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----- Original Message -----
Subject: Petition to the UN regarding treatment of women in Afghanistan
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This is an actual petition, and "signatures" will be lost if you drop the
line.
Dear Friends,
Please do not ignore this e-mail. This is something that we as women and
essentially as human beings need to support - I don't know if this is going
to help but take 3 minutes out of your life to
do your part. Madhu, the government of Afghanistan, is waging a war upon
women.Since theTaliban took power in 1996, women have had to wear burqua and
have been beaten and stoned in public for not having the proper attire, even
if this means simply not having the mesh covering in front of their eyes.
One woman was beaten to death by an angry mob of fundamentalists for
accidentally exposing her arm(!) while she was driving. Another was stoned
to death for trying to leave the country with a man who was
not a relative. Women are not allowed to work or even go out in public
without a male relative; professional women such as professors, translators,
doctors, lawyers, artists and writers have been
forced from their jobs and stuffed into their homes. Homes where a woman is
present must have their
windows painted so that she can never be seen by outsiders. They must wear
silent shoes so that they are never heard. Women live in fear of their lives
for the slightest misbehavior. Because they cannot work, those without male
relatives or husbands are either starving to death or begging on the street,
even if they hold PhDs.
Depression is becoming so widespread that it has reached emergency levels.
There is no way in such an extreme Islamic society to know the suicide rate
with certainty, but relief workers are estimating that the
suicide rate among women must be extraordinarily high: those who cannot find
proper medication and treatment for severe depression and would rather take
their lives than live in such conditions. At one of
the rare hospitals for women, a reporter found still, nearly lifeless bodies
lying motionless on top of beds, wrapped in their burqua, unwilling to
speak, eat, or do anything, but slowly wasting away. Others have gone mad
and were seen crouched in corners, perpetually rocking or crying, most of
them in fear.
When what little medication that is left finally runs out, one doctor is
considering leaving these women in front of the president's residence as a
form of protest. It is at the point where the term "human rights
violations" has become an understatement. Husbands have the power of life
and death over their women relatives, especially their wives, but an angry
mob has just as much right to stone or beat a woman, often to death, for
exposing an inch of flesh or offending them in the slightest way.
Women enjoyed relative freedom to work, to dress generally as they wanted,
and to drive and appear in public alone until only 1996. The rapidity of
this transition is the main reason for the depression and suicide. Women who
were once educators or doctors or simply used to basic human freedoms are
now severely restricted and treated as subhuman in the name of right-wing
fundamentalist Islam. It is not
their tradition or 'culture,' but it is alien to them, and it is extreme
even for those cultures where fundamentalism is the rule. Everyone has a
right to a tolerable human existence, even if they are women in a Muslim
country.
If we can threaten military force in Kosovo the name of human rights for the
sake of ethnic Albanians, citizens of the world can certainly express
peaceful outrage at the oppression, murder and injustice
committed against women by the Taliban.
STATEMENT: In signing this, we agree that the current treatment of women in
Afghanistan is completely UNACCEPTABLE and deserves action by the United
Nations and that the current situation overseas will not be tolerated.
Women's Rights is not a small issue anywhere, and it is UNACCEPTABLE for
women in 2001 to be treated as subhuman and as so much property. Equality
and human decency is a fundamental RIGHT, not a freedom to be granted,
whether one lives in Afghanistan or elsewhere.
