I was just looking at a diary that asked whether the CIA is harming the women of the Islamic republic of Afghanistan with their Viagra program..I thought it very valid, I had the same thoughts when I first heard of it today.
One of the commenters there in that diary seems to think that we may be worrying far too much about women there in this instance, our "western cultural norms"....Maybe they are happy about it?
I think we should all be sensitive to other cultures and societies, and not impose on them.
It would be better to be aware and educated, for instance, before storming into a middle eastern country and destroying a fragile cultural-religious truce and occupying a country for five years, killing hundreds of thousands and then claiming a "surge" was the real changing point as opposed to completed racial and cultural genocide campaign, and driving people out to refugee camps. Um. ya.
Things are a lot more peaceful when your proclaimed enemies are dead, or just gone.
Crossposted at A Creative Revolution
The women of The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan......Are they happy with their lot in life, simply because they don't know any better? It's the "culture"?
According to the Bush admin and the conservative chickenhawks in Canada? Things is just JIM Dandy. They is making life so much better there for women, yesiree!
Before I go on, would you buy a used car from any of them? Would you believe one "fact" out of their mouths? After all that has happened?
Remember that the US and NATO, were going to help women in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan? It was a pretty bunch of words on paper, for sure. Women were to be guaranteed a place in parliament! How nice....
One problem, it was only if they STFU, and not actually like......say anything.
Human rights are in crisis in Afghanistan, where fundamentalist warlords hold high office and child abuse and gang rapes are on the increase. When Malalai Joya, a young female Afghan politician, spoke out against the presence of 'war criminals' in the affairs of state, she was expelled from parliament among shouts of ‘whore’ and ‘communist’. The recipient of various international prizes for bravery, she speaks of her commitment to defend the rights of women and children despite numerous attempts on her life
From a BBC article just this October:
A report by the international women's organisation Womankind Worldwide earlier said millions of Afghan women and girls continue to face discrimination and violence in their day-to-day lives.
Both Taleban and the Mujahideen warlords are still accused of raping very young girls, some as young as four years, in the northern Afghanistan, Ms. Joya says.
Let me introduce you to RAWA,If you haven't seen it before.
RAWA is the oldest political/social organization of Afghan women struggling for peace, freedom, democracy and women's rights in fundamentalism-blighted Afghanistan since 1977.
RAWA's statement on the seventh anniversary of the US invasion of Afghanistan, Oct.7, 2008
Seven years back the US government and its allies were successfully able to legitimize their military invasion on Afghanistan and deceive the people of the US and the world under the banners of "liberating Afghan women", "democracy" and "war on terror". Our people, who had been tormented and oppressed by the Taliban’s dominance, were filled with hope but soon their dream of the establishment of security, democracy and freedom was shattered in the most painful manner.
By the installation of the puppet government of Karzai, the US reused its creations and continued its deal with the Jehadi criminal warlords. From the very start, Mr. Karzai shunned the demands and trusts of the people and chose to compromise with the criminals of the "Northern Alliance" and placed the filthiest faces in the key posts of the government. In contradiction to the shameless claims of the ministers and other treacherous and corrupt officials, our people feel more ill-fated; the country has been turned to a mafia state and self-immolation, rape and abduction of women and children has no parallel in the history of Afghanistan.
Read the rest here....
How strong is your stomach? This is a warning before you click.... Self immolation of Afghan women. They do this because their lives are so unbearable, shame.....etc.
A 12 year old is gang raped by 5 gunman, in order to get ANY form of response from the Karzai government, the whole family has threatened suicide.....Rape is not a serious offence to the authorities, not serious enough to investigate, let alone prosecute.
From November, this year:
Kandahar Schools Empty After Acid Attack on Girls
The Mirwais Meena girls’school used to be a bustling place with over 1300 students. But now the halls and grounds are nearly empty, the swings hang motionless on the recreation field.
On a late November morning, there were only a dozen or so girls and three female teachers to be seen. The rest, traumatised by a vicious attack on November 12 that left several girls disfigured and two blinded, have chosen to stay at home.
So, back to the Viagra question: How would adding a potent drug, that would allow men to go nonstop sexually on women, (no matter they are married or not) be a good thing for women who are already expected and forced to submit like slaves? Seems a no brainer to me.
And how would asking that question be forcing our "western cultural norms" or the women of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan?
And finally, what can anyone do to help? Open your eyes, don't listen to the man behind the curtain.....And help organizations like RAWA, who are trying to empower women and girls through education.
RAWA's Youtube channel. Only the most hardened heart will not find these stories completely devastating.