From one battle to the other

As RAWA commemorates its founder member, the organisation can draw little comfort from the situation in Afghanistan

The News on Sunday, Feb.16, 2003
By Arif Jamal

Democratic, secular, and feminist forces in the Muslim world are too weak to mould the social and political system of the society. It is even seldom that democratic, secular, and feminist tendencies combine to give birth to a single group or party in an Islamic country. This rare phenomenon has existed in Afghanistan, one of the most primitive societies, in the form of the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan (RAWA). A group founded by Meena, a university student, 25 years ago.

Although the RAWA has hardly actually influenced the course of events in Afghanistan, their unending and unabated spirit to struggle for a democratic and secular Afghanistan has kept the hope alive in the past 25 years. The RAWA may not be the only democratic and secular group in Afghanistan, it is certainly the only group of women of its kind in the Muslim world.

The RAWA organised a function to celebrate Meena, in the words of Asma Jehangir, and not mourn her on February 4 in Islamabad. Unlike most functions of this kind, the RAWA gathering was full of life and replete with activities. Speaking in Dari, Pushtu, Urdu and English, speakers stressed that the people of Afghanistan have yet to win their war for a democratic and secular Afghanistan as even today the warlords who have committed crimes against humanity are ruling Afghanistan.

Celebrated human rights activist Asma Jehangir said that she has opposed the inclusion in the Afghan army and the police of those who have committed crimes against humanity. She also demanded the immediate removal of the 72-year old Chief Justice of Afghanistan who does not fulfill the requirements for holding that office under the 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan.

The speeches were hyphenated by Dari, Pushtu, English songs and theatre. The songs not only eulogized the services of Meena but also highlighted the plight of Afghanistan. The theatre drama 'Path of Light', which was in fact a collection of amateurish skits, depicted the plight of the Afghan society from the time of Meena's assassination to the actual situation in Afghanistan. Directed by Paulina Almeida, a Portuguese who works among the Afghans, the theatre drama used some innovative techniques to overcome the shortage of resources. One of them was the use of slides to create a background. The effect of this technique was perfect as the audience fully received the message.

It is extremely difficult, almost impossible, for such progressive forces to survive for long under extremely repressive and obscurantist rule. This is not true for the RAWA, which struggled in the most adverse of conditions to survive. Meena herself was assassinated allegedly by the Afghan secret service in Quetta in 1987 with the collaboration of Gulbadin Hekmatyar's men.

Their struggle in Afghanistan is not high profile while they are constantly under threat in their country of refuge. Their public activities are rare. They were attacked by the religious extremists the last time they demonstrated in Islamabad.

Although Meena envisaged the RAWA to highlight the state of the deprived and silenced women of Afghanistan, she found herself and her group facing the Soviet forces within two years. There has been no respite for the RAWA activists since then -- they have fought one battle after the other. After the withdrawal of the Soviet troops in 1988, the RAWA found the new enemy in the repressive mujahideen for four years. Unfortunately for the RAWA, the obscurantist mujahideen were replaced by even extremist Taliban. The fall of the Taliban has certainly not given any respite to the RAWA or the Afghan people because the rule of the former mujahideen and warlords has come back to Afghanistan.

The struggle of Meena was not restricted to the political field alone. At the same time, she was deeply engaged in charity activities. Meena founded the Payam-e-Zan (Women's Message) in 1981, which proved to be a relatively effective organ against the fundamentalist onslaught in Afghanistan. She also set up a clinic to give medical assistance to the refugee children and handicraft centers to give financial sustenance to the refugee women.

The RAWA has continued this tradition of its founder by setting up many more schools and clinics and handicraft centers. Many of today's RAWA activists come from their own schools. Strangely, the level of education at the RAWA schools is better than many prestigious private schools. This is also one of the signs of their political commitment.

The emerging reality in Afghanistan is no source for comfort for the RAWA. The power of warlords is increasing and the obscurantist forces are gaining ground. The behaviour of the Chief Justice of Afghanistan is only the tip of the iceberg. In many provinces, they are reverting to the old Taliban practices such as opposition to the education for girls. Even UN Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who never tired of supporting the US-led attack on Afghanistan to remove the Taliban from power and dismantle the Al-Qaeda network in the aftermath of the 9/11 events, has admitted that Afghanistan may once again slide into the old chaos.

