This is written in great concern and at the same time, with renewed courage as the women’s wings in all three political parties in the Pakatan Rakyat (Federal Opposition coalition) in Malaysia – Democratic Action Party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat and Parti Islam se-Malaysia – in one strong unanimous voice, strongly condemn the assassination attempt on the life in of a prominent women’s rights leader and MP from Afghanistan, Shukriya Barakzai who walked away alive when the armoured car she was travelling in last Sunday was attacked by a suicide bomber several hundred feet from the wolesi jirga or the Parliament. Sadly, three others were killed while 32 were wounded in this cowardly attack. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of the three who had become victims of hardened extremists in their homeland.
Shukriya Barakzai and many female officials in Afghanistan have been targeted by insurgents in Afghanistan simply because they have all fought so chivalrously to ensure that the rights of their people, particularly women and children, are not violated and trampled upon as they are routinely discriminated and abused.
Barakzai was beaten on the streets of Kabul by Taliban militants when she was outdoors without being ‘escorted’ by a man, and that was the last nail in the coffin for her as she embarked on her treacherous journey to fight for good governance, justice, transparency and women’s rights, which are principles and doctrines close to our hearts and our party. A young voice for change, freedom and democracy, Shukriya was named International Editor for the year by the World Press Review and Woman of the Year by the BBC’s radio programme, Woman’s Hour.
While we stand in solidarity with Barakzai, we are also troubled by the state of affairs in Afghanistan, notably now on the level of security given to strong-minded and opinionated women leaders in a country where zealots, bigots and extremists continue to violently threaten political ideologies that are different from theirs. The Afghan government must therefore ensure that cardinal measures are taken to protect its people, its leaders, its lawmakers, its law enforcers as well as its reporters, be they local or international.
How disconcerting it is then earlier this year, conservative Aghan lawmakers lobbied for the 25% quota set for seats allocated for women candidates to be reduced to 20%. When lawmakers suffer from tunnel vision syndrome, women and children become victims of a decadent patriarchal society.
We stand in support of the enforcement of Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) Law in Afghanistan and a reminder to the government on its commitment and its moral obligation to uphold CEDAW which it ratified in 2003.
Over the past 35 years, more and more heinous human rights abuses have been committed in Afghanistan and we demand that justice must be served to the families of the victims. We urge that the government take on a more aggressive role in implementing the 2005 Action Plan for Peace, Reconciliation and Justice which includes further measures for truth-telling, institutional reform, and criminal accountability (Human Rights Watch).
Do not fear, Shukriya Barakzai, for you are the gutsy voice of conscience and hope in a nation that is crippled by extremists. Rally on, without fear or favour!
“When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” – Malala Yousafzai