- Lys Anzia – WNN – Women News Network
- Malalai Joya at home in Farah, photo image Marie Dorigny -
A group of women humanitarians is asking for help from the world on the one month anniversary of the parliamentary expulsion of Afghan parliamentarian, Malalai Joya.
The Italian women’s organization, CISDA – Coordinamento Italiano Sostegno Donne Afghane, is asking for support worldwide on June 21. Their hope is that clear strong support from international women’s organizations and humanitarian NGOs will encourage public attention and outcry as groups arrange sit-ins and demonstrations to help the humanitarian work of Malalai Joya to continue inside Afghanistan.
Since the expulsion of Malalai Joya from the Afghan National Assembly Malalai’s security protection has been severely compromised. Even with this action Joya is still dedicated to continuing to help the people of Afghanistan, especially its women.
“It is not important if the numbers of participates are large,” said author and CISDA program outreach coordinator, Simona Cataldi, about the scheduled sit-ins. “As long as the numbers are coming from different locations around the world. We do know that Malalai Joya has strong supporters in the Western world as well as Europe. This action can demonstrate the world’s solidarity in helping Malalai,” she added.
For June 21, in Italy, sit-ins are being organized in the following locations simultaneously. These demonstrations are set for the cities of Rome – in front of the Afghan Embassy, in Milan – at the Piazza Cordusio near the center of the city, in Viareggio at the Casa delle Donne di Viareggio, in Bologna near the city center, and in Trieste – in front of the government premises. Spanish supporters are doing the same on June 21 in Madrid and Barcelona. Other locations include the General Consulate of Afghanistan in New York (with Human Rights Watch), the cities of Melborne and Vancouver as well as locations in Germany and Nepal.
Other sit-ins in cities across the globe are now being placed into motion for the same day on June 21.
In Sept. 2005, Malalai Joya became representative for the Western Farah Province in Afghanistan by election to the 249 seat Afghan National Assembly. Through her work for women and children, for the voiceless and disillusioned in Afghanistan, the BBC has named Malalai, “the most famous woman in Afghanistan.”
Human Rights Watch Asia director, Brad Adams said recently after receiving news of Joya’s expulsion from the Afghan parliament, “Malalai Joya is a staunch defender of human rights and a powerful voice for Afghan women, and she shouldn’t have been suspended from parliament… The Afghan parliament should be setting an example by promoting and protecting free expression, not by stamping it out.”
Carolee Walker, a USINFO staff writer for the US Dept. of State, has just announced a new film, Enemies of Happiness, that covers the political life of Malalai Joya. “In Enemies of Happiness, which follows the intense final weeks of Malalai Joya’s successful election campaign to the Afghan parliament, Joya uses the democratic political process to advocate for women’s rights amid death threats from powerful politicians opposed to her candidacy. Ironically, in May (2007), just after the film was completed, the Afghan parliament voted to suspend Joya from her seat, citing a rule forbidding members from criticizing each other. Joya is a vocal critic of Afghan parliamentarians who have ties to Northern Alliance warlords,” said Walker.
From her beginnings as a member of the Afghan National Assembly, Joya has continually pointed out the points of corruption inside the Afghan parliament. Malalai’s desire for a true electoral body to govern the country are based on her ongoing work to help the suffering that exists today in Afghanistan.
“Two activist women recently, have been killed in their houses. They were journalists: Shakiba Amaj and also Zakia Zaki. And most of the people (in Afghanistan) they have education problem, health problem. That is how much education is important,” said Joya during a recent June 14, 2007 interview by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now Radio.
In the early days of her shortened term in office Malalai Joya had great hopes. “I hope by being a member of parliament I will be able to serve my people,” said Malalai, in 2005, after being elected by her constituents from the Farah Province. “I will do my best to stop the warlords and criminals from building any laws that will jeopardize the rights of Afghan people, especially the women,” she added.
__________________________________
Sources for this article include The Defense Committee for Malalai Joya, BBC news, Democracy Now Radio, Khaleej Times, The US Dept. of State – USINFO and CISDA – Coordinamento Italiano Sostegno Donne Afghane.
__________________________________________
©2007 WNN – Women News Network
