London Speeches: Houra Qadar
Daevid Mc | 26.11.2001 23:37
Houra Qadar (Afghan woman working with Scottish Stop the War Coalition in Edinburgh)
I have to say this crowd is absolutely amazing! Its such an honour as an Afghan woman to be here today and speak to you. As you already know I've come here today from Edinburgh, Scotland. I've travelled the whole way with virtually no sleep with lots of other people to be here today with you.
I want to let you all know that the Scottish Stop the War Coalition has been really active . We've been organising anti-war demonstrations, a protest at the Scottish parliament and have now formed the National students anti-war coalition. We are with you all the way.
Now, I'd like to start by condemning terrorism, including the terrorist groups of Bush, Blair Putin and all the others involved in this dirty coalition.
Afghan people have been suffering the brutality of war for over twenty years now. Every time a chance for peace arises another war breaks out.
Now, one of the most poorest and most devastated countries in the world is being continuously attacked by the greatest superpower the world has ever known. Now, the very countries that initially devastated Afghanistan - this being Russia, this being the US, this being Britain, have formed a new coalition to devastate us further.
It makes me sick that Putin and Bush meet in Texas to discuss military action when they should be discussing paying back the Afghans with massive humanitarian aid.
And they should be discussing how best to apologize to us. And not just to us but to the Iraqis, to the Palestinians, to the Africans and the South Americans.
The Afghans would welcome any help to establish a free, democratic and peaceful country. But how can they trust the nations that fed them with the very same lies before and betrayed them?
How can they trust this coalition that tries to help them with bombs; by starving them; by using inhumane cluster bombs the same colour as the food packages; by using depleted uranium; daisy cutters.?
How can they trust this coalition who claim they want to help by supporting the Northern Alliance - a group recognized by the international community to be worse than the Taleban?
RAWA [Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan] - said in their press statement "You have removed our oppressors but you have replaced them with murderers and rapists instead. You have not helped the Afghan people."
The Northern Alliance still consists of the same warlords who we witnessed massacre 50,000 people. They are still divided, they are still looting, they're still murdering, they're still raping. Just because they are now dressed in American and British combat uniform doesn't suddenly qualify them as humane. Does that uniform qualify any American or British soldier as humane? We don't want a broad-based government of murderers, nor do we want a puppet US government dictatorship. I was asked by a journalist 2 days ago whether I really thought that the Northern Alliance would eventually go against the US since they should be so grateful that the US and Britain have helped them to get where they are. My answer was "nothing has really changed for the Northern Alliance apart from being supplied with a few more weapons than they've already been supplied by the West before. And if they really care about the Afghan people - what about the last 10 years in Afghanistan of suffering?
And if they really care about women's rights why do they support the Saudi Arabian government and how they treat Saudi Arabian women? And if they really care about Afghan people then why do they try to get rid of all the refugees coming here and to the West? Finally, I ask how can the Afghan people trust a coalition that wants military occupation to ensure safe passage of humanitarian aid. Since when was the British SAS, Russian troops and the CIA used for humanitarian aid, I ask you?
The fact is brothers and sisters, that many Afghan people would sacrifice their lives for the peace Bush and Blair offer them. The fact is that many Palestinians would sacrifice their lives to fight a war against terrorism especially the brutal terrorism inflicted upon them by the shamefully racist and fascist Israeli Government.
The fact is that if this coalition was sincere in any way in helping the Afghan people and fighting terrorism I would be 100% with them right now. But they're not.
The truth is this war is not about fighting terrorism, nor finding bin Laden, which would probably be impossible since they haven't even proved he's guilty anyway.
The truth is that this war was being planned a long time before September 11th. September 11th provided them with a perfect excuse to attack a country they've been planning to attack for a long time and this is the only way they can justify it because the world wouldn't allow them to otherwise.
The truth is, brothers and sisters, this war is about oil. This war is about power in Central Asia. This war is about globalisation. They say they want peace and justice. The US is planning on spending upto $40 billion on military action and expecting to make £3 trillion out of the oil industry there - this is what they really want.
Brothers and sisters, British and American soldiers are not going into Afghanistan to risk their lives for peace, justice and democracy. How can they be when the very country they are fighting for set up this cruel, oppressive dictatorship in the first place? We welcome the fall of the Taleban but we must remember who created the Taleban in the first place? who trained them? who supplied them with weapons? and who was trying to negotiate with them over oil prices only two years ago? - It was Bush's party!
Brothers and sisters, our soldiers are merely risking their lives to fill our politicians and businessmen's pockets with yet more money. The US and British Government have gone into Afghanistan blindly and ruthlessly, looking only into their own interests which they have not even in control of.
I think we should not be surprised if the Northern Alliance continue to disobey George Bush's orders and I think we should not be surprised if they soon turn into the next so-called enemy.
I dream of peace for my country. I dream of a stable, democratic government not only in Afghanistan, but in Pakistan, in Iraq and all over the world where people will no longer have to suffer from world debt and they won't have to see their children getting killed by US and British Weapons.
Islam is used as scapegoat to deter people from seeing the real reasons why terrorism exists, blaming it on fundamentalism and fanaticism.
Well, I'll tell you what the real reason for terrorism existing today - it is poverty, it is oppression, it is the undemocratic governments set up by the West in the first place.
Not only is there a peaceful solution to the problem in Afghanistan but there are also easy peaceful solutions to fighting terrorism now - how about cancelling third world debt? how about destroying the arms trade? how about not creating and supporting the terrorist groups in the first place? how about allowing true democracy and freedom to exist all over the world. Brothers and sisters it is time to stand up for what we believe in, for peace and justice. We must stand shoulder to shoulder as they stand shoulder to shoulder, and declare 'war is illegal', show that we are unafraid and that we demand a better future, for all of us. We want peace! Thankyou.
