Madam, – You are to be congratulated for reminding us of the 11,000 Afghan women who gathered for a prayer for peace to mark International Women’s Day year ago, and also of the death of Sitara Achakzai, the women’s rights activist, shot by the Taliban for involvement in “bad things” (Editorial, March 8th). Over the weekend, a group of us set up an International Women’s Day peace camp at Shannon airport to mourn the death of Afghan women and children in general and particularly the recent victims of Nato’s “friendly fire,” 12 members of one family and then another 27.
Planeloads of US soldiers and military cargo pass through Shannon every day, facilitated by our Government, on the way to the Nato war: how much of this unending traffic contributed to the “friendly fire”? Throughout Saturday and Sunday a military plane was sitting on the airfield; when we gathered at the fence to look at it, we saw it was guarded by gun-toting Irish soldiers. Had we scrambled over the fence to get a closer view, would we have been shot for intending to do “bad things”?
May I quote two Afghan women parliamentarians? On a recent visit to Dublin, Dr Zahin Karokhail addressed the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, urging the Government and the EU to direct aid towards non-military and women’s organisations. Malalai Joya, suspended from parliament for her clear voice against corruption and injustice, and living in constant danger, has written, “It is the policies of the big powers intervening and backing the most extreme elements in Afghanistan that have rolled back the rights of women. Our country has not been liberated, it is still under the war lords’ control and Nato occupation only reinforces their power.”
We are not part of Nato, yet seven Irish soldiers are serving with the Nato forces in Afghanistan, a small but precise contribution to the war. Our contribution at Shannon is much larger. If The Irish Times is really concerned for the safety of women, let it call for our immediate disengagement from Nato and for the removal of “facilities” for US military transport at an Irish civilian airport: then, with a clear conscience, we can mourn for and honour the women of Afghanistan. – Yours, etc,