MALALAI JOYA OUSTED BY AFGHAN PARLIAMENT

Heart has an account at Women’s Space/The Margins. More information from Sonali Kolhatkar at WIMN’s Voices. Here is an excerpt from Kolhatkar’s piece:

… In February 2006, my non-profit organization, Afghan Women’s Mission, sponsored a US tour for her. Malalai had just been elected to Parliament and, unlike most politicians, was continuing to speak out and take risks after her election. A few months after returning to Afghanistan she was physically attacked by the warlord MPs and threatened with rape [read my WIMN Blog post here.] A few weeks ago she returned to the US for a small series of events in April organized by UCLA students and AWM volunteers. I noticed she was under greater pressure than ever before. The media in Afghanistan were trying to silence her, afraid for themselves. Instead of giving in to the pressure, she spoke out even louder, doing several hours of interviews with Orange County-based Ariana Afghan Television which broadcasts all over the world, including Afghanistan.

Now, just weeks after her return to Afghanistan, she faces this new hurdle. It is not clear what Malalai Joya’s fate will be as a result of the Parliamentary suspension. All that is known is a statement by notorious warlord Yunus Qanooni that Joya’s case will go to”court.”…

Update: Heart has some suggestions for ways to show support for Malalai Joya here.