1) Giuliana D. Black, Daly City, CA, USA
2) Mariam Nayiny, Palo Alto, CA, USA
3) Sunaina Gulati-Ruh, Palo Alto, CA USA
4) Megan McCaslin, Palo Alto, CA USAF
5) Blake Hallanan, San Francisco, Ca. USA
6) Kit Henderson, Sacramento, CA USA
7) Kara Myers, San Francisco, CA
8) Ellen Tilden, San Fransisco, CA
9) Vanessa Ross, San Francisco, CA
10) Jenna Shaw- Battista, San Francisco, CA
11) Jeanne Racik, Berkeley, CA
12) Julie Silas, Oakland, CA
13) Renee Longstreet, Tarzana,CA
14) Susan Johnson, Encino, CA
15) Kenneth Johnson, Encino, CA
16) Terri Treas, Los Angeles, CA
17) Amy Retzinger, North Hollywood, CA
18) Babette Crooms, Los Angeles, CA
19) Olivia Kienzel; Santa Barbara, CA
20) Sean Dexheimer, Los Angeles, CA
21) Elio Chavez, Jr., Pasadena, CA
22) Gregory Kastigar, Los Angeles, CA
23) Robert Collie, Los Angeles, CA
24) Jeff Garvin, Brea, CA
25) Tricia Allen, Sherman Oaks, CA
26) Joleen Nordstrom +AH4 Hollywood, CA
27) Theresa Donahoe - Martinez,CA
28) Jennifer Horn - Concord, CA
29) Roxanne Ryan - Alamo, CA
30) Miriam Tyler- San Jose CA
31) John Burns- San Jose CA
32) Kristin Lynn Minick- Fort Worth TX
33) Jeff Neal- Marietta, GA
34) Anna Neal- Marietta, GA
35) Frances Murley-Fort Worth, TX
36) David Murley-London, England, UK
37) Jillian Dykhouse, Colleyville, TX
38) Bonnie Dykhouse,Colleyville,TX
39) Nancy Williams, Colleyville, TX
40) Georgene Farr, Sterling Heights,MI
41) Joanne Arensberg, Riverview, MI
42) Luann Ouellette, Vermillion, SD
43) Sandie Sullivan, Vermillion, SD
44) Troy Nelson, Minneapolis, MN USA
45) Joseph Miller, Minnepolis, MN USA
46) Kathleen Miller, White Bear Lake, MN USA
47) Jerry Marquis, Mpls. Mn. USA
48) Julie Stokes, Coon Rapids, MN USA
49) Tracy Ford, Blaine, MN USA
50) Sheila Lawrence, Monticello, MN USA
51) Brenda Kitchen, Westlake Village, California,USA
52)Teresa Burke, Sherman Oaks, CA, USA
53) Bruce Ehrlich, Sherman Oaks, CA USA
54) Yllania Francis, Los Angeles, CA
55) Drew Hedin, Los Angeles, CA USA
56) Laura Paridon, Laguna Woods, CA USA
57) Jeanie Hagedorn, Des Moines, IA USA
58) Sue Christensen, Des Moines, IA USA
59) Sybil Finken, Glenwood, IA USA
60) Luke Finken, Earth
61) Doug Gerace, Lincoln, NE USA
62) Cheryl Gerace, NE
63) Sheri Lew, CO
64) Raven Grace, Boulder, CO
65) Martha M.Mertz, EL, Michigan
66) Colleen R. Cooper, Okemos, Michigan
67) Barbara J. Sawyer-Koch, East Lansing, MI
68) Margaret A. Meyers, Okemos, Michigan
69) Mary Helen Espes, Okemos, Michigan
70) Maureen Kirchhoff, Allenspark, CO
71) Bart Johnson, Err, France
72) Sharon O'Connor, Olympia, WA USA
73) Helen Nenson, Olympia, WA USA
74) Kim Hartley, Olympia, WA. USA
75) Jim Hartley, Olympia, WA. USA
76) Talitha Thalya, Wa. USA
77) Lelelewa Tano Rikiho. Boise, ID USA
78) Shayshoshewa Westin, Boise, ID USA
79) Rae Ann Gustafson, Boise, ID USA
80) Ellen Bencken, Boise, ID USA
81) Rocky Bencken, Boise ID USA
82) Lucia Thornton, Fresno, CA USA
83) Kristina Thelen, Livermore,CA USA
84) Julie Ferioli, Oakland, CA USA
85) Deborah Drysdale, San Francisco, CA USA
86) Judy Olasov, San Francisco, CA USA
87) Lucinda Olasov,Isle of Palms.SC USA
88) Jennifer H. Mt. Pleasant, SC, USA
89) Sara Saylor Isle of Palms, SC USA
90) Ellen McCully Gastonia NC,USA,
91) Mimi McCully, Gastonia, NC USA
92) Mary Rose Tully, Raleigh, NC USA
93) Douglas B. Tully, Raleigh, NC USA
94) Lorraine Welker, Lyon, France
95) Lucie Bouchard, Lyon, France
96) Mary Kaine, Lyon, France
97) Lisa Kaine, NYC, USA
98) Pamela Caye, NYC, USA
99) Kevin Mandel, NYC, USA
100) Justine Lackey NYC, USA
101) Thomas Aufmesser, Vienna, Austria
102) Erich Aufmesser, Vienna, Austria
103) Sigrid Weinzinger, Vienna, Austria
104) Heide Weinzinger, Zell am See, Austria
105) Erhard Weinzinger, Zell am See, Austria
106) Doris Steinbichler, Mexico
107) Rara Avis, Barcelona, Spain
108) Peter Auer, Vienna, Austria
109) Timur Hanak-Hammerl, Vienna, Austria
