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Re: Syndicate: Petition for support to women in Afghanistan


At 23:42 03/09/99 +0200, Arthur Bueno wrote:
>Subject: Petition for support to women in Afghanistan
>Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999 21:33:23 +0200
>
>
>This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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>Please spare a minute to read this mail. Thank you.
>
>The government of Afghanistan is waging a war upon women. The
>situation
>>is
>>getting so bad that one person in an editorial of the Times compared
>>the
>>treatment of women there to the treatment of Jews in pre-Holocaust
>>Poland.
>>Since the Taliban took power in 1996, women have had to wear burqua
>>and have been beaten and stoned in public for not having the proper =
>attire,
>>even if
>>this means simply not having the mesh covering in front of their
>>eyes.
>>One
>>woman was beaten to DEATH by an angry mob of
>>fundamentalists for accidentally exposing her arm while she was
>>driving.
>>>Another was stoned to death for trying to leave the country with a man
>>>that
>>>was not a relative. Women are not allowed to work or even go out in
>>>public
>>>without a male relative; professional women such as professors,
>>>translators,
>>>doctors, lawyers, artists and writers have been forced from their jobs
>>>and
>>>stuffed into their homes, so that depression is becoming so widespread
>>>that
>>>it has reached emergency levels. There is no way in such an extreme
>>>Islamic
>>>society to know the suicide rate with certainty, but relief workers =
>are
>>>estimating that the suicide rate among women, who cannot find proper
>>>medication and treatment for severe depression and would rather take
>>>their
>>>lives than live in such conditions, has increased significantly. Homes
>>>where
>>>a woman is present must have their windows painted so that she can =
>never
>>>be
>>>seen by outsiders. They must wear silent shoes so that they are never
>>heard.
>>>Women live in fear of
>>>their lives for the slightest misbehavior. Because  they cannot work,
>>>those
>>>without male relatives or husbands are either starving to death or
>>>begging
>>>on the street, even if they hold Ph.D.'s. There are almost no medical
>>>facilities available for women, and relief workers, in protest, have
>>>mostly
>>>left the country, taking medicine and psychologists and other things
>>necessary
>>to treat the sky-rocketing level of depression among women. At
>>>one
>>>of the rare hospitals for women,  a reporter found still, nearly
>>>lifeless
>>>bodies lying motionless on top of beds, wrapped in their burqua,
>>>unwilling
>>>to speak, eat, or do anything, but slowly wasting away. Others have =
>gone
>>>mad
>>>and were seen crouched in corners, perpetually rocking or crying, most
>>>of
>>>them in fear. One doctor is considering, when what little medication
>>>that is
>>>left finally runs out, leaving these women in front of the president's
>>>residence as a form of peaceful protest. It is at the point where the
>>>term
>>>'human rights violations' has become an understatement. Husbands have
>>>the
>>>power of life and death over their women relatives, especially their
>>>wives,
>>>but an angry mob has just as much right to stone or beat a woman, =
>often
>>>to
>>>death, for exposing an inch of flesh or offending them in the =
>slightest
>>way.
>>David Cornwell has said that those in the West should not judge the =
>>Afghan
>>people for such treatment because it is a 'cultural thing', but
>>>this
>>>is not even true. Women enjoyed relative freedom, to work, dress
>>>generally
>>>as they wanted, and drive and appear in public alone until only 1996 -
>>>the
>>>rapidity of this transition is the main reason for the depression and
>>>suicide; women who were once educators or doctors or simply used to
>>>basic
>>>human freedoms are now severely restricted and
>>>treated as sub-human in the same of right-wing fundamentalist Islam. =
>It
>>>is
>>>not their tradition or 'culture', but is alien to them, and it is
>>>extreme
>>>even for those cultures where fundamentalism is the rule. Besides, if =
>we
>>could
>>excuse everything on cultural grounds, then we should not be
>>>appalled
>>>that the Carthaginians sacrificed their infant children, that little
>>>girls
>>>are circumcised in parts of Africa, that blacks in the US deep south =
>in
>>>the
>>>1930's were lynched, prohibited from voting, and forced to submit to
>>>unjust
>>>Jim Crow laws. Everyone has a right to a tolerable human existence, =
>even
>>>if
>>>they are women in a Muslim  country in a part of the world that
>>>Westerners
>>>may not understand. If Iife can threaten military force in Kosovo in =
>the
>>name
>>of human rights for the sake of ethnic Albanians, then NATO and the
>>>West can certainly express peaceful outrage at the oppression, murder
>>>and
>>>injustice committed against women by the Taliban.
