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SHOKOOR
( Abdul Shokoor Khesrawi )
I have always had passion for art.
I was seven years old when I fell down
from an altitude and broke my right hip.
Ever since I have gone four times under
Orthopedic surgery. Unfortunately due to
lack of proper medical facility in Kabul
all four times surgeries were not only a
failure ,but also excruciating and a life
threatening experience. As a result of taking
strong antibiotics and other medications,
I have lost my hearing ability when I was 18
years old.
I have been diagnosed with the followings:
Life Threatening Chronic Osteomyelitis
Ottis Media” hearing disability”.
Kidney disorder and Migraine.
I have been living day by day and not been treated in the past 21 years.
I have tried to express my feeling through my art works, but I had so little opportunity during the war.
Most of my artworks has been destroyed and Art supplies can not be found.
I neither was able to find Art supplies nor I could have afford it.
Therefore I have been painting on a regular piece of papers , clothes and ,boards.
The terror was filling the air of Kabul, rain of bullets and rockets were in every corner and alley.
People were taken from their homes in the middle of the night to unknown places and have never been heard of them again.
Disparity, grief, anxiety and unrest were growing in every where of my country.
There had been curfew at night starting at 8 pm and people still have risked their lives to escape to Pakistan and Iran for safety.
Being a handicapped I have had a very little chance to escape.
I stuck in the war zone for 14 agonizing years.
I have witnessed the horror of war.
The emotional, physical, financial and the, psychological impact of the war has devastated us.
In 1993 I have managed to escape from my beloved country “Afghanistan “a long with my wife and two children and to seek refuge in neighboring country Pakistan.
I soon found out that we are going to face different challenges in Pakistan, such as language ,home, job, food and most importantly not knowing what the future is going to bring us in this strange land.
It didn’t take me too long to realize that Pakistan has its own political and economical problems along with the criminal activities, corruptions, kidnapping Human rights violations, and harassing Afghan refugees.
My family safety became a major concern in Pakistan.
Just to find a way to survive in Pakistan is an other challenge.
When I started to sell some of my art works on the side walk of the street of Islamabad, I had not been just stopped, but kicked by Pakistani Police and my art works had been thrown on the street and have been publicly humiliated, not once but over and over again .
Where ever I was trying to go and to sell my art works to make living, I was harassed kicked by some corrupted Pakistani Police.
It was a long and pain full nine years of sorrow and struggle on the street of Islamabad in Pakistan.
In 2002 I had to return to my native beloved country Afghanistan.
I soon have realized that I have been returned to a shattered home with no ceiling, windows, Doors or any running water.
The 23 years of war has devastated Afghanistan.
It is overwhelming to see that there are so many things need to be done.
Despite of all these difficulties “there is nothing like at home”
I have strong desire, hopes and dreams to rebuild my beloved country, as well as my own shattered life, to give hope for my children and others and to create arts without being persecuted.
It is my duty to tell the truth and to create a type of art works that reflects the perception of reality ,outcry , pain and agony of mankind.
I would like to think that through art we would be able to bring people together, to understand each other better, to live in peace, to treat one another with respect, justice and with kindness.
I believe that an Artist must dedicate her/his life to the art.
With all due respect,
Abdul Shokoor Khesrawi
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