Statement by Revolutionary Association of Women in Afghanistan (RAWA)

STATEMENT BY REVOLUTIONARY ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN (RAWA) September 14, 2001 On September 11, 2001 the world was stunned with the horrific terrorist attacks on the United States, rawa stands with the rest ofthe world in expressing our sorrowand condemnation for this barbaric act ofviolence and terror, rawa had already warned that the United States should not support the most treacherous, most criminal, most anti-democracy and anti-women Islamic fundamentalist parties because after both the Jehadi and the Taliban have committed every possible type of heinous crime against our people, theywould feel no shame in committing such crimes against the American people, whom they consider "infidel." In order to gain and maintain their power, these barbaric criminals are ready to turn easily to any criminal force. But unfortunately we must say that it was the government of the United States who supported Pakistani dictator General Zia-ul Haq in creating thousands ofreligious schools from which the germs ofTaliban emerged. In the similar way, as is clear to all, Osama Bin Laden has been the blue-eyed boy ofcia. Butwhatis more painful is thatAmerican politicians have not drawn a lesson from their pro-fundamentalist policies in our country and are still supporting this or that fundamentalist band or leader. In our opinion any kind of support to the fundamentalist Taliban and Jehadies is actually trampling democratic, women's rights, and human rights values. Ifit is established that the suspects ofthe terrorist attacks are outside the U.S., our constant claim that fundamentalist terrorists would devour their creators is proved once more. The U.S. government should consider the root cause of this terrible event, which has not been the firstand will not be the last. The U.S. should stop supporting Afghan terrorists and their supporters once and for all. [Meridians:feminism, race, transnationalism 2002, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 266-7)©2002 by Wesleyan University Press. All rights reserved. 266 Now that the Taliban and Osama are the prime suspects by the U.S. officials after the criminal attacks, will the U.S. subject Afghanistan to a military attack similar to the one in 1998 and kill thousands ofinnocent Afghans for the crimes committed by the Taliban and Osama? Does the U.S. think that through such attacks, with thousands ofdeprived, poor, and innocent people ofAfghanistan as its victims, will be able to wipe out the root-cause of terrorism, or will it spread terrorism even to a larger scale? From our point ofview, a vast and indiscriminate military attack on a country that has been facing permanent disasters for more than two decades will notbea matterofpride. We don'tthinksuch an attackwould be the expression ofthe will ofthe American people. The U.S. government and people should know that there is a vast difference between the poor and devastated people ofAfghanistan and the terrorist Jehadi and Taliban criminals. While we once again announce our solidarityand deep sorrowwith the people ofthe U.S., we also believe that attacking Afghanistan and killing its most ruined and destitute people will not in anyway decrease the grief ofthe American people. We sincerely hope that the great American people could differentiate between the people ofAfghanistan and a handful of fundamentalist terrorists. Our hearts go out to the people ofthe U.S. Down with terrorism! SEPTEMBER 11: A FEMINIST ARCHIVE 267 ...