>>>
>>>STATEMENT:
>>>In signing this, we agree that the current treatment of women in
>>>Afghanistan
>>>is completely UNACCEPTABLE and deserves support and action by the =
>people
>>>of
>>>the United Nations and that the current situation in Afghanistan will
>>>not be
>>>tolerated. Women's Rights is not a small issue anywhere and it is
>>UNACCEPTABLE
>>for women in 1999 to be treated as sub-human and so much as
>>>property. Equality and human decency is a RIGHT not a freedom, whether
>>one
>>lives in Afghanistan or anywhere else.
>>
>>1)  Marianne Giroud, Zurich, Switzerland
>>2)  Vera Koehli, Zurich, Switzerland
>>3)  Hartmut Stiess, Zurich, Switzerland
>>4)  Michael Sturm, Zurich, Switzerland
>>5)  Adrian Jakob, Berne, Switzerland
>>6)  Christian Jakob, Zurich, Switzerland
>>7)  Barbara Rieker, Zurich, Switzerland
>>8)  Chiara Lo Presti, Zurich, Switzerland
>>9)  Kathrin Koch, Zurich, Switzerland
>>10) Gudrun Wassermann, Schvnkirchen, Germany
>>11) Maret Arndt, Kiel, Germany
>>12) Peter Bartels, Itzehoe, Germany
>>13) Priv.Doz. Dr. Fred Stevenson
>>14) Jeff Hollifield, Greenville, SC, USA
>>15) Irma Wolf, Berlin, Germany
>>16) Fiona Koster, Groningen, The Netherlands
>>17) Marlies Bodde, Groningen, The Netherlands
>>18) Jannie Van der Meer, Groningen, The Netherlands
>>19) Klaske Sikkes, Groningen, The Netherlands
>>20) Wietske Sikkes, Groningen, The Netherlands
>>21) Marjanne le Clercq, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
>>22)  Susan le Clercq, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
>23) Sandra A=EFdara, Paris, France
>24) John Jeano Amsterdam , The Netherlands
>>Please sign to support, and include your town and country. Then copy
>>and
>>e-mail to as many people as possible. If you receive this list with
>>more
>>than 50 names on it, please e-mail a
>>copy of it to:
>>>
>>>Mary Robinson,
>>>High Commissioner,
>>>UNHCHR, webadmin.hchr@unorg.ch <<<mailto:webadmin.hchr@unorg.ch>
>>>
>>>and to:
>>>
>>>Angela King,
>>>Special Advisor on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women, UN,
>>>daw@undp.org <<<mailto:daw@undp.org>
>>>
>>>Even if you decide not to sign, please be considerate and do not kill
>>>the petition. Thank you.
>>>
>>>It is best to copy rather than forward the petition.
