The Narratives – Mohamed Miah

In modern times, a lot is said about global terrorism, drug trafficking, and corruption, yet few people, especially those in the West, connect these narratives to their true origins: the centuries-long history of colonial exploitation. 

While opium is often associated with Afghanistan, the truth is that the West’s involvement in the opium trade—and its broader campaign of global resource extraction—dates back much further, painting a picture of an empire built on subjugation and deceit.

The Opium Trade

The cultivation of opium in Afghanistan is often framed as a local issue, a scourge on the region’s economy and a crutch for insurgents. However, what many fail to acknowledge is that the West, especially Britain, has been deeply entangled in the global opium trade for centuries. The Opium Wars of the 19th century were waged by the British to force China into opening its markets to opium, a devastating drug that ravaged the country’s population. It was not about trade or free markets—it was about domination.

When the Taliban briefly curtailed opium production in Afghanistan in 2000, this move threatened a larger, more insidious network of global players with interests tied to the trade. After the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, opium production surged once again, raising questions about who really benefits from the drug’s cultivation. The situation echoes the colonial patterns seen in the past, where Western powers sought control not just of territory but of lucrative trades that weakened local populations and empowered foreign interests.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) was founded during the height of British colonialism to facilitate trade, particularly the opium trade, between a submissive China and the British Empire. Hong Kong, a key financial hub, was effectively a British colony for over a century, with its return to China in 1997 still reflecting deep-rooted tensions. Taiwan, too, remains a flashpoint in modern geopolitics, largely due to the legacy of Western intervention and exploitation in the region. The same pattern of Western powers dividing and dominating can be seen across the globe.

Violent Legacy in Africa and India

In Africa, the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 saw European powers literally carving up the continent without the consent of its inhabitants. Entire nations were divided along arbitrary lines, separating communities and disrupting longstanding cultural and trade networks. The effects of these divisions are still felt today, with many African nations struggling under the weight of borders drawn by colonial powers with no regard for local dynamics.

India, too, was subjected to the cruelty of divide and rule. The British exploited religious and social divisions, culminating in the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. The partition led to one of the largest mass migrations in human history, resulting in the deaths of over a million people and the displacement of tens of millions more. The scars of this division linger on in the form of ongoing tensions between the two nations.

The horrors of British colonial rule extend to famine and deliberate starvation. The Bengal Famine of 1943, under British rule, saw millions starve to death while food was diverted to the British war effort. When confronted with the famine, British officials, including Winston Churchill, dismissed Indian suffering, with some even uttering the callous phrase, “let them starve.” This deliberate disregard for human life is mirrored in the Irish Famine of the 19th century, where British policies exacerbated the crisis, leading to mass starvation and the emigration of millions. These events underscore how colonial powers often sacrificed the lives of colonised people for their own gain.

While colonialism took different forms in different parts of the world, its underlying mechanisms were often the same: dispossession, exploitation, and, in many cases, outright genocide. In Australia and New Zealand, indigenous populations were systematically wiped out or marginalised by British settlers. Entire cultures were destroyed as European settlers seized land and resources. The story is similar in the Americas, where indigenous populations were decimated by European diseases, killing, and forced relocation. The genocide of indigenous peoples in these regions was not an unfortunate byproduct of colonisation—it was an intentional effort to eliminate resistance and claim land.

Collective Punishment

After World War II, the suffering did not end with the fall of Nazi Germany. Ordinary Germans, many of whom had no ties to the Nazi regime, were subjected to collective punishment. Starvation, poverty, and deprivation were widespread, and they were labelled Nazi sympathisers, even when they were not. The West’s approach to post-war Germany mirrored its colonial policies: punish the masses to make an example, regardless of individual guilt. This created long-lasting resentment and trauma in a country already devastated by war.

The legacy of Western domination continues today in the form of sanctions. Countries like Cuba, Russia, North Korea, and Iran are economically sanctioned, not to encourage peace or cooperation, but to make them bow down to Western hegemony. Instead of working with these nations to integrate them into the global sphere, sanctions are imposed to isolate and weaken them. This modern form of colonial control perpetuates the same dynamics of domination and exploitation that defined the old empires.

Terrorism in a Different Name

Colonial powers have long used violent tactics to control the resources and people of the Global South. Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, and later the US, carved out vast empires in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, often leaving behind a trail of death, displacement, and destruction. Yet, living in Western nations today, most people are largely unaware of this brutal history. Why? Because the narratives have been manipulated for centuries.

