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[guissou jahangiri]

Open letter to President of Afghanistan
21st August 2010

H.E. President of Afghanistan,
The last decade in the history of our country, despite all the
shortcomings, was full of hope for the women of Afghanistan. In the
first few years of the decade, we witnessed positive developments
toward freedom of women from yokes of captivity, fanaticism and
fundamentalism. These hopes opened a new page in history for women and
we may dare say that the newly founded democratic government of
Afghanistan became a bastion of ideals of gender equality and justice
for women who were tired of the rule of fanaticism and misogynism.
Those developments revived the lost dignity of Afghanistan at the
international level. Alas, those hopes and achievements have been
subjected to disruption and regression in recent years leading to
human catastrophes such as assassinations, stoning and gender
discrimination.
Mr. President! The reports of stoning of two women in Badghis and
Kunduz provinces have frightened and deprived of sleep all women and
enlightened people of Afghanistan. Those events are reminders of the
recurrence of the violence and inhuman acts of the dark-minded
fundamentalists and have revived the shocking and bitter memories of
the captivity under their rule.
Do these atrocities not frighten you as the official who has been
given, with our vote, the responsibility to guard the Constitution and
protect the lives and property of the people?
Mr. President! We women are more tired than ever of fundamentalism and
religious radicalism, because, as history would testify, we have
suffered most from them. We seek the rule of law more than anybody
else, in particular just laws that would guarantee the human rights of
women. Our hearts beat for peace and security more than anybody else,
because war and insecurity would endanger and sacrifice our legitimate
and human rights more than all.
Mr. President! We have fought for many years for the establishment and
continuation of a democratic government in Afghanistan and we have
paid a heavy price for it. In elections during the past decade,
countless number of women walked many kilometers to reach the ballot
boxes. Many women have been killed for their activities and their
fight for equality. You and the ruling establishment of Afghanistan as
the elected representatives of the people have a duty today to guard
the people’s rights. Not only must you do your utmost to provide the
people with security, peace and welfare, but you must be accountable
for events that question the rule of law and the three branches of
power.
We still consider the Constitution as the symbol of our demands and
ideals for realisation of justice and ask you to:
1. Take more serious measures to provide security nationwide and
prevent the recurrence of such horrendous and inhuman actions;
2. Prevent the recognition of unwritten customary laws that question
the legitimacy of the Constitution and the international obligations
of the government of Afghanistan and promote traditional justice, the
first victim of which is human rights of women;
3. With a view to three cases of stoning during your five years in
office, make women’s human rights the foundation of every negotiation
and agreement with the armed opposition groups and the Taliban in
particular;
4. Prevent the empowering of institutions parallel to Constitutional
institutions;
5. Identify and prosecute the perpetrators and commanders of the
recent atrocities.
We are waiting for your response and your firm and prompt action in
this regard.

The Afghanistan Women’s 50% Campaign
Campaign...@gmail.com
Campaign50darsad.blogfa.com