>>>
>>>
>
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><DIV>
><DIV>Please spare a minute to read this mail. Thank you.<BR><BR>The =
>government=20
>of Afghanistan is waging a war upon women.=20
>The<BR>situation<BR>&gt;is<BR>&gt;getting so bad that one person in an =
>editorial=20
>of the Times compared<BR>&gt;the<BR>&gt;treatment of women there to the=20
>treatment of Jews in pre-Holocaust<BR>&gt;Poland.<BR>&gt;Since the =
>Taliban took=20
>power in 1996, women have had to wear burqua<BR>&gt;and have been beaten =
>and=20
>stoned in public for not having the proper attire,<BR>&gt;even =
>if<BR>&gt;this=20
>means simply not having the mesh covering in front of=20
>their<BR>&gt;eyes.<BR>&gt;One<BR>&gt;woman was beaten to DEATH by an =
>angry mob=20
>of<BR>&gt;fundamentalists for accidentally exposing her arm while she=20
>was<BR>&gt;driving.<BR>&gt;&gt;Another was stoned to death for trying to =
>leave=20
>the country with a man<BR>&gt;&gt;that<BR>&gt;&gt;was not a relative. =
>Women are=20
>not allowed to work or even go out =
>in<BR>&gt;&gt;public<BR>&gt;&gt;without a=20
>male relative; professional women such as=20
>professors,<BR>&gt;&gt;translators,<BR>&gt;&gt;doctors, lawyers, artists =
>and=20
>writers have been forced from their =
>jobs<BR>&gt;&gt;and<BR>&gt;&gt;stuffed into=20
>their homes, so that depression is becoming so=20
>widespread<BR>&gt;&gt;that<BR>&gt;&gt;it has reached emergency levels. =
>There is=20
>no way in such an extreme<BR>&gt;&gt;Islamic<BR>&gt;&gt;society to know =
>the=20
>suicide rate with certainty, but relief workers =
>are<BR>&gt;&gt;estimating that=20
>the suicide rate among women, who cannot find =
>proper<BR>&gt;&gt;medication and=20
>treatment for severe depression and would rather=20
>take<BR>&gt;&gt;their<BR>&gt;&gt;lives than live in such conditions, has =
>
>increased significantly. Homes<BR>&gt;&gt;where<BR>&gt;&gt;a woman is =
>present=20
>must have their windows painted so that she can=20
>never<BR>&gt;&gt;be<BR>&gt;&gt;seen by outsiders. They must wear silent =
>shoes so=20
>that they are never<BR>&gt;heard.<BR>&gt;&gt;Women live in fear=20
>of<BR>&gt;&gt;their lives for the slightest misbehavior. Because&nbsp; =
>they=20
>cannot work,<BR>&gt;&gt;those<BR>&gt;&gt;without male relatives or =
>husbands are=20
>either starving to death or<BR>&gt;&gt;begging<BR>&gt;&gt;on the street, =
>even if=20
>they hold Ph.D.'s. There are almost no medical<BR>&gt;&gt;facilities =
>available=20
>for women, and relief workers, in protest,=20
>have<BR>&gt;&gt;mostly<BR>&gt;&gt;left the country, taking medicine and=20
>psychologists and other things<BR>&gt;necessary<BR>&gt;to treat the=20
>sky-rocketing level of depression among women. =
>At<BR>&gt;&gt;one<BR>&gt;&gt;of=20
>the rare hospitals for women,&nbsp; a reporter found still,=20
>nearly<BR>&gt;&gt;lifeless<BR>&gt;&gt;bodies lying motionless on top of =
>beds,=20
>wrapped in their burqua,<BR>&gt;&gt;unwilling<BR>&gt;&gt;to speak, eat, =
>or do=20
>anything, but slowly wasting away. Others have=20
>gone<BR>&gt;&gt;mad<BR>&gt;&gt;and were seen crouched in corners, =
>perpetually=20
>rocking or crying, most<BR>&gt;&gt;of<BR>&gt;&gt;them in fear. One =
>doctor is=20
>considering, when what little medication<BR>&gt;&gt;that =
