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“The pain we feel in separation is the price we pay for love.” ― Hatef Mokhtar, The Red Wrath - A Journey Between Two Destinies
The Red Wrath by Hatef Mokhtar is the tale of Asif Khan, a boy born in a village in Afghanistan during the reign of President Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan in the 1970s. Against the backdrop of his reign, Afghanistan was on its way towards progress; it meant a civil and unified society and the emancipation of women. For Asif, his family and friends, it was a regular idyllic life of the landed gentry in a village. He lived with his parents (Zulfikar and Hasiba) and brother and sister and they were happy and safe. Modernization had not swept into their region and people still relied on horses and carriages and life in terms of infrastructure meant arduous. Mazar-i-Sharif was the closest city they could go to for an outing or a trip if someone was unwell and needed to see a doctor.
However life was not meant to be remotely easy for these ordinary folks for long. In Kabul, the political situation was not hunky-dory. In 1978, President Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan was assassinated by the communists and the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) came to power in 1978. Thus began the brutal killings and torturing of intellectuals, religious figures and the elite. Nur Mohammad Taraki became the president. However his reign was interrupted by his assassination and Hafizullah Amin came to power. The Soviets replaced him and Afghanistan fell into an abyss of despair. Asif’s father, Zulfikar was jailed never to return home. He died in police custody and his family never got to know where he was buried. His only flaw was that he did not believe in communism and he stood up to his opponents. Their flight from one village to the other could not save them from the vindictiveness of those in power. They sunk into deep poverty. The lives of Asif, his family and those around him changed for the worse. Amidst the turmoil, their haven of survival seemed to be Peshawar in Pakistan. The life and deaths in the refugee camp took a severe emotional toll on him and his family until they returned to Afghanistan after the Soviets. Afghanistan never remained the same; the Taliban had taken over. There began another reign of terror and fanaticism. Left with no choice, Asif had to flee and seek asylum in Norway.
This book is a heart-wrenching read of a country that has been shattered by autocratic rule, zealots, and fanaticism. It throws light on their idea of freedom, love for their community as an entire family, and the plight and role of women in their society. Hatef Mokhtar has raised some thought-provoking questions on widow remarriage and love.
The essence of this story lies in the concept of forgiveness; Asif loses his father and sister, loses his innocence working in Peshawar to provide for his mother and brother, he is harassed by the police on the rough lanes of Peshawar and his faith is questioned by the Taliban. Yet he forgives. Secondly, the book reveals a very resilient spirit in Asif despite his fear of human loss, stress and break down. He remains positive or rather moves on and not once does he become bitter filled with hatred and loathing. His love and sacrifice for his family is beautifully described and all through the book, he is a giver. Thirdly, The Red Wrath sheds light on the importance of human rights, individual dignity, the right to education and the freedom of speech. Further the author has chronicled the history of modern Afghanistan in a stark yet riveting way.
The Red Wrath by Hatef Mokhtar is the tale of Asif Khan, a boy born in a village in Afghanistan during the reign of President Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan in the 1970s. Against the backdrop of his reign, Afghanistan was on its way towards progress; it meant a civil and unified society and the emancipation of women. For Asif, his family and friends, it was a regular idyllic life of the landed gentry in a village. He lived with his parents (Zulfikar and Hasiba) and brother and sister and they were happy and safe. Modernization had not swept into their region and people still relied on horses and carriages and life in terms of infrastructure meant arduous. Mazar-i-Sharif was the closest city they could go to for an outing or a trip if someone was unwell and needed to see a doctor.
However life was not meant to be remotely easy for these ordinary folks for long. In Kabul, the political situation was not hunky-dory. In 1978, President Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan was assassinated by the communists and the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) came to power in 1978. Thus began the brutal killings and torturing of intellectuals, religious figures and the elite. Nur Mohammad Taraki became the president. However his reign was interrupted by his assassination and Hafizullah Amin came to power. The Soviets replaced him and Afghanistan fell into an abyss of despair. Asif’s father, Zulfikar was jailed never to return home. He died in police custody and his family never got to know where he was buried. His only flaw was that he did not believe in communism and he stood up to his opponents. Their flight from one village to the other could not save them from the vindictiveness of those in power. They sunk into deep poverty. The lives of Asif, his family and those around him changed for the worse. Amidst the turmoil, their haven of survival seemed to be Peshawar in Pakistan. The life and deaths in the refugee camp took a severe emotional toll on him and his family until they returned to Afghanistan after the Soviets. Afghanistan never remained the same; the Taliban had taken over. There began another reign of terror and fanaticism. Left with no choice, Asif had to flee and seek asylum in Norway.
This book is a heart-wrenching read of a country that has been shattered by autocratic rule, zealots, and fanaticism. It throws light on their idea of freedom, love for their community as an entire family, and the plight and role of women in their society. Hatef Mokhtar has raised some thought-provoking questions on widow remarriage and love.
The essence of this story lies in the concept of forgiveness; Asif loses his father and sister, loses his innocence working in Peshawar to provide for his mother and brother, he is harassed by the police on the rough lanes of Peshawar and his faith is questioned by the Taliban. Yet he forgives. Secondly, the book reveals a very resilient spirit in Asif despite his fear of human loss, stress and break down. He remains positive or rather moves on and not once does he become bitter filled with hatred and loathing. His love and sacrifice for his family is beautifully described and all through the book, he is a giver. Thirdly, The Red Wrath sheds light on the importance of human rights, individual dignity, the right to education and the freedom of speech. Further the author has chronicled the history of modern Afghanistan in a stark yet riveting way.