Haron Amin
Encyclopedia
Haron Amin was the Afghan
ambassador
to Japan
and non-resident ambassador to Thailand
, the Philippines and Singapore
from 2004 to 2009. He is chiefly known, however, for his role as spokesman for the Northern Alliance
during the U.S.
-led invasion of his country after the events of September 11, 2001. A constant presence in American media prior to the Taliban's collapse, Amin was appointed chargé d'affaires
to the United States by the interim Afghan government on 14 January 2002. He was the highest-ranking Afghan diplomat in Washington
for a year-long period in 2002-03, before being appointed to the Tokyo
embassy in 2004.
Amin was born in Kabul
in 1969, but fled Afghanistan with his family during the Soviet invasion of 1979
, eventually settling in the United States. He returned to his home country in 1988 to fight with the mujahideen
under their commander Ahmed Shah Massoud
, who assigned Amin to Afghanistan's embassy in Washington in 1990. Amin worked for the foreign ministry in various capacities until the government's fall to the Taliban in 1996. At the time of the Sept. 11 attacks, Amin was an employee of the Afghan mission to the United Nations
, which was still in the hands of the pre-Taliban government.
Amin, who holds a master's degree
in political science from New York's St. John's University, was mentioned in 2002 as one of 77 "People for the Future" in Newsweek
magazine.
In 2007, drawing from his years in Japan, he wrote "Afghan-Japan Relations: Lands Under the Rising Sun". The book deals with historical relations and similarities between Japan and Afghanistan, and is the first to directly compare Afghanistan's and Japan's past and cultural heritage.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and non-resident ambassador to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, the Philippines and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
from 2004 to 2009. He is chiefly known, however, for his role as spokesman for the Northern Alliance
Northern Alliance
The Afghan Northern Alliance is a military-political umbrella organization created by the Islamic State of Afghanistan in 1996.Northern Alliance may also refer to:*Northern Alliance , a Canadian white supremacist group...
during the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-led invasion of his country after the events of September 11, 2001. A constant presence in American media prior to the Taliban's collapse, Amin was appointed chargé d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
to the United States by the interim Afghan government on 14 January 2002. He was the highest-ranking Afghan diplomat in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
for a year-long period in 2002-03, before being appointed to the Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
embassy in 2004.
Amin was born in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
in 1969, but fled Afghanistan with his family during the Soviet invasion of 1979
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
, eventually settling in the United States. He returned to his home country in 1988 to fight with the mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
under their commander Ahmed Shah Massoud
Ahmed Shah Massoud
Ahmad Shah Massoud was a Kabul University engineering student turned military leader who played a leading role in driving the Soviet army out of Afghanistan, earning him the name Lion of Panjshir. His followers call him Āmir Sāhib-e Shahīd...
, who assigned Amin to Afghanistan's embassy in Washington in 1990. Amin worked for the foreign ministry in various capacities until the government's fall to the Taliban in 1996. At the time of the Sept. 11 attacks, Amin was an employee of the Afghan mission to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, which was still in the hands of the pre-Taliban government.
Amin, who holds a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in political science from New York's St. John's University, was mentioned in 2002 as one of 77 "People for the Future" in Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine.
In 2007, drawing from his years in Japan, he wrote "Afghan-Japan Relations: Lands Under the Rising Sun". The book deals with historical relations and similarities between Japan and Afghanistan, and is the first to directly compare Afghanistan's and Japan's past and cultural heritage.