Monday, February 11, 2008

WAZIRS & DAWARS OF NORTH WAZIRISTAN

(FROM WATAN DOST http://watandost.blogspot.com/ )

Two issues forced the government’s hand in North Waziristan: first, the two main tribes, Wazir and Dawar, are involved in militancy against security forces; and two, the continued army operation and heavy bombing and shooting have shifted loyalties from the government to the militants. “All sub-tribes are involved in militancy against security forces,” former FATA security chief Brigadier (retd) Mehmood Shah told TFT in Peshawar.

The Wazir tribe lives mostly along the border while Dawars are spread from Miranshah to Bannu district. Compared to other Pashtun tribes, the Wazir have historically been able to evolve a system where internal feuds are dramatically reduced. Among most Pashtuns, a murder is to be avenged in such a way that the family or clan members of the murderer could be killed in revenge, setting off a longstanding feud among families. Among the Wazir, however, this does not apply and only the actual culprit is punished.

“With this one change in customs, the Wazir have been able to greatly decrease vendettas that once begun go on for generations. This custom has also ensured that the Wazir are more united as a tribe,” says a historian.

The Dawar are locally called “administered Wazir” because during the British Raj, they were known for striking deals with the colonisers; they have also been nicknamed “bazaari Qabils”, which means “untrustworthy tribesmen”. On the other hand, the Utmanzai Wazir were more rebellious and generally kept a distance from the British. Their areas, even then, were regarded as “no-go” zones. Dawar are also not known to have the same amount of “tribal integrity” that the Wazir are famous for.

But today, says a history teacher at a state-run college in Miranshah, jihadi sentiments are more dominant among the Dawar than the Wazir. “It is the Dawar who are more uncompromising,” he said.

The Madakhel sub-tribe of the Wazir, however, is also notorious for militancy both across the border and against Pakistani security forces. Its location on both sides of the Touchi River gives it strategic edge over other tribes and hence it is also able to facilitate militants in crossing over into Afghanistan, says one insider.

A government official told TFT the border could have been secured with the help of the Wazir “had General Safdar (Hussain) not pounded their areas before talks”. “This situation needed political handling. The government could have gone to the Wazir and asked for their help against militants but now the tribe is completely against us,” he said. “The Wazir are good negotiators and it is ironic that the government did not win them over,” he added.

Brigadier (retd) Mehmood Shah says another problem is that the tribal youth in North Waziristan is no more under the elders’ influence and are being completely indoctrinated by their Islamic teachers. “Even where elders of a particular tribe ask their youth to leave madrassas, they don’t listen anymore; tribal authority has, in this way, eroded and stands below the authority of religion and religious teachers,” Shah added.

This shows that the tribal structures, which the government was thinking of using to push back the Taliban, are now too weak in the face of new Islamic thinking. Under the circumstances, while the deal might have given some respite to government troops in the short-term, it is unlikely to play to Islamabad’s advantage in the long term.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

I think that I have to add some important informations about the wazirs and Dawar tribes.
Dawars are the educated people of Waziristan.The are the talented people as confirmed by Wazir tribe people.But the Wazirs ,as they also confirmed it,are uneducated uncivil.Wazirs do not know how to spend life.They have no respect of there women.Their behaviour is uncivilised like the Arabs before Islam.While on the other hand Dawars are more respectful even then Masudes.They know their self respect.They are very friendly people.
Wazirs even do not know how to treat the human being.Dawars are peaceful people and have more power even than Wazirs.
According to one research made in 2007 84% Dawars are educated while only 7% of Wazirs.
According to this research there are only 2 primery schools and no primery school in Wazir's area while in Dawar's area there are 17 primery schools ,11 heigher secondary schools,54 private schools,4 government colleges and 17 private colleges.Also an engineering university and a medical college are under construction.In Dawar's area there is a government and private hospitals in every village.The hospitals in Wazir's areas have even no doctor and people use these hospitals as there houses.

Unknown said...

I self belong to this mentioned area of (North Waziristan Agency)....The map of words drown by the writter is incorrect.....Wazir's are more civilized,cultural and historic minded people....Govt servants (political Agent & APO's) deals with Wazir (Malaks) abot any issue whatever it arise in the whole of this area....They are educated as well and now aday's many wazir officers are parforming his duties in Waziristan as well as other cities of the country

Shamran Wazir Paryat Dossali

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hamid said...

Actually we are not the part of Pakistan as u have studied that dawar is the tribe of putoks province in Afghanistan but due to poverty there in Afghanistan tribes cannot excess to live in standard.on the other side Pakistan forced us to be the part of it unfortunately we are no more the tribes of Afghanistan.(munga qabza karii tribes u).so now we should be Pakistani and will be do any thing for the welfare of pak region.dawar and wazir are the more professional and skillfully peoples than other tribes so we should be proud to be a unit through out.

Majnoon Khan said...

the artificial author has used some useless words fr dawar tribe.dawar are most respected,educated people in nwa.their life style iz appreciable.

Majnoon Khan said...

their iz no difference between dawars and wazirs.all pukhtoons at the end go to have a single ancestor.if the author want that by this way the respect of dawar around the globe will cease than this iz his wrong and incomplete perception.dawars and wazirs,both are educated,civilized,honourable people.we should not try to make any difference between them.fr such types of posts,the two words knowing auther will nevev never never and inshallah never get its useless goals.

Dr Jehangir Dawar said...
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Dr Jehangir Dawar said...

Writer has no knowledge and no information about ancestry of tribes,their political atmosphere,geographical situation and it's effect on their history.Dawar are descended from Karlani race.Karlan has grand son named Shetak whose father name is Kakay.Dawars live in fertile land of Tochi Valley and in proximity of Bazar.They have access to Schools,colleges,Electricity,TelePhone,Television,safe drinking water and other aminities of life.They spend a blessing life.They have a great role in Freedom movement of Faqir Api,initally Molvi Allah Bakhsh dawar was chosen as Freedom movement leader in a tribal gathering on 14 April 1936 atNethasi Village,half way between Mirali and Khaisor But he was old Person and could not manage such heavy responsibility.Previous gathering againt Bristish government was also held at Dawar village Edak in Miraly on 11 April while subsequent gathering at called Malak zdar on 13 April 1936,also a Dawar Village called Tapi.Thus handed over the leadership to Haji Mirzali khan who was also supported and settled by Dawar Tribe.Dawar land was not fit for Guerrilla war,so Faqir Ipi shifted to the far flung isolated mountainous areas of Wazir tribe. General shadi khel dawar played good role in history of Afghan Durani Empire.Tochi Vally is a door from Afghanistan beyond deurand line,so Dawar come across many Foreign persons entering through this route.Dawar are open minded,adopt to new ideas to some extent but not fully.They are very much cultural and conscious about islamic values.You will find a Dawar man in happy mood always,won't interfere in your personal affairs inappropriately,respecting their women and prefer to enjoy life fully....

Architect Arif Khan. said...

I think the writer does not know about the history and current situation of Wazir and Dawar tribes, they are close more them brothers, take stand on each other and fight shoulder to shoulder. The point that the writer mentioned *that Dawar are not trustworthy according to him, you should know that the plains are always under the commands of a strong tribal, and those who can't control the plain area are often drew away from their lands but Dawars from unknown times are holding the Tochi river most fertile lands.
Point to be noted, nowadays there are more Waziristani students in each university of KPK and other universities of Pakistan than other tribal students(i wish the other tribals students could get yo universities too). Please do not spread misinformation, this is very bad when someone spread misinformation about unknown facts and it is a crime. Regards Architect Arif Khan.