[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 94 (Tuesday, July 18, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H5338-H5340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING AND SUPPORTING RADIO AL MAHABA
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 784) commending and supporting Radio
Al Mahaba, Iraq's first and only radio station for women.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 784
Whereas Radio Al Mahaba, Iraq's first and only radio
station for women, went on the air on April 1, 2005;
Whereas Radio Al Mahaba is an educational tool,
broadcasting in three different languages and giving women
freedom to voice opinions and hear other opinions;
Whereas Radio Al Mahaba airs