>is<BR>&gt;&gt;left=20
>finally runs out, leaving these women in front of the=20
>president's<BR>&gt;&gt;residence as a form of peaceful protest. It is at =
>the=20
>point where the<BR>&gt;&gt;term<BR>&gt;&gt;'human rights violations' has =
>become=20
>an understatement. Husbands have<BR>&gt;&gt;the<BR>&gt;&gt;power of life =
>and=20
>death over their women relatives, especially=20
>their<BR>&gt;&gt;wives,<BR>&gt;&gt;but an angry mob has just as much =
>right to=20
>stone or beat a woman, often<BR>&gt;&gt;to<BR>&gt;&gt;death, for =
>exposing an=20
>inch of flesh or offending them in the =
>slightest<BR>&gt;way.<BR>&gt;David=20
>Cornwell has said that those in the West should not judge the=20
>&gt;Afghan<BR>&gt;people for such treatment because it is a 'cultural =
>thing',=20
>but<BR>&gt;&gt;this<BR>&gt;&gt;is not even true. Women enjoyed relative =
>freedom,=20
>to work, dress<BR>&gt;&gt;generally<BR>&gt;&gt;as they wanted, and drive =
>and=20
>appear in public alone until only 1996 =
>-<BR>&gt;&gt;the<BR>&gt;&gt;rapidity of=20
>this transition is the main reason for the depression =
>and<BR>&gt;&gt;suicide;=20
>women who were once educators or doctors or simply used=20
>to<BR>&gt;&gt;basic<BR>&gt;&gt;human freedoms are now severely =
>restricted=20
>and<BR>&gt;&gt;treated as sub-human in the same of right-wing =
>fundamentalist=20
>Islam. It<BR>&gt;&gt;is<BR>&gt;&gt;not their tradition or 'culture', but =
>is=20
>alien to them, and it is<BR>&gt;&gt;extreme<BR>&gt;&gt;even for those =
>cultures=20
>where fundamentalism is the rule. Besides, if =
>we<BR>&gt;could<BR>&gt;excuse=20
>everything on cultural grounds, then we should not=20
>be<BR>&gt;&gt;appalled<BR>&gt;&gt;that the Carthaginians sacrificed =
>their infant=20
>children, that little<BR>&gt;&gt;girls<BR>&gt;&gt;are circumcised in =
>parts of=20
>Africa, that blacks in the US deep south =
>in<BR>&gt;&gt;the<BR>&gt;&gt;1930's=20
>were lynched, prohibited from voting, and forced to submit=20
>to<BR>&gt;&gt;unjust<BR>&gt;&gt;Jim Crow laws. Everyone has a right to a =
>
>tolerable human existence, even<BR>&gt;&gt;if<BR>&gt;&gt;they are women =
>in a=20
>Muslim&nbsp; country in a part of the world=20
>that<BR>&gt;&gt;Westerners<BR>&gt;&gt;may not understand. If Iife can =
>threaten=20
>military force in Kosovo in the<BR>&gt;name<BR>&gt;of human rights for =
>the sake=20
>of ethnic Albanians, then NATO and the<BR>&gt;&gt;West can certainly =
>express=20
>peaceful outrage at the oppression, =
>murder<BR>&gt;&gt;and<BR>&gt;&gt;injustice=20
>committed against women by the=20
>Taliban.<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;STATEMENT:<BR>&gt;&gt;In signing this, =
>we agree=20
>that the current treatment of women =
>in<BR>&gt;&gt;Afghanistan<BR>&gt;&gt;is=20
>completely UNACCEPTABLE and deserves support and action by the=20
>people<BR>&gt;&gt;of<BR>&gt;&gt;the United Nations and that the current=20
>situation in Afghanistan will<BR>&gt;&gt;not be<BR>&gt;&gt;tolerated. =
>Women's=20
>Rights is not a small issue anywhere and it =
>is<BR>&gt;UNACCEPTABLE<BR>&gt;for=20
>women in 1999 to be treated as sub-human and so much =
>as<BR>&gt;&gt;property.=20
>Equality and human decency is a RIGHT not a freedom,=20
