Liberty Star
07-25-2009, 11:15 AM
Is she the Benazir of Afghanistan?
Friday, 24 July 2009 00:29 UK
Afghan woman MP lists 'enemies'
By Becky Branford
BBC News
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46110000/jpg/_46110583_851-1.jpg
Malalai Joya says she has survived five attempts on her life
Afghanistan's people are trapped between powerful enemies, according to Malalai Joya, an outspoken member of the Afghan parliament.
Ms Joya named those "enemies" as Nato forces who bomb from the sky, the resurgent Islamists of the Taliban, and the country's "warlords".
Speaking to anti-war activists in London she insisted Afghans were capable of governing themselves.
But she dismissed next month's presidential election as a "deception".
Ms Joya technically remains an MP, but has been suspended since 2007, on charges of insulting the parliament after she compared it to a zoo.
She has been called "the bravest woman in Afghanistan", and is well known for her opposition both to the Taliban and to the warlords who backed the American-led campaign to overthrow the Taliban in 2001.
She says she has survived five assassination attempts.
In her address to supporters of the UK's Stop the War Coalition in London, Ms Joya was scathing about Nato operations in Afghanistan. She said the actions of Nato were serving only to further the misery of ordinary Afghan people.
She called for Western taxpayers not to support a situation which she said was causing the death of Afghan civilians and emboldening the Taliban.
She said that under the watch of Nato, drug production in the country had flourished - and that its proceeds were funding the Taliban.
'No functioning democracy'
Ms Joya first came to prominence for a controversial speech to the National Assembly in 2003, when she denounced many of those present as "criminals".
That resulted in her being physically assaulted inside the assembly hall.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8168084.stm
Friday, 24 July 2009 00:29 UK
Afghan woman MP lists 'enemies'
By Becky Branford
BBC News
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46110000/jpg/_46110583_851-1.jpg
Malalai Joya says she has survived five attempts on her life
Afghanistan's people are trapped between powerful enemies, according to Malalai Joya, an outspoken member of the Afghan parliament.
Ms Joya named those "enemies" as Nato forces who bomb from the sky, the resurgent Islamists of the Taliban, and the country's "warlords".
Speaking to anti-war activists in London she insisted Afghans were capable of governing themselves.
But she dismissed next month's presidential election as a "deception".
Ms Joya technically remains an MP, but has been suspended since 2007, on charges of insulting the parliament after she compared it to a zoo.
She has been called "the bravest woman in Afghanistan", and is well known for her opposition both to the Taliban and to the warlords who backed the American-led campaign to overthrow the Taliban in 2001.
She says she has survived five assassination attempts.
In her address to supporters of the UK's Stop the War Coalition in London, Ms Joya was scathing about Nato operations in Afghanistan. She said the actions of Nato were serving only to further the misery of ordinary Afghan people.
She called for Western taxpayers not to support a situation which she said was causing the death of Afghan civilians and emboldening the Taliban.
She said that under the watch of Nato, drug production in the country had flourished - and that its proceeds were funding the Taliban.
'No functioning democracy'
Ms Joya first came to prominence for a controversial speech to the National Assembly in 2003, when she denounced many of those present as "criminals".
That resulted in her being physically assaulted inside the assembly hall.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8168084.stm