Such a situation has posed a bigger challenge to the RAWA. If past is any guide, it will not back out of the unending struggle for democracy and secularism in Afghanistan.

Afghan Women to follow Meena for their rights

The Nation and The Pakistan Observer, Feb.5, 2003

ISLAMABAD- Women in Afghanistan have been facing hard ships regarding their right of freedom and self-respect, where democracy in the country is need of the hour.

Speakers express these views in a function held here Tuesday to commemorate the 16ht martyrdom anniversary of Meena, the founding leader of Revolutionary Associations of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA).

Asma Jehangir, the women and human rights activist said a country can progress when its women are given freedom and religion does not become a tool of repression for others.

She regarded the women contribution in Judicial Commission in Afghanistan as an absolute necessity.

Screening process should be put in place so that suspected people in the country may not be in ducted in Afghan army and police, she added.

Revolutionary Associations of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) representative said supporting the cause of democracy without secularism is incomplete and Meena's blood with the same cause inspires all freedom-loving women. Her active social work and effective advocacy against the view of fundamentalist and the puppet regime acted as a beacon for her supporters in the way to democracy, she added.

She said that in Afghanistan, religion has been misused in the past by different warlords. These politicians made religion a violent tool whether in Taliban or Northern Alliance regime, she added.

Revolutionary Associations of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) representative urged upon international community to bring war criminals in the International Court of Law and should support democracy instead of fundamentalism.

Speakers on the occasion, Yaseen Kasib said Meena's struggle was for humanity, self respect of women and democracy.

Later, a play titled "Path of Life" was performed to pay homage of Meena which showed her life in a chronological reverse. The theatre piece started with her death, went on with her trip to Europe and the publication of Payam-Zan magazine. It continued with establishment of Revolutionary Associations of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) and Meena's youth and her struggle against all slavery. -APP

Peace in Region linked with democracy

DAWN, Feb.5, 2003
By A Reporter

ISLAMABD, Feb.4: The fate of south Asia is linked with democracy, secularism and anti imperialist stance and it is the duty of the progressive forces to play their role in this regard.

Speakers said at the 16th death anniversary of founding president of Revolutionary Associations of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA), Ms Meena here on Tuesday.

The renowned Human rights activist Ms Asma Jehangis said Afghan people faces repression for the last 23 years.

Demanding an International inquiry commission, she said there was a need to probe the dark episode in Afghanistan "A commission is imperative for this purpose, which could fix the responsibility and recommend an exemplary punishment for the culprits."

She said the secular Afghanistan and Pakistan could guarantee peace and stability in entire region.

She said Afghanistan and Pakistan were heading towards democracy and if this process was reversed, it would be a great tragedy. In spite of a democratic setup in Afghanistan, warlords were handed over power, while in Pakistan intelligence agencies were enjoying real power, she added.

Rejecting the recent decision of the chief justice of Afghanistan was still in grip of fanatics, who would never allow the democratic forces to strengthen. Afghan chief Justice has imposed complete ban on cable network, satellite and women singers, which is violation of basic human rights and an attempt to deprive people an access to information, she said.

Paying glowing tribute to Ms Meena, she said the struggle of Meena had created awareness among Afghan women regarding their rights. She said the effort of RAWA founder were source of inspiration for the Pakistani women, which guided them towards a struggle for democracy, secularism and human rights.

The member of foreign committee of RAWA said that it was apathy of Afghan people that they were ruined by their own people. After the withdrawal of Russian troops from Afghanistan this country was pushed into more darkness.

Criticising Karzai government, she said Afghan women are still facing restrictions. This government has failed to provide real freedom and basic human rights to Afghan people who are unsafe in their country and have no approach to basic facilities like education, health care etc, she said.

She said the US was preparing to attack Iraq with claim to restore democracy in this country. "If America wants to introduce Afghanistan-like democracy in Iraq, we will condemn it."

Others, who spoke on the occasion, were Shoaib Hashmi and Afzal Khamosh.

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