Pro-Democracy Afghani Feminist Malalai Joya and Libby Davies

Saturday October 27, 2007, former Afghan member of Parliament Malalai Joya spoke out against her government at a Rally, following the MAWO march last Saturday. She claims she has recently been “suspended, threatened and suppressed” by her own government. Malalai has been very outspoken about “the former warlords and criminal of Afghanistan” who she claims are currently “ministers, members of parliament and commanders” in the government. After several assassination attempts, I wonder how secure she will be when she finally returns.

Having just come from Europe, and more specifically Italy, Malalai was received at the YVR airport by a woman who attended a supportive luncheon the Friday before the rally. This woman came from a Feminist Muslim group in Richmond stressing the need for “international solidarity” with Malalai “at this crucial point”. The rally was organized by the Mobliization of Against War and occupation (http://www.mawovancouver.org/).

Malalai Joya also denounced the Taliban and the Northern Allies “for committing murder on innocent people” both at the rally and the receptive luncheon. The fifty-odd people at the welcoming luncheon seemed supportive While these people may be against Canadian military presence in Afghanistan and in favour of justice for the past actions of current people in power, Malalai ensures them that this opinion is shared by many oppressed impoverished Afghan people who cannot speak out. Many people at this reception uttered the word “brave” in regard to Malalai.

The luncheon was put on with the help of Libby Davies, NDP MP for Vancouver East and various others that she mentioned during her introduction to Malalai. As I met Malalai she greeted me in the very Afghani way of kissing my cheek. She embraced and talked to many of her supporters at this gathering, during the march and through the rally. In the last weeks she has been through a frenzy of media and traveling to gather support from abroad.

She has supporters in women’s rights groups, peace activists and former Afghans throughout the greater Vancouver area and across the globe. Many democratic politically minded citizens showed their support at the Saturday rally where a statue of Stephen Harper was pulled down by members of the crowd, in memory of the stunt pulled by the US with the Saddam Hussein statue some years ago now.

Having arrived quite recently Malalai is scheduled to leave in the next week. Human rights groups and peace groups around the globe may give the many Afghan people who support Malalai hope, but the Afghan government has not been swayed. They have not given Malalai back the position to which she was elected.