December 10, 2021: Wearing masks of some Afghan women victims of violence and terrorism, a number of RAWA activists protest on the International Human Rights Day under the medieval rule of the Taliban.
International Human Rights Day comes at a time when Afghanistan is no longer facing "human rights catastrophe" but the complete collapse of its human life. After the United States and NATO betrayed our people again and handed over Afghanistan to their Taliban minion, as expected, the so-called "achievements" of twenty years collapsed in twenty minutes, and made our people face an all-encompassing and unprecedented crisis.
Although the Taliban announced a "general amnesty" to fool out the opposition, they have practically killed and maimed hundreds across the country. In addition to the punishments of the Stone Age, stoning, ravaging, hanging in public, all kinds of torture and barbarism are taking place, which most of the world's media do not cover. They are committing crimes against our defenseless people while embracing the thieves and traitors such as Hamid Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah, Omar Zakhilwal, Zia-ul-Haq Amarkhail, Gulbuddin, Dawood Sultanzoi and others like them.
The Taliban are trying to pretend to be "changed" in order to gain global financial and diplomatic support, recognition and the lifting of sanctions. They even issue fatwas in "defending women's rights"! How can one expect "change" from a medieval and alien mercenary group whose whole life is associated with bloodshed, suicide, explosions and savagery? While the Haqqani Network, as the most dangerous terrorist group, is largely in power, the expectation of any "change" in the nature of the Taliban is self-deception and stupidity! Everyday, they demonstrate their true nature in suppressing women in Kabul and the provinces who bravely protest for their rights. In the early days of the takeover, the Taliban shot dead protesters in Herat, killing two Herat teachers who only wanted to open girls' schools and earn a living.
Afghanistan's experience over the past four decades has shown that Western powers and the regional countries involved in the Afghan affair are each willing to work with the biggest killers of the Afghan people for their own interests. For them, the fate of the Afghan people is of no value. Now, on the one hand, the United States and the West have imposed sanctions on the Taliban, on the other hand, they have romantic relations with the Taliban officials and their diplomatic relations continue. In their competitions in the region, they are once again sacrificing the people of Afghanistan and each of them is sharpening their teeth to swallow the last assets of our country. From the governments of the United States, Britain and France to Pakistan, China, Russia, Iran, India, Turkey, Qatar, etc., crocodile tears are shed in front of the media for the catastrophic situation of the Afghan people and poverty, misery and famine, but in secret to work with the Taliban and strengthening their influence in Afghanistan do not shy away from any sabotage and terrorism.
The people of Afghanistan must learn from the bloody history, especially the last twenty years, that justice, freedom, human rights and democracy are not gifts given to them by the foreign countries. These human values can only be institutionalized in the society through the struggle and efforts of the people of a nation, in which case no force will be able to threaten and take it back.
Afghan women have gained awareness that today they are at the forefront of the fight against fundamentalism for freedom and justice, albeit at a rudimentary level. We strongly believe that these day-to-day protest actions will become more widespread and roaring. The success of this wave of protests requires the rejection of compromisers, traders and self-serving elements. Women who sell themselves like Fawzia Koofi, Nahid Farid, Shahrzad Akbar, Roya Rahmani, Habibeh Sarabi, Fatemeh Gilani, Farkhondeh Zahra Naderi and the like should not be allowed to compromise and gain personal interests under the guise of "national resistance".
Understanding the difficulties and the extremely dangerous path we have taken, as always committed to the uncompromising struggle against fundamentalism and anti-imperialism, we will not neglect to expose the traitors and their pen-men and to inform and mobilize women. Despite the gloomy and suffocating atmosphere of the society, there is no way out of the current miserable situation except the struggle for justice.
Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA)
December 10, 2021