True. I find it very difficult to accept the opinion that because Afghanistan's 'not Britain or the USA'
we should not dare to criticise traditions that become oppressive laws. Some of the comments
beneath the article also suggest that 'the people' have somehow voted for the law and that the majority
of the population want it passed, rather than that an extremist minority is influencing politics in the
run-up to an election. There's also an assumption that it's 'always' been that way, which is clearly not the
case looking at Afghanistan's history (I don't pretend to know much about it, but I remember there was
an outcry when women were forced out of their jobs and off the streets in the Taleban uprising) - even if it
had, I'm not sure how that's supposed to make it acceptable.
PS: Rachel - I really enjoyed your session at TAG, though I was quite angry for the rest of the day mulling over
excavation experiences that I'd obviously blotted out of my memory..!
PPS: sorry if people get this more than once - I think the server's playing up...
Emily Forster
Palaeoecology of historical human impact on the vegetation and landscape of the Lake District, North-West England
University of Southampton School of Geography
Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ
Tel: 02380592218
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From: Discussion list of Archaeologists for Global Justice [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pope, Rachel [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 31 March 2009 17:39
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ARCH-JUSTICE] Afghanistan
Perfect for AGJ - how can any woman (archaeologists included) feel that there is justice in this world after this?
What will be most difficult is watching our (male) western leaders sanctioning this through their silence in the coming days. The powerful sacrificing the weak for political gain.
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From: Discussion list of Archaeologists for Global Justice [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Forster E.E. [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 31 March 2009 14:46
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ARCH-JUSTICE] Afghanistan
Not sure if this is really AGJ territory, but people might be interested. It doesn't sound good.
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/31/hamid-karzai-afghanistan-law
Best wishes,
Emily
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