Ethnic tensions are growing between rival groups of immigrants from Afghanistan in Melbourne over the proposed renaming of a shopping precinct in Dandenong dubbed Afghan Bazaar.
Members of the Hazara ethnic group last year started a petition to have the Thomas Street strip’s name changed to Little Bamiyan, claiming the proposed name is “more neutral and inclusive” whereas the word “Afghan” refers to the Pashtun ethnic group and “carries painful and traumatic memories”.
But the Greater Dandenong City Council is now seeking police advice on whether to cancel a meeting on Tuesday amid rising fears the centuries-old sectarian divisions will turn violent after a TikTok video emerged of a young Hazara man threatening to “stab Pashtuns anywhere I see them”, The Age reported.
Mayor Jim Memeti said threats and violent posts had the community on edge, and Victoria Police confirmed they had been contacted to provide advice on whether the meeting should proceed.
“We have had people contact council and say they have received disturbing messages and [are] getting a bit fearful,” Mr Memeti said.
“We are just trying to settle things down. Council is very concerned, and we don’t want this to get out of hand.”
The Tajik ethnic group are also involved, and have suggested changing the name to Little Kabul, but a meeting last month between representatives of all three ethnic factions, state and federal police and Home Affairs and chaired by Mr Memeti did not succeed in calming tensions.
Mr Memeti said he was asking for seeking special government funding to establish an independent name changing process, saying he was “proud” of the area’s cultural diversity and that they had “always lived in peace and harmony”.
At the time of the 2021 Census 9.7% of Dandenong’s population was Hazara, while 7.4% said they were of Afghan ancestry. 9.1% of residents gave their ancestry as Australian, 30.9% were born in Australia, 34.1% were Muslim, and only 23.5% spoke English only at home.
Hazara community leader Saied Rezawi, who has suggested the name Harmony Bazaar as a compromise, said he had never seen hate between Hazaras, Pashtuns and Tajiks in his 28 years of service in the area.
“They are bringing clashes from 200 years ago into Australia, which is ridiculous,” he said.
The Pashtun spokesman for the Afghan Islamic Centre, Rokhan Akbar, said his “whole community is shocked and in fear for themselves and their children” due to the TikTok video.
“We chose Australia as our home because of its freedom of choice, democracy and equality. Then we have crazy people like this,” he said.
Both community leaders attended a meeting on February 21 hosted by Mr Memeti where they signed a joint statement “emphasising the importance of community safety and peace”.
Header image: Afghan Bazaar (Greater Dandenong City Council).
