“Australia continuously preaches that they don't discriminate on religion, ethnicity, and colour. Well, you are discriminating.” That's Homaira Mershedi, Vice President of the Afghan Australian Development Organisation.

The proposal to rebrand Dandenong’s ‘Afghan bazaar’ to ‘Little Bamiyan’ has sparked tension within the Afghan-Australian community. Two 30,000-plus signature petitions — one supporting Afghan Bazaar and the other Little Bamyan — were tabled at the City of Greater Dandenong Council in February.

On the one hand, Afghan community leaders have expressed disdain for the campaign to rename Thomas Street’s shopping precinct.

Afghan advocate and humanitarian veteran Homaira Mershedi has led efforts to preserve cultural identity and inclusivity in public spaces. 

Mershedi said the push to change the name was not only divisive, but also risks fragmenting the very community she helped build.

She fears it would set a dangerous precedent that could undermine the safety and unity of Dandenong residents.

“Division will just bring violence, it’s not going to bring comfort,” Mershedi said. 

“We came for peace, we want to remain for peace; we came for unity, we want to be one voice.”

For over two decades, the Dandenong shopping district has been renowned as an economic hub for Afghan traders and is one of Melbourne’s prominent cultural precincts.  

The Hazara community played a pivotal role in revitalising Thomas Street into a thriving city filled with bustling eateries and local grocery stores. A 2021 census found Victoria is home to more than 25,000 Afghanistan-born residents, with 80 per cent living in Greater Dandenong, City of Casey. 

Those in favour of changing the name say the term ‘Afghan’ perpetuates a history of marginalisation for the Hazara people.

Filmmaker and freelance photojournalist Barat Ali Batoor initiated the #IsupportLittleBamiyan movement, garnering thousands of supporters. His recent work was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and chronicles his escape from Afghanistan after his Washington exposé on child abuse by warlords led to death threats.  

“This is the first time in the history of Australia that someone visualised this story,” Batoor said. 

Smuggled out of Pakistan amid rising Hazara violence, Batoor documented his journey, offering a firsthand account of forced displacement and survival.

Hazara refugees had begun arriving in Australia during the late 1990s, fleeing Taliban persecution. Greater Dandenong quickly became a home for the community, earning a reputation as a "promised land" for Hazaras, with about 2,700 migrants arriving each year.  

Mershedi aided thousands of Afghan refugees in integrating into Australian society. The Afghan Australian Development Organisation (AADO) was one of the few organisations in contact with the immigration department that provided Hazara refugees with shelter, work and access to Medicare.

Witnessing the evolution of Afghan refugee resettlement firsthand was a source of hope. As the campaign gains traction online she questions whether her efforts were in vain as divisions over identity resurface.

“It’s more of international players that are playing the game within, showing the world that there is a conflict,” Mershedi said. 

A 2024 report by the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute found that while multiculturalism is widely supported, divisions within ethnic communities can arise when one group feels underrepresented in public discourse.

Batoor said the term ‘Afghan’ was not “trauma-informed”. The term has been exclusive to Pashtuns, carrying deep memories of genocide and serves as a symbolic erasure of Hazara's identity.

“Division? There has never been a unity,” Batoor said. “Our Hazaras are still being killed every day, and they are being evicted from their lands.”

The push for ‘Little Bamiyan’ holds cultural and historical value, serving as a metaphor for reclaiming agency. Bamiyan was a cultural landscape within Afghanistan known for being the most peaceful province and inclusive of different ethnic groups. For Hazaras, this holds deep significance after the Taliban destroyed its Buddha statues in 2001.

Where Mershedi said the name change “would be very sad, as it just proves a lot of negative facts”, Batoor said it is necessary to acknowledge historical injustices and prevent further harm.

“We should not be going through those traumas again because we have escaped this very same issue and found asylum here,” he said.

The City of Greater Dandenong was the first government body in the world to officially recognise the Hazara genocide. Community members now question why the same council is ignoring their plea to reject the name change.

“How can a council that champions Hazara recognition now turn a blind eye to this request?” Batoor said.  

All eight Labour councillors opposed a motion to temporarily remove the name until a community consultation was conducted. Concerns over transparency have grown, with critics accusing the Labour-dominated council of intentional delays and a lack of good faith in the process.

Mershedi said it is "sad that the council is turning a blind eye”.

Yet Batoor said “in Australia, everyone has a right to choose their pronouns. Why can't we choose what we want to be called, with our ethnic name?” 

Support for the name change continues to grow, with over 200 businesses across Dandenong now backing the physical petition. The momentum behind the rebrand displays the community’s desire for inclusivity and education.

Batoor said the campaign has already achieved a significant milestone by raising awareness, particularly among the younger generations who have grown up unaware of their history. 

“There’s a real shift in mentality. Our efforts have helped our youth understand their identity and its complexities,” Batoor said. 

“The campaign has not only brought attention to the street name but also educated people on the importance of how we identify ourselves. That’s the true achievement.”

The call for greater education and inclusivity remains at the forefront of the discussion.

Mershedi said that the community's healing process goes beyond a name change and requires educating those in power, particularly the council.

“Why should they have the last say about what 'Afghan' means to them?” Mershedi said. 

The council has committed to an independent consultation process to address the issue constructively.

Batoor said that facilitating social cohesion requires an inclusive approach that considers all voices in the Hazara diaspora.

“We hope it is not unsuccessful because this is very genuine and can’t be ignored, but if it fails through the council, we will pursue other avenues," Batoor said. "We will fight this until the end.” 

Mershedi’s charity efforts remain a powerful example of solidarity and resilience. Her journey, Homi, was screened at the 2025 Melbourne Women in Film Festival. The documentary showcases the strength and compassion of an Afghan refugee who has dedicated her life to serving others.

“It shows how we keep unity alive despite all odds," she said, "and how vital it is to continue the fight for our people.”