Afghan female lawmaker physically and verbally attacked

A perfect example of liberated Afghanistan’s democracy: a lawmaker is attacked for daring to speak out against the rampant corruption of her fellow lawmakers and government officials, many of whom are linked to drug trafficking and illegal armed groups. I’ve seen reports claiming that large numbers of the Afghan lawmakers are war criminals from the civil war or linked to large paramilitary groups, and Karzai’s government is also filled with them.

For more information on the women lawmakers in Afghanistan, and the lawmakers and Karzai appointees, see the latest issue of The Nation and it’s article “Letter from Afghanistan.”

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – An outspoken female legislator was physically and verbally attacked by her colleagues after saying on the parliament floor that some of Afghanistan’s mujahedeen leaders were criminals who shouldn’t now be lawmakers, officials said Monday.

Malalai Joya, who apparently was unhurt, said several female lawmakers hit her with empty plastic water bottles and male lawmakers made death threats and lobbed insults at her after her speech on Sunday. One lawmaker had her hair pulled during the scuffle, another official said.

Moderate lawmakers in the 249-member lower house formed a circle around Joya to protect her, she and other lawmakers said.

“I said there are two kinds of mujahedeen in Afghanistan. One kind fought for independence, which I respect, but the other kind destroyed the country and killed 60,000 people,” Joya told The Associated Press.

Shukari Barikzai, another female lawmaker, said Joya’s speech accusing some lawmakers of being warlords was calm and dispassionate, but she was attacked anyway. She said one female lawmaker pulled the hair of a female colleague protecting Joya.

Shukari Barikzai, another female lawmaker, said Joya’s speech accusing some lawmakers of being warlords was calm and dispassionate, but she was attacked anyway.

“This kind of situation creates concern for the future…

Posted by senssensibilityr
Student of German and Russian culture, history and language, emphasis on post-Dark Age European History. German and Russian 20th century literature. Studying Arabic. Cannot wait to go to Freiburg to study @ Goethe Institut im Februar.