Document #1271581
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
According to the attached articles, Hezb-e
Wahdat-e Eslami or the Islamic Unity Party (IUP) is a pro-Iranian
party of Afghanistan's Shia minority, known as Hazaras. Abdol Ali
Mazari is the IUP leader. Following the 1992 collapse of the
Communist regime of Afghanistan, this party, which had demanded 25
per cent of cabinet positions in the Afghan government for the
Shias, joined the provisional government of the Afghan Mojahedin in
Kabul (BBC Summary 17 July 1992; AP 23 Sept. 1992; TASS 24 Sept.
1992).
The dissatisfaction with the distribution
of power among the Mojahedin groups forming the provisional
government instigated the civil war in Afghanistan, which pitted
different Afghan groups representing different regions, ethnic
groups and Muslim sects against each other. Dissatisfied with its
share of power after a short period of cooperation with the
provisional government, the IUP joined other groups fighting
against the primarily Tajik dominated Kabul government led by
President Burhanuddin Rabbani, which it described as "illegitimate"
(BBC Summary of World Broadcasts 12 and 19 Jan. 1993; The
Christian Science Monitor, 23 Feb. 1993; Jane's Intelligence
Review 1 Mar. 1993).
Despite its opposition to the Kabul
government, the IUP declared neutrality when the Uzbek National
Islamic Front for Northern Afghanistan (NIFNA), led by General
Dustum, along with the Islamic Party of Gulbeddin Hekmatyar,
initiated a new round of fighting against that government (TASS 4
Jan. 1994). In 1994 the IUP joined a coalition of Afghan groups
consisting of the NIFNA, the Islamic Party and the National Islamic
Salvation Front, which were fighting the Kabul government (Xinhua 7
Dec. 1994).
Attached please also find the BBC Summary
of World Broadcasts of 13 October 1993 and 16 October 1992, which
refer to the fighting in Kabul involving the IUP and to the merger
of Afghanistan's Hezbollah Party with the IUP in October 1992,
respectively.
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
The Associated Press (AP). 23 September
1992. AM Cycle. John Jennings. "Shiite Group Joins Afghan
Government." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 19
January 1993. "Wahdat-e Eslami Leader Denounces Government."
(NEXIS)
_____. 12 January 1993. "Sporadic
Clashes and Rocketing Continuing in Kabul." (NEXIS)
_____. 17 July 1992. "Shi'a Leader Calls
for 25% Share in Government." (NEXIS)
The Christian Science Monitor
[Boston]. 23 February 1993. Jim Muir. "Afghanistan Faces
Disintegration as Rebel Factions Fight Each Other." (NEXIS)
Jane's Intelligence Review. 1
March 1993. Anthony Davis. "The Afghan Army." (NEXIS)
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union
(TASS). 4 January 1994. Sergei Bulantsev. "Fierce Fighting in
Afghanistan." (NEXIS)
_____. 24 September 1992. "Why Did the
Shi'ites Join the Rabbani Government." (NEXIS)
Xinhua News Agency. 7 December 1994.
"Afghan Groups to New Round of Indirect Talks." (NEXIS)
The Associated Press (AP). 23 September
1992. AM Cycle. John Jennings. "Shiite Group Joins Afghan
Government." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 31
October 1994. "Internal Affairs; Faction Leaders Mojaddedi and
Mazari Meet West of Kabul." (NEXIS)
_____. 13 October 1993. "Fighting in
Kabul; Ceasefire Negotiations Reportedly under Way." (NEXIS)
_____. 19 January 1993. "Wahdat-e Eslami
Leader Denounces Government." (NEXIS)
_____. 12 January 1993. "Sporadic
Clashes and Rocketing Continuing in Kabul." (NEXIS)
_____. 16 October 1992. "Shiite Parties
Merge." (NEXIS)
_____. 17 July 1992. "Shi'a Leader Calls
for 25% Share in Government." (NEXIS)
The Christian Science Monitor
[Boston]. 23 February 1993. Jim Muir. "Afghanistan Faces
Disintegration as Rebel Factions Fight Each Other." (NEXIS)
Jane's Intelligence Review. 1
March 1993. Anthony Davis. "The Afghan Army." (NEXIS)
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union
(TASS). 4 January 1994. Sergei Bulantsev. "Fierce Fighting in
Afghanistan." (NEXIS)
_____. 24 September 1992. "Why Did the
Shi'ites Join the Rabbani Government." (NEXIS)
Xinhua News Agency. 7 December 1994.
"Afghan Groups to New Round of Indirect Talks." (NEXIS)