[van-announce] Sign the on-line appeal for Malalai Joya today!

[Derrick O'Keefe]

*Please forward widely*

Sign the on-line petition for Malalai Joya today!

Following Malalai Joya's successful cross-Canada tour, Friends of Malalai Joya - Canada has been formed. Look for a series of official launch events early in 2008.
For now, if you have not already done so, we are asking you to sign and forward this important petition appealing for Malalai's reinstatement and protection.

This petition was originally started on the web site of the Vancouver-based anti-war coalition StopWar.ca http://www.stopwar.ca/
Visit this site to see the names of over 200 signatories recorded before the petition was moved here.

Friends of Malalai Joya - Canada
Contact: malalai.joya at yahoo.ca

* * *

International Appeal for the Reinstatement of Malalai Joya

Sign it now at: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/ReinstateMalalaiJoya

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.

Sign the petition: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/ReinstateMalalaiJoya

Original signatories include:

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 --u2014Canada and Co-chair, StopWar.ca (Canada)
Joan Felip, activist (Catalonia)
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)...

For more information on Malalai Joya and the campaign to have her reinstated, http://malalaijoya.com/







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