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Despite Increasing Threats to her Life, Afghan Government Withdraws Security for Joya
March 20, 2006 – 27 year old Afghan parliamentarian Malalai Joya is waging a battle against powerful forces trying to silence her. While on tour in the US, she has continued to receive threats from inside and outside the United States.
During a live Afghanistan Television call-in show, one caller openly threatened to kill her. Most recently in Fremont,
California, more than a dozen men disrupted a speaking event and aggressively hurled verbal insults at her.
Meanwhile, back in Afghanistan, warlords have stepped up their propaganda efforts to try to discredit Malalai. At the same time, the Afghan central government is reducing their contribution for her security in Afghanistan.
We are asking for your support to help restore her security by replacing the contribution recently withdrawn by the Afghan government.
The US State Department pays millions of dollars to US-based company DynCorp to hire scores of security guards for Afghan president Hamid Karzai, but similar funds have never been made available to protect vital voices like Malalai Joya.
Malalai Joya enjoys immense popularity throughout Afghanistan for being the only member of the Parliament who dares to criticize the warlords in public. As a result of her courageous stand, she routinely receives death threats by phone, mail, and in person. To date, she has survived 4 assassination attempts.
When Malalai Joya returns to Afghanistan at the end of March, she will not have adequate protection from the dangers she faces.
She recently told a BBC reporter: “They will kill me but they will not kill my voice because it will be the voice of
all Afghan women. You can cut the flower, but you cannot stop the coming of spring.”
We have to preserve the voice of this brave woman who speaks for millions of silenced Afghans. The threat to her strong voice is certain and immediate.
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today to help pay for the salaries and equipment of her security guards, no longer paid for by the Afghan government.
MAKE A SECURE ONLINE DONATION:
https://www.malalaijoya.com/donor/donor_info.php
OR
WRITE A CHECK:
Make checks out to “International Humanities Center,” and write “Malalai Joya” in the memo. Mail checks to International Humanities Center, P.O. Box 923, Malibu, CA 90265.
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