occasion, Kmiec recalled that Emir Abdur Rahman Khan ordered mass killings and forced displacement of Hazaras between 1891 and 1893, leading to the death or exile of more than half the population.

He emphasized that remembering the atrocity is vital to honor victims, support survivors, and prevent historical injustices from being forgotten. Kmiec also extended solidarity to Hazaras in Afghanistan and abroad, affirming that “you are not forgotten.” The Canadian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has previously recognized the massacres and warned of ongoing discrimination, highlighting the relevance of the September 25 commemoration.