>whether<BR>&gt;one<BR>&gt;lives in Afghanistan or anywhere=20
>else.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;1)&nbsp; Marianne Giroud, Zurich,=20
>Switzerland<BR>&gt;2)&nbsp; Vera Koehli, Zurich, =
>Switzerland<BR>&gt;3)&nbsp;=20
>Hartmut Stiess, Zurich, Switzerland<BR>&gt;4)&nbsp; Michael Sturm, =
>Zurich,=20
>Switzerland<BR>&gt;5)&nbsp; Adrian Jakob, Berne, =
>Switzerland<BR>&gt;6)&nbsp;=20
>Christian Jakob, Zurich, Switzerland<BR>&gt;7)&nbsp; Barbara Rieker, =
>Zurich,=20
>Switzerland<BR>&gt;8)&nbsp; Chiara Lo Presti, Zurich,=20
>Switzerland<BR>&gt;9)&nbsp; Kathrin Koch, Zurich, Switzerland<BR>&gt;10) =
>Gudrun=20
>Wassermann, Schvnkirchen, Germany<BR>&gt;11) Maret Arndt, Kiel,=20
>Germany<BR>&gt;12) Peter Bartels, Itzehoe, Germany<BR>&gt;13) Priv.Doz. =
>Dr. Fred=20
>Stevenson<BR>&gt;14) Jeff Hollifield, Greenville, SC, USA<BR>&gt;15) =
>Irma Wolf,=20
>Berlin, Germany<BR>&gt;16) Fiona Koster, Groningen, The =
>Netherlands<BR>&gt;17)=20
>Marlies Bodde, Groningen, The Netherlands<BR>&gt;18) Jannie Van der =
>Meer,=20
>Groningen, The Netherlands<BR>&gt;19) Klaske Sikkes, Groningen, The=20
>Netherlands<BR>&gt;20) Wietske Sikkes, Groningen, The =
>Netherlands<BR>&gt;21)=20
>Marjanne le Clercq, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands<BR>&gt;22)&nbsp; Susan le =
>Clercq,=20
>Nieuwegein, The Netherlands</DIV>
><DIV>23) Sandra A&iuml;dara, Paris, France<BR><BR>&gt;Please sign to =
>support,=20
>and include your town and country. Then copy<BR>&gt;and<BR>&gt;e-mail to =
>as many=20
>people as possible. If you receive this list =
>with<BR>&gt;more<BR>&gt;than 50=20
>names on it, please e-mail a<BR>&gt;copy of it =
>to:<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;Mary=20
>Robinson,<BR>&gt;&gt;High Commissioner,<BR>&gt;&gt;UNHCHR, <A=20
>href=3D"mailto:webadmin.hchr@unorg.ch";;>webadmin.hchr@unorg.ch</A> =
>&lt;&lt;&lt;<A=20
>href=3D"mailto:webadmin.hchr@unorg.ch";;>mailto:webadmin.hchr@unorg.ch</A>&=
>gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;and=20
>to:<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;Angela King,<BR>&gt;&gt;Special Advisor on =
>Gender=20
>Issues and the Advancement of Women, UN,<BR>&gt;&gt;<A=20
>href=3D"mailto:daw@undp.org";;>daw@undp.org</A> &lt;&lt;&lt;<A=20
>href=3D"mailto:daw@undp.org";;>mailto:daw@undp.org</A>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&=
>gt;&gt;Even=20
>if you decide not to sign, please be considerate and do not =
>kill<BR>&gt;&gt;the=20
>petition. Thank you.<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;It is best to copy rather =
>than=20
>forward the petition.<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;</DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>
>
>------=_NextPart_000_001A_01BEF653.F36A48E0--
>
>
>
>
>
>Arthur Bueno
>V2_Organisatie Rotterdam
>Eendrachtsstraat 10
>3012 XL Rotterdam
>tel. 010.206.7272
>url: www.v2.nl
>fax. 010.206.7271
>
>
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> Syndicate network for media culture and media art
> information and archive: http://www.v2.nl/syndicate
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> in the body of the msg: unsubscribe your@email.adress
>
>
>

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