Afghan MP says she will not be silenced

"At 28 years of age, Malalai Joya is another one of the new generation of Afghans challenging the old ways of her country. On 7th May this year, she stood in the National Parliament, where around 60% of the 249 sitting members are thought to be connected to Mujahadeen warlord factions, and told them they were murderers who should be jailed.

"Long outspoken and passionate critic of the country's warlords and their culture of violence, Malalai Joya continues to denounce them, and to promote women's rights. Her stance though has provoked at least four assassination attempts and forced her to live amidst heavy security, changing house every day.

"Malalai Joya: From the beginning of the parliament till now, these warlords, they know that I expose them every time. This is the reason that they do not let me talk. When I get a chance, I explain that why the crimes of Mujahadeen is not a "mistake". And I said the list of crimes, and also I said that we have two kind of Mujahadeen in Afghanistan, and that group of Mujahadeen that them that died because of freedom, we're proud of them, and even right now we have lots of orphans, lots of widows, even those men that they don't have like, leg and I said about another group of Mujahadeen, criminal groups of Mujahadeen, I said there are those Mujahadeen that did lots of crimes under the name of Jihad and also under the name of Islam. And I said there are those Mujahadeen that because of power, everyone wanted to be in power, and they murdered lots of innocent people in Afghanistan. Only in Kabul they murdered 65,000 citizens, only in Kabul. And I explained about this. Before I finished they stood up against me and they beat me by throwing the bottles of water, and also they said I was like a prostitute even one of them said 'Take her and rape her'. I saw that some men and women, because of me, they are crying.

"Gerald Tooth: So other parliamentarians, other members of parliament threw their water bottles at you, and were beating you?

"Malalai Joya: Yes, they beat me, they threatened me to death also. Even I received one message, one report from one delegate who supports me, she told me Be careful Malalai, Sayyaf said to one of his persons, another delegate to stand up in the out-door of the parliament, when Malalai wants to go out, you should beat her with your knife, and after that she will know who are Mujahadeen. And after that, this woman, this delegate, gave the report to Security and some women, they came inside the parliament and they took my security. Those Mujahadeen unfortunately till now, they use from the name of Islam, from the name Jihad, even Sayyaf said inside of the parliament that after that we should have a kind of law that nobody has a chance to talk about Mujahadeen. Why? We are delegates, you are elected members, and here is democracy. It shows that they do not believe in democracy and they are against constitution and against women. Right now they have two kinds of problem with me, one, because I expose them and on the other hand because I'm a woman.

"Gerald Tooth: What does that say about freedom of speech in the Afghanistan democracy?

"Malalai Joya: I want to tell you that unfortunately freedom of speech is also like most of the laws on paper. There was not benefit for the warlords and these detested enemies, they will look like a wastepaper, and they will even tear it. And we are looking at how much there is no freedom of speech in Afghanistan. Inside of the parliament, outside of the parliament, even they are beaten, they are threatening to death, journalists, they know very well about the great role of the journalist, that they are like a bridge between people and between around the world and they help a lot of people, and it has moral value in my opinion.

"On the other hand, it shows that how much they are against democracy, not only against freedom of speech. There is no freedom, not freedom of speech, freedom of the press and every kind of freedom, there we don't have.

"Gerald Tooth: Finally, can you tell me about the personal price that you have paid for speaking out in the way that you have? The security that surrounds you, what's the price that you've paid?

"Malalai Joya: My life after my speech completely changed, and every day I am facing risk. Because these warlords they know that I never have compromised with them. Always I expose them. And my life day by day becomes risky, especially after the last incident in parliament, when I received more death threats. On one hand threats but on the other hand, loss of support, that it gives me hopes and everything, because I received support from those people that they don't have dollars, they don't have guns, they don't have power and they don't have foreign support and so forth, and it's everything for me, it makes me more hopeful. But on the other hand, I received lots of threats, and I have to be careful because I am young and I have energy, I want to serve more my people, especially suffering women of Afghanistan. And because of this I have to be more careful because of my security, and every night I change house, and I don't feel secure here in Kabul."
ABC

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Malalai Joya at Wikipedia :: Afghan MP says she will not be silenced

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