[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 148 (Wednesday, October 31, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1974-E1975]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         PLIGHT OF AFGHAN WOMEN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 31, 2001

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues to 
condemn the oppressive rule enforced by the Taliban regime against 
women. I thank Congresswoman Millender-McDonald, co-chair of Women's 
Caucus, for her leadership in bringing this issue to the attention of 
all members of Congress. Ms. Millender-McDonald has been a long time 
advocate for the equal and fair treatment of women both here in the 
United States and abroad.
  Mr. Speaker, the Taliban are a repressive and regressive force in 
Afghan society. They

[[Page E1975]]

rule their country in complete defiance of the 1977 Afghanistan 
constitution--denying both men and women the equal rights this document 
specifically grants them. Under the Taliban regime, women, in 
particular, suffer extreme oppression.
  They are isolated in their homes and barred from going to school, 
working, or even walking outside unaccompanied. They are required by 
the Taliban never to enter public places without being completely 
covered. The windows on their houses are also covered or painted so no 
one may see them. They live their lives in semi-darkness; faceless and 
powerless. Those who violate the rules of conduct are beaten or 
brutalized by roving bands of Taliban police.
  This oppression of Afghan women not only compromises their value as 
human beings, but undermines Afghan society by denying it the talents 
and contributions of its women. In fact, prior to Taliban rule Afghan 
women were counted amongst the country's leading doctors, lawyers, 
teachers and political leaders. The contributions they made to their 
communities were invaluable.
  In addition, as the primary caregivers in families Afghan women are 
responsible for instilling values and a sense of right and wrong in 
their children. By demeaning women, the Taliban regime is 
indoctrinating new generations of children, boys and girls alike with a 
belief that is counter to a set of values that we all hold dear. It is 
important for Afghan mothers and grandmothers to provide inspiration 
and hope for a better quality of life to their children, and that 
begins with their own fair and just treatment. If not, what message are 
these children being sent when their government demeans and represses 
those who are at the very heart of family life? What vision for the 
future can we offer these innocent children?
  Mr. Speaker, the reality is that if we want to build a world where 
freedom, democracy, and equality are respected tenets, then women have 
to be equal partners with men in all aspects of life. Women all over 
the world, including Afghanistan, value the opportunity to contribute 
their special talents and ideas with their communities. Therefore, we 
should join them as allies in their struggle for a social climate where 
equality for both Muslim men and Muslim women is respected.
  Finally, I want to clearly state that the blame for the continued 
discrimination Afghan women face is not in Islam, but on the non-
Islamic nature of the Taliban regime. Progressive based Islamic 
traditions have been tossed aside by the Taliban government and 
replaced with an extremism that is a distortion of true Islam.
  The United States Congress must condemn the treatment of women in 
Afghanistan in the name of justice, peace, equality and freedom. It has 
been too long since Afghan women have enjoyed the rights common in so 
many other areas of the world. Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that the U.S. 
involvement in Afghanistan will contribute to establishing a stable and 
progressive Islamic regime that values women and permits them to 
contribute positively and equally to a better tomorrow for the citizens 
of Afghanistan and future generations.

                          ____________________