Christian Cemetery in Kabul Survives Through Toughest Periods of Afghan History

By Ivana Kvesic, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, August 09, 2011

A small British cemetery, with high walls, lies in the center of Kabul and offers the world a peak into the deep and tumultuous history of the Central Asian nation of Afghanistan.

The cemetery, which is also known in Kabul as the “Christian Cemetery,” was built during the last British colonial attempt to annex the country now known as the “graveyard of empires.”

The cemetery dates back to over 150 years.

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The caretaker of the cemetery for over 30 years, Rahimullah, passed away in 2010. Prior to his death he complained of a dropping number of foreign visitors but he told his family of the importance of maintaining the landmark.

Rahimullah took it upon himself to tend to the cemetery over 30 years ago because he was a shepherd and the cemetery grass served as prime grazing for his animals.

Through Rahimullah, a devout Muslim, and his hungry sheep, the cemetery was able to survive through the excessively challenging periods of Soviet invasion, civil war, Taliban rule, and U.S. invasion.

Upon his death, Rahimullah’s son Abdul Sami, has been tending to the cemetery. Like his father, Sami has also dedicated his life to the cemetery but told the Herald that, "This place is very nearly not here." He credits his father's devotion, even during the dangerous Taliban rule, for the fact that the cemetery is still standing.

The question of a Christian cemetery's ability to survive under current security conditions will become increasingly relevant in the near future with the imminent pull out of U.S. troops from the country and a recent United Nations report that highlights that security in Afghanistan hit an all time low this past June.

The cemetery is one of the few foreign historical and Christian landmarks that have survived Taliban rule. The earliest graves that can be found lying within the cemetery can be traced back to 1879 and foreigners of all backgrounds have been laid to rest within its compounds.

The cemetery serves as a reminder of the history of Afghanistan and the history of an interconnected world where different faiths may collide but their symbols but need not be extinguished.