110) Josef Fuerst, Vienna, Austria
111) Josef P=F6lzl, Vienna, Austria
112) Wolfgang Sokol, Vienna, Austria
113) Wolfgang Rohorzka, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
114) Ralph A. Hamburger, Vienna, Austria
115) Roland Wagner, Bratislava, Slovakia
116) Adrian Rajter, Bratislava, Slovakia
117) Alzbeta Rajterova, Bratislava Slovakia
118) Helena Le Sage, Bratislava, Slovakia
119) Tony Bomber, Cambridge, England
120) Anne Seaman, Chelmsford, England
121) Jan Farndale, Cambridge, England
122) Janet Moody, Limerick, Ireland
123) Teresa McMahon
124) Phyl Fitzgerald, Limerick, Ireland
125) Pamela Daly, Dublin, Ireland
126) Eddie kelly Tipperary Ireland
127) Mairead Malone, Clare, Ireland
128) Mags O'Connor, Limerick, Ireland
129) Fiona Bolger, Waterford,Ireland
130) Marie Ryan, Offaly, Ireland
131) Stephen Mc Carthy, Waterford, Ireland
132] Owen McCarthy, Caherciveen, Ireland
133) Helen Rauch, Clearwater, Fl
134) Diane Rauch, Farmington Hills, MI
135) Shirley Patterson, Allen Park, MI
136) Bernadette Dean, Dearborn, MI
137) Marie Hogan, Detroit, MI
138) Angelina Michelini, Livonia, MI
139) Dawn Annette Mills, Tucson, AZ
140) Patricia M Vereb, Tucson, AZ
141) Valerie Stark, St. Louis, MO
142) Mary Jane Romero, St. Louis, MO
143) Theresa Mastrogiovanni, Kansas City, MO
144) Colleen McGrane, St. Louis MO
145) Lucy Wynkoop, Lacey, WA
146) Laura Swan, Lacey, WA
147) Debbie Harr, Lakewood WA
148) Barbara J. Monda, Olympia WA
149) Martin Casey, Olympia, WA
150) Art Stratton, Olympia, WA
151) Catherine Stratton, Olympia WA
152) Patti Kireview, Seattle, WA
153) Patti Grossman, Needham, MA
154) Anita Adelson, Newton, MA
155) Jane Siegel, Newton, MA
156) Lisa Davis, Suffern, NY
157) Gloria Goldberg , NY
158) Julie Balaban Orono, Me
159) Cris Carter, Lexington, MA
160) Nancy Hartman, Lexington, MA
161) Marianne O'Brien, Winchester, MA
162) Shaqron Jackson, Acton, MA.
163) Barbara Schmitz, Acton, MA
164) Barbara J. Schmitz, Silver Spring, MD
165) Debra K. Udey, Kensingon, MD
166) Marge Gildenhorn, Rockville, Maryland
167) Jill Tanenbaum, Bethesda, Maryland
168) Nancy Adam, Greenwood VIllage, CO
169) Josh Balonick, Vail, CO
170) Marcia Balonick, Highland Park, IL
171) Jane Barton, Tucson, AZ
172) Beth Barton, Waltham, MA
173) Sidra Goldman, Ithaca, NY
174) Jennifer Grubb, Ithaca, NY
175) Stephen Elliott, New Haven, CT
176) Colin Dawson, Bethlehem, PA
177) Bridget A. B.Gunderson, Winter Park, FL
178) Hope McGratty, Talkeetna, AK
179) Fernando Salvador, Talkeetna, AK
180) Kathy Crawford, Orlando, FL
181) Jim Crawford, Orlando, FL
>>>>>>>>182) Margaret Broussard, Melbourne, FL
183) William Broussard, Melbourne, FL
184) M. Lynn McGonagill, Sarasota, FL
185) Susan Nathanson, Sarasota, FL
186) Lori Conable, Sarasota, FL
187) Karen Cadou, Sarasota, FL
188) Lynne Friedman, Madrid, Spain
189) Maya Speelmans Slutz, Madrid, Spain
190) Ronald Deutch, Austin, Texas
191) Christine D.A. Langlois-Smith, Jakarta, Indonesia
192) Kim Smith, Jakarta, Indonesia
193) Maureen Smith, Perth Western Australia
194) Kevin Smith, Perth, Western Australia
195) Simon Pryor, Brunswick East Australia
196) Vivienne Tellefson, Brunswick, Australia
197) Lyn Place, Port Melbourne, Victoria
198) Pam Hammond, Black Rock, Australia
199) Jackie Tidey, Middle Park, Australia
200) Alwyn Evans, Yanchep, Western Australia
201) Owen Bell, Yanchep, Western Australia
202) Helen Hagemann, Perth Western Australia
DIRECTIONS: PLEASE USE EDIT / select all/THEN COPY / and then Paste this
email on to a new message, sign the bottom and forward it to everyone on
your distribution lists. If you receive this list with more than 300 names
on it, please e-mail a copy of it to [log in to unmask]
Even if you decide not to sign, please be considerate and do not kill the
petition.
Thank you.
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