I have to say this crowd is absolutely amazing! Its such an honour as an Afghan woman to be here today and speak to you. As you already know I've come here today from Edinburgh, Scotland. I've travelled the whole way with virtually no sleep with lots of other people to be here today with you.
I want to let you all know that the Scottish Stop the War Coalition has been really active . We've been organising anti-war demonstrations, a protest at the Scottish parliament and have now formed the National students anti-war coalition. We are with you all the way.
Now, I'd like to start by condemning terrorism, including the terrorist groups of Bush, Blair Putin and all the others involved in this dirty coalition.
Afghan people have been suffering the brutality of war for over twenty years now. Every time a chance for peace arises another war breaks out.
Now, one of the most poorest and most devastated countries in the world is being continuously attacked by the greatest superpower the world has ever known. Now, the very countries that initially devastated Afghanistan - this being Russia, this being the US, this being Britain, have formed a new coalition to devastate us further.
It makes me sick that Putin and Bush meet in Texas to discuss military action when they should be discussing paying back the Afghans with massive humanitarian aid.
And they should be discussing how best to apologize to us. And not just to us but to the Iraqis, to the Palestinians, to the Africans and the South Americans.
The Afghans would welcome any help to establish a free, democratic and peaceful country. But how can they trust the nations that fed them with the very same lies before and betrayed them?
How can they trust this coalition that tries to help them with bombs; by starving them; by using inhumane cluster bombs the same colour as the food packages; by using depleted uranium; daisy cutters.?
How can they trust this coalition who claim they want to help by supporting the Northern Alliance - a group recognized by the international community to be worse than the Taleban?
RAWA [Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan] - said in their press statement "You have removed our oppressors but you have replaced them with murderers and rapists instead. You have not helped the Afghan people."
The Northern Alliance still consists of the same warlords who we witnessed massacre 50,000 people. They are still divided, they are still looting, they're still murdering, they're still raping. Just because they are now dressed in American and British combat uniform doesn't suddenly qualify them as humane. Does that uniform qualify any American or British soldier as humane? We don't want a broad-based government of murderers, nor do we want a puppet US government dictatorship. I was asked by a journalist 2 days ago whether I really thought that the Northern Alliance would eventually go against the US since they should be so grateful that the US and Britain have helped them to get where they are. My answer was "nothing has really changed for the Northern Alliance apart from being supplied with a few more weapons than they've already been supplied by the West before. And if they really care about the Afghan people - what about the last 10 years in Afghanistan of suffering?
And if they really care about women's rights why do they support the Saudi Arabian government and how they treat Saudi Arabian women? And if they really care about Afghan people then why do they try to get rid of all the refugees coming here and to the West? Finally, I ask how can the Afghan people trust a coalition that wants military occupation to ensure safe passage of humanitarian aid. Since when was the British SAS, Russian troops and the CIA used for humanitarian aid, I ask you?
The fact is brothers and sisters, that many Afghan people would sacrifice their lives for the peace Bush and Blair offer them. The fact is that many Palestinians would sacrifice their lives to fight a war against terrorism especially the brutal terrorism inflicted upon them by the shamefully racist and fascist Israeli Government.
The fact is that if this coalition was sincere in any way in helping the Afghan people and fighting terrorism I would be 100% with them right now. But they're not.
The truth is this war is not about fighting terrorism, nor finding bin Laden, which would probably be impossible since they haven't even proved he's guilty anyway.
The truth is that this war was being planned a long time before September 11th. September 11th provided them with a perfect excuse to attack a country they've been planning to attack for a long time and this is the only way they can justify it because the world wouldn't allow them to otherwise.
The truth is, brothers and sisters, this war is about oil. This war is about power in Central Asia. This war is about globalisation. They say they want peace and justice. The US is planning on spending upto $40 billion on military action and expecting to make £3 trillion out of the oil industry there - this is what they really want.
Brothers and sisters, British and American soldiers are not going into Afghanistan to risk their lives for peace, justice and democracy. How can they be when the very country they are fighting for set up this cruel, oppressive dictatorship in the first place? We welcome the fall of the Taleban but we must remember who created the Taleban in the first place? who trained them? who supplied them with weapons? and who was trying to negotiate with them over oil prices only two years ago? - It was Bush's party!
Brothers and sisters, our soldiers are merely risking their lives to fill our politicians and businessmen's pockets with yet more money. The US and British Government have gone into Afghanistan blindly and ruthlessly, looking only into their own interests which they have not even in control of.
I think we should not be surprised if the Northern Alliance continue to disobey George Bush's orders and I think we should not be surprised if they soon turn into the next so-called enemy.
I dream of peace for my country. I dream of a stable, democratic government not only in Afghanistan, but in Pakistan, in Iraq and all over the world where people will no longer have to suffer from world debt and they won't have to see their children getting killed by US and British Weapons.
Islam is used as scapegoat to deter people from seeing the real reasons why terrorism exists, blaming it on fundamentalism and fanaticism.
Well, I'll tell you what the real reason for terrorism existing today - it is poverty, it is oppression, it is the undemocratic governments set up by the West in the first place.
Not only is there a peaceful solution to the problem in Afghanistan but there are also easy peaceful solutions to fighting terrorism now - how about cancelling third world debt? how about destroying the arms trade? how about not creating and supporting the terrorist groups in the first place? how about allowing true democracy and freedom to exist all over the world. Brothers and sisters it is time to stand up for what we believe in, for peace and justice. We must stand shoulder to shoulder as they stand shoulder to shoulder, and declare 'war is illegal', show that we are unafraid and that we demand a better future, for all of us. We want peace! Thankyou.
Daevid Mc