Through propaganda, indigenous populations were dehumanised, depicted as “savages” resisting “civilisation.” This narrative, crafted in films, literature, and education, made it easier to justify the violence inflicted upon them. People resisting colonialism were not seen as fighting for their freedom but were portrayed as villains standing in the way of progress.

In reality, these so-called villains were vastly outgunned. The technological superiority of colonial powers, combined with their alliances and strategies of divide and conquer, made resistance difficult. Yet, resistance was constant—from the Zulu wars in Africa to the Sepoy Rebellion in India—peoples across the globe fought for their right to self-determination. But history, as written by the victors, whitewashed these struggles and cast colonial rulers in a noble light.

The Mask Hiding the Guilt

Even today, many in the West see their nations as bastions of democracy and human rights, while viewing the Global South through a lens of dysfunction and chaos. This perception is rooted in centuries of propaganda, which continues to frame the West as a civilising force. As a result, Western countries often avoid confronting their colonial legacies or acknowledging the immense wealth they built through violence and exploitation.

This refusal to look in the mirror is pervasive. While indigenous peoples across the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania were dispossessed, enslaved, and subjected to genocide, modern Western education rarely dives into these atrocities. Instead, students learn about the supposed “benefits” of colonialism—railways, infrastructure, and the spread of Western values. What’s left out is that these infrastructures were built to speed up resource extraction, not to benefit the local populations.

Would the colonised nations have developed independently without Western interference? Almost certainly. These societies were rich in culture, knowledge, and innovation before colonial powers imposed their will. They could have embraced technology on their own terms, fostering more sustainable, equitable growth. Instead, their lands and labour were stolen to build Western economies, leaving them impoverished and dependent.

The Western Ego and the Fear of Reckoning

Why does the West resist facing its colonial past? The answer lies in the ego of empire. Admitting guilt and seeking forgiveness would mean acknowledging that the wealth and power of the West were built on exploitation.

Instead, it’s easier to maintain the status quo, where the West continues to exploit resources, labour, and markets in the Global South. Even after formal colonisation ended, Western powers exert control through international institutions like the IMF and World Bank, maintaining economic dominance. This is a continuation of the same dynamics that governed the old empires, but under the guise of economic development and financial aid.

The refusal to engage in self-reflection cannot last forever. Throughout history, great empires have fallen when their arrogance outgrew their capacity to adapt. The West is no exception. The ongoing exploitation of the Global South, coupled with growing social and economic inequality, is eroding the very foundations of Western power. Climate change, largely driven by Western industrialisation, is hitting the Global South hardest, exacerbating the inequalities that colonialism first created.

Empires built on exploitation eventually collapse. The Western world’s unwillingness to confront its past, coupled with its continued exploitation of formerly colonised nations, is a recipe for decline. Economic systems that perpetuate inequality, environmental degradation, and political instability are unsustainable. The Global South is growing restless, demanding a new order—one that is just, equitable, and acknowledges the sins of the past.

The same way Israel does not own Palestine is the same way the Americas are not truly owned by the immigrant American, Canadian, and Spanish conquerors. It is the same way Australia and New Zealand do not belong to their British occupiers, and the same way islands like the Falklands and Gibraltar are not truly owned by the British. 

One day, the occupiers will have to give back what they snatched. History cannot ever be erased. No matter how many movies are made or what is taught in classrooms, the truth will always surface.

And now, history is repeating itself in Gaza and the West Bank. The longer this injustice continues, the more people will wake up. People are rising against oppression in all its forms, demanding justice, equality, and an end to the cycles of violence and domination.

As the West clings to its moral authority, claiming to stand for democracy and human rights, the world is beginning to see through the cracks. The contradictions between the West’s professed values and its actions—both historical and current—are too glaring to ignore. And as more voices from the Global South rise to challenge these narratives, the West’s ego may indeed be its downfall.

If the West continues down this path without reckoning with its past, the global balance of power may shift in ways it cannot control. The only way forward is through truth, humility, and a genuine commitment to justice. But can an empire built on ego ever face itself?

This is the narrative that many in the West are not told. But as history has shown time and again, the truth cannot be suppressed forever. The opium of denial is potent, but sooner or later, reality will break through. The question is: will the West be ready to face it?