Originally posted at Eteraz.Org: States of Islam. This is a call for action.
They will kill me but they will not kill my voice, because it will be the voice of all Afghan women. You can cut the flower, but you cannot stop the coming of spring.
In September, 2006, Malalai Joya, one of the few females in the Afghan parliament, and the youngest of all the representatives, came to Canada and gave one hell of a speech:
Honorable friends,
Five years after the collapse of the misogynist and anti-democracy regime of the Taliban, and after almost five year of the US led attack on Afghanistan; you may like me to describe the achievements and positive outcomes in Afghanistan, but I’m sorry to tell you that Afghanistan is a land still burning in two-fold fire.
The US government did remove the medieval-minded regime of Taliban and their Al Qaeda masters. But instead they brought back the “Northern Alliance” to power who are brothers-in-creed of the Taliban and as brutal and anti-democracy as Taliban and even worse.
In December 2003, as a representative to the grand assembly, I talked about the criminal “Northern Alliance” and the danger they would pose to Afghanistan. But today, even the UN accepts that Afghanistan is going to become a narco-state under their rule.
I must tell you that unfortunately there has been NO fundamental change in the plight of Afghan people. When the entire nation is living under the shadow of gun and warlordism, how can its women enjoy very basic freedoms? Unlike the propaganda raised by certain Western media, Afghan women and man are not “liberated” at all.
Read the whole thing.
She finds the current crop of Western backed leaders just as bad the Taliban. She is important because she is a populist. She has no ties to the militias. The LA Times reports that there are 68 women representatives in Afghanistan. However, more than half have militia ties and vote accordingly. Ms. Joya calls them out as well as the murderous history of many of the other representatives. As retaliation she has water bottles hurled on her. She is threatened with rape. She moves homes every night because of the fear of reprisal. She represents every positive quality of what it means to be an Eterazistani. Here you can see her in action in the parliament. Here is a transcript of how she is treated within the Afghan Loya Jirga:
[Mojadadi] This sister did impertinence and was out of the frame of humanity. I tell the gathering to expel her from the meeting and she can’t attend the discussions. Go out. Security officer, security, take her outside.
Set down in your seats please. No. She should not be forgiven. Will not forgive her….
Brothers and sisters, some sisters beg to forgive her, saying she will not repeat the same attitude.
[A woman from meeting] She is a child like your daughter, forgive her.
[Mojadadi] She is Kafur [sic]…. Oh enough go and let me…
[Mojadadi] Due to intercession of some brothers and sisters, this time she was forgiven from expelling. But if she repeat a word against the will [of the meeting] and protest against Jehadi personalities, she will see what may happen to her. Now set down in your seats.
[A woman from meeting] She has been motivated by someone. She is small and her sense is not working fine.
[A jehadi from audience] The sister should come here and apology otherwise it is impossible…
[Mojadadi] This brother has a good suggestion and says that the sister should come here and apology and do penitence not to repeat her words; otherwise they will not forgive her. Come here sister, come and apology.
Oh you sill do not apology? You did a very bad act. Oh my God she even does not apology.
Anyway brothers, it would be good if she apology… if not she will not be allowed to attend the meeting next time…. She is not small… impertinence… Infidel.
A website for her defense and support has been set up. You can go here to donate to her.
Ultimately, you need to write to the Afghan authorities to support her. I am giving you a small sample letter. Below that you will find the contacts.
[Insert Title]:
I am a concerned citizen of [enter location]. I recently heard of Malalai Joya, an elected representative of the Afghan nation. I have heard that for attempting to speak the truth about the history of certain elements within the government of Afghanistan, and of Western complicity in the backing of such figures, she has been met with a lot of rancor and reprisal. She has suffered numerous threats against her life and person.
I am writing to you to beseech you to assure her security and safety. I am writing to inform you of my support for her. I believe that the Afghan nation has been through a terrible age. However, women like Malalai Joya represent the future of Afghanistan and cannot be allowed to be silenced. I am a friend of Afghanistan and its people.
Sincerely,
[Your name; or A Concerned Citizen of ___]
Go below to get the relevant email addresses:
Office of the President Mr. Hamid Karzai
Rafiullah.mojaddedi@afghanistangov.org
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
Peace Street, Kabul
Fax: (+39-0831) 24 6069 AND (+1-212) 963 2669
spokesman-unama@un.org
ISAF (International Security Assistance Force)
Army Club, opposite Ministry of Civil Aviation, Kabul
pressoffice@isaf-hq.nato.int
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Malak Azghar Road, Kabul
Fax: +1-866-890-9988 and +1-801-459-2967
contact@afghanistan-mfa.net
Ministry of Justice
info@moj.gov.af
eyaqubi@afghanistanrolp.org
Ministry of Interior
pressoffice@moi.gov.af
press.office@moikabul.org
Afghanistan’s Parliament
hasib-n786@yahoo.com
Embassy of Afghanistan in the USA
2341 Wyoming Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Fax: 202-483-6488
info@embassyofafghanistan.org
Finally, please support other work that we at Eteraz.Org are doing, like the Muslim Countries Legislation Project.