Solidarity with Malalai Joya

The case of Malalai Joya, the 29 year-old elected representative unjustly
suspended from the Afghan parliament in May 2007, requires the urgent
attention of the international community.

As activists and writers living in countries whose governments are at war
in Afghanistan and back the regime of Hamid Karzai, we wish to express our
support for Malalai Joya.

Ms. Joya has been an outspoken critic of the heavy presence of warlords
and other anti-democratic forces in the Afghan parliament, and for this
she has won widespread support. In 2005, she was elected to parliament as
a representative of Farah province. Such is her popularity that when she
was suspended from parliament, spontaneous demonstrations took place
throughout Afghanistan to show support for her reinstatement.

Contrary to the claims of the NATO governments, Malalai Joya says that the
West’s occupation of Afghanistan has pushed her country “from the frying
pan into the fire,” empowering assorted warlords and criminals. Joya has
also explained that six years of war have not encouraged the spread of
women’s rights: “We want liberation, not occupation.”

We believe that the governments of the NATO countries bear a great deal of
responsibility for Malalai Joya’s security, as they created and prop up
the government that has allowed her to be expelled from parliament.
Because she has spoken truth to power, she has been the victim of four
assassination attempts, and must travel clandestinely and under tight
security.

We pledge our ongoing support for Malalai Joya’s reinstatement and call on
the governments of the NATO alliance and other countries with troops on
the ground to pressure the Afghan government to reinstate her to
parliament.
The world is watching the case of Malalai Joya, and she has great support
amongst all those working towards genuine democracy and women’s rights in
Afghanistan.

More information: http://malalaijoya.com/

Some Notable Signatories:

Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK (United States)

Lawrence Boxall, Jews for a Just Peace—Vancouver (Canada)

Cristina Cattafesta, President, Coordinamento Italiano Sostegno Donne
Afghane (Italy)

Noam Chomsky (United States)

Libby Davies, Deputy Leader, New Democratic Party (Canada)

Dr. Lynette Dumble, Director, Global Sisterhood Network (Australia)

Kim Elliott, Publisher, rabble.ca (Canada)

Mable Elmore, Coordinator, Friends of Malalai Joya—Canada and Co-chair,
StopWar.ca (Canada)

Joan Felip, activist (Catalonia)

George Galloway, Member of Parliament (UK)

Susan George, Senior Fellow, Transnational Institute (France)

Lindsey German, convenor, Stop the War Coalition (United Kingdom)

Heike Hänsel, Member of Parliament, Left Party (Germany)

James Ingalls, Co-director, Afghan Women’s Mission (United States)

Christine Jones, Co-chair, Canadian Peace Alliance (Canada)

Jef Keighley, Chair, World Peace Forum Society (Canada)

Naomi Klein, journalist (Canada)

Sonali Kolhatkar, Co-director, Afghan Women’s Mission (United States)

Jack Layton, Leader, New Democratic Party (Canada)

Collette Lemieux, Co-chair, Canadian Peace Alliance (Canada)

Heather Mallick, writer (Canada)

Hakeem Naim, Malalai Joya Defense Committee (United States)

Derrick O’Keefe, Editor, rabble.ca and Co-chair, StopWar.ca (Canada)

Hamid Osman, President, York Federation of Students (Canada)

Silvana Pisa, Member of Senate (Italy)

Laura Quagliuolo, Vice-president, Coordinamento Italiano Sostegno Donne
Afghane (Italy)

Gina Whitfield, Friends of Malalai Joya - Canada

Onnie Wilson, Network Coordinator, RAWA Supporters Melbourne (Australia)