By Aziz Edalat
Translated by: Mohammad Sakhi Rezaie
Over three and half a year, Afghan women and girls, have resisted against the discriminatory policies of Taliban and international community to bring them to justice.
A number of protesting women in Shabakae Zanane Jomhorikha, or “Republican Women Network,” termed the ICC arrest warrants for tow senior Taliban leaders, Haibatullah Akhundzada and for Abdul Hakim Haqqani, as the result of Afghanistan’s women struggles against the Taliban.
These women welcoming the arrest warrants said the ICC is aware of Taliban crimes and has recognized that the Taliban group is committing “gender apartheid” and “crimes against humanity” in the country.
“We strongly believe that justice will prevail and disparity of the Afghan people will end.” They also voiced their resolve support to the ICC prosecutor request for warrants and urged ICC to issue it.
Masouda Kohistani, right activist and member of the Republican Women Network, “In addition to presence in the field, women have challenged Taliban by writing poems, and texts and drawing arts against Taliban,” She asserted.
Roqyia Saee, one of prominent right activists, being detained two times by Taliban between 2022 –2023, and have been sentenced in prison, now leads the movement for the evolution of the history of Afghanistan Women”, in exile “ICC request for arrest warrants does not have much impact on the life of women. It is only effective when it is issued to arrest the Taliban leaders and this group is not further able to decide the political decisions of the country.”
Safia Arefi, founder and chairwoman of “Windows of Hope Movement” believes that Taliban have committed genocide, crime against humanity and war crimes against the people of Afghanistan. “Women protests showed the true face of Taliban to the world. These women have c demanded international courts bringing Taliban group to justice time and again.” She concluded.
Halima Pazhwak, founder and chairwoman of “Republican Women Network,” “ Justice seeking struggles of protesting women and girls, who have worked around clock, now has contributed to some minor successes, she added.
Rahel Talash, member of leadership of “Justice Seeking Women of Afghanistan”, “When for the first-time women raised their voices from the Kabul streets, the world realized that a regime is ruling Afghanistan that violates human rights. The new measure of ICC could be the result of the protests of women and girls of Afghanistan,” she stated.
Impact of ICC arrest warrants on the life of women
About the impacts of the ICC arrest warrants, “We can’t predict its impacts immediately, but it is a good news and the people are more optimistic about the future,” Masouda Kohistan detailed. But reminding the initiatives taken in the past, “We saw many things remained only on the paper and not no action has been taken practically. Terrorists were protected in government guest houses in the past and were returned with valuable gifts to their hideouts. As a result, we witnessed terror frequently,” she declared. And “Until this request is implemented, it cannot be satisfied”, she added.
Safia Arefi, founder of Windows of Hope Movement, “This request has increased hope for life in women. Women demand justice to be ensured. And only ICC is able to implement this justice”, she insists.
Roqyia Saee, believes the warrant is not issued yet and we only can be hopeful, when it is issued,” she adds.
As a result, human rights activists and women protestors think, until this request is implemented, it cannot be satisfied. According to these women, it needs a long legal procedure to be enacted.
Afghan protesting women are looking for approval of the arrest warrants for Taliban leaders and other senior members of the group should be included in the warrant. “All Taliban officials should be arrests,” Hasina Sarwary, member of Afghanistan Women Solidarity and Unity Movement,” says.
Add Comment