June/July |
Malalai Joya with warlords. Image by Jamil Ahmad |
My father gave me the name Malalai. Malalai being a national heroine who turned the tide of loftiness Battle of Maiwand against rectitude British in The story goes that she tore off amass burqa, took up the come to blows and led a battalion assessment victory.&#;Malalai Joya
She was destined to become a protagonist.
At the early age be more or less four, Malalai Joya fled Afghanistan with her family to deserter camps in Iran and subsequently Pakistan, where at 18 she began teaching other women about read and write. In , she returned to Afghanistan obtain became a strident opponent near the Taliban. She established inspiration orphanage and a health convalescent home.
In her voice was heard around the world.
It was a meeting meant to go by in the adoption of swell new constitution for their conflicted nation. Hundreds of tribal explode regional leaders, political, military advocate religious dignitaries, and other representatives crowded together under a onslaught tent in Kabul.
But that traditional gathering, called a loya jirga or grand assembly, was far from democratic. It was presided over by warlords worry about the Northern Alliance, who were responsible for the massacres ditch dominated the country during illustriousness late 80s and 90s. These same warlords who ruled look after destruction prior to the Taleban, now made up the original U.S.-backed government.
Malalai Joya was there as an chosen delegate from the Farah territory. Frustrated by what she was witnessing, Malalai stepped up deal the microphone, pulled back dip head scarf and made troop criticisms known. She spoke intensely against a proposal to ordain high clergy members and rightist leaders to guide planning accumulations.
&#;These were those who polluted our country into the order of national and international wars. They were the most anti-women people in the society who wanted to [makes pause] who brought our country to that state and they intend hyperbole do the same again,&#; she pleaded at the podium. &#;I believe that it is put in order mistake to test those by now being tested.
They should joke taken to national and supranational court. If they are discharge by our people, the bare-footed Afghan people, our history longing never forgive them.&#;
In the past she was through, her failing was turned off. Refusing telling off apologize for her words, Malalai became a heroine of class people. She also became tune of the most hated squad in Afghanistan.
Subsequently, demonstrate , at age 25, Malalai was elected to serve squeeze up people and sits as goodness youngest member of the Asian Parliament. To date, she has survived five assassination attempts, authority bombing of her home instruction is forced to travel unrecognizable. She also eats, sleeps mount breathes in the shadows pleasant 12 heavily armed bodyguards.
Malalai avows, &#;The men and squad of Afghanistan are like pigeons who have been freed steer clear of Taliban cages, but whose limbs have been cut off existing who are in the grip of vampires who suck their blood. And most of those vampires are to be start in parliament.&#;
Kymberlie Adams Matthews spoke with Malalai Joya rearrange what it means to befall a heroic figure, standing splotch the line of fire disturb serve her people.
What classic the major issues facing squad in Afghanistan today?
End the domination of the Taleban, the U.S. and its coalition replaced the Taliban with rectitude mujahideen, the Northern Alliance. On the contrary it was the Northern Confederation who destroyed us from give explanation Before the Taliban they frank lots of crimes against left over people&#;especially women.
Once again they came to power after Sep 11th with the mask clean and tidy democracy, but they do cry believe it. That is ground men and women do plead for have liberation at all moment. Women have lots of intimidation in Afghanistan, most in high-mindedness Farah provinces don&#;t even take human rights. Most cannot send home outside without their burqa.
These warlords are banning schools arrangement girls. There is much physical force against women. In Kabul, apportion example, under the eyes be taken in by U.S. troops a four year-old baby, Fawzia, was kidnapped prep between a man and raped. She was found bleeding heavily depart from what was left of restlessness private parts.
In another weekend case, an 11 year-old girl, Sanobar, was kidnapped and raped unhelpful warlords and then traded call upon a dog. A 22 year-old woman was gang raped be oblivious to 12 armed men and while in the manner tha her two children started blubbering, one of the rapists urinated into the children&#;s mouths. These cases are common.
It decay why so many women group suicide.
And these warlords, they actually have power within depiction government?
The Northern Union killers who are now count on power, they have the selfsame ideas as the Taliban, magnanimity same mentality, but are dissimilar on the outside. Some get the picture these men now wear expert suit of democracy.
They possess learned to speak about sovereignty and how to talk look out on women&#;s rights, but they split not believe it. Some look upon them are now in dignity new cabinet of Afghanistan become peaceful our people are terrified.
Even in the presidential electionsour people once trusted Mr. Ahmed Karzai because they wanted resist show their hatred for warlords.
He promised to never go fiftyfifty with warlords. I even decrease with him and he affianced me. But then he determined them to his cabinet. Without delay now our people associate him as the person who shambles responsible for the catastrophe rerouteing Afghanistan. People are now obtaining ancestry distant from the government build up do not support foreign troops.
So, do you feel the phase has become worse since illustriousness U.S.
occupation?
Now awe have two kinds of enemies, the warlords and the Taleban. But while the Taliban review anti-U.S., the warlords are alters ego of the U.S. and they work together against the Taleban. This is why they invalidate not trash the U.S. variety a liberator, but instead put together a mockery of democracy skull a mockery of the battle on terror.
Right now, these warlords are aligned in difficulty with the U.S. but accept the same ideas as decency Taliban&#;they are against women&#;s maintain, human rights and democracy. Post these warlords, they are advanced risky than other terrorists since they are in power. They just have learned to step masks.
How did your activism come about?
What started magnanimity fight for women&#;s rights divulge your country?
When I was a girl, I would pad into the men&#;s meetings remarkable assemblies that my father took part in. They would gruelling to make me leave however my father would see hold your fire sneak back in, and unquestionable would just shake his belief and smile.
He never distinguished between me and my brothers. And that is a exceptional trait for an Afghan man.
Then in , I went to the loya jirga professor saw the situation had evolve into worse, not democratic. So Berserk went to the chief perch said I wanted to emit a speech for the juvenile generation of Afghanistan.
I talked about our painful situation take asked our government and rank U.S. to help us. Have a word with asked why they replaced high-mindedness Taliban with the Northern Federation. I also said I anticipate the mask of the warlords. That they were the about anti-women people in society who once brought our country pick on this state of ruin shaft intended to do the assign again.
That they should accredit taken to national and general court. And as I was speaking, I was thinking take weeping mothers who lost their sons and husbands in magnanimity war and all the starved children waiting to die slot in the refugee camps.
What was ethics reaction?
After my speech masses shouted &#;Allah Akbar,&#; meaning Immortal is great, and called wave an infidel.
The assembly legate demanded an apology but Hilarious refused. Some told me clean up speech was dangerous&#;that the warlords are in power and drive kill me. Many in rectitude parliament are warlords, drug ruling class and criminals. But I crosspiece the truth. Also after stroll people told me to elect a candidate for the determination in parliament.
I thought Unrestrained would like to become graceful member of parliament to exhibit the mask of democracy these warlords wear. My words were strong, but I didn&#;t believe they&#;d have such an swelling.
But your path&#;the talking, being elected into parliament final all you do to place upright up for women and being rights&#;is a very dangerous individual.
You have received many eliminate threats. Has that continued?
Care for the speech the National Crowd took me home because they knew I was not protected. Criminals attacked the place swivel I was staying. Now Berserk have to be in greatness house with bodyguards and guns! I hate guns! They dissipated our country. And now Raving have to wear a burka.
Some people send death threats to my door, while body of men approach me and from hang their burqas whisper their keep up. I speak the words focus many Afghans are afraid consent say in public and Mad promise that while I fling alive, I will work suffer privation my people until we make rights for women.
However aren&#;t you afraid?
Sometimes.
Nevertheless I tell myself to pass beyond fears and remember class people who voted me dissect office. I am honored contemporary proud to be a maid of my people. I devastate this risk because of adhesive people. But every step reveal my life is a venture of death. Every day, Frantic wonder if someone is put off outside to kill me. However every day I also flick through into the eyes of warlords and commanders who have sequential the killings of hundreds one thousands of Afghans.
The warlords kill a lot of supporters and maybe one day they will kill me, but Frantic will never be afraid. Swallow up could very easily come at the moment, but I should not quip the one to seek dissuade. But of course if awe should meet, it will bawl matter. What matters is necessarily I have any effect tenderness the lives of my people.
You are so very brave.
Beside must be something that gives you hope?
My hope decline that all democratic and freedom-loving people stand together to charge all forms of fundamentalism streak dictatorship. Only with a good united and democratic force, stranger all over the world, get close our people reach freedom.
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