 To
celebrate International Women’s Day on 8th March and to remind the international
community of gross human right violations in Afghanistan, the Revolutionary
Association of Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) organised a function, funded
by its supporters, in Nishter Hall at Peshawar Pakistan. More than a thousand
people participated in the function which included foreign guests, members
and supporters of RAWA, representatives from democratic organisations of
Pakistan and Afghanistan, intellectuals and influential personalities and
a large number of journalists.
The hall was decorated with slogans against fundamentalism of Jehadis and Taliban and in support of democracy, freedom and women’s right in Persian, Pashto, Urdu and English languages and a number of pictures showing the destruction of Kabul and other provinces of Afghanistan, demonstrations and functions by RAWA and some portraits of Martyr Meena. The on stage tableau which was depicting the fury and rage of our women against oppressive restrictions such as compulsory hejab (head to toe covering) attracted a lot of people’s attention. The functions started at 2 PM. The opening speech was by Shahla Latifi one of the organising members from RAWA. Her talk was followed by a patriotic song ‘pain of our land’ by students of RAWA school which met with repeated applause from the audience. Two of RAWA’s members shed light on (in Pashto and Farsi languages) the tragic state of women of Afghanistan, activities and position of RAWA with respect to the present situation in Afghanistan, the negative role of the international media specially those of Pakistan, indifference by the international community on the Afghanistan issue and the need for unity among the democratic forces of Afghanistan and Pakistan. A letter from one of RAWA’s member from Kabul described the 20-year-old pain and sufferings of women and ways of salvation from those pains. The letter was read by Yasamin and made a number of audience’s tears rolling down their faces. In a number of speeches and letters which were reflecting the present day situation in Afghanistan and its unfortunate female citizens they imparted the crimes and brutality of Taliban and Jehadi traitors and the need for uncompromising and decisive struggle against the enemies of freedom and democracy. Following friends and supporters of RAWA expressed their solidarity with impassionate poems and speeches and added to the magnificence of the ceremony: - Fanoos Gujar (Leader of PAP)
A
poem ‘woman’ by Partaw Noori Ahla in the memory of women of Iran under
the rules of fascists regime of Iran was performed by RAWA activist Huma
Saeed.
The play ‘This is an Islamic Emirate’ was performed by youths from ‘Watan school’
of RAWA which showed the insults and degradation that our battered women
and men have to endure under the tyranny of Taliban beasts. The play met
with enthusiastic response while some audience member could not stop their
tears.
Due to lack of funds, hundreds Afghan women including most of our activists and supporters from inside the country and from Quetta city couldn't take part in the event.
Our table of publications situated near the entrance of the hall sold a large
number of our publications and cassettes.
The ceremony was extensively publicised in Pakistani media and reports from
the ceremony and interviews with the members of RAWA were broadcasted by
BBC (Persian, Pushto, Urdu), Voice of America (Farsi and Pushto), Radio
Iran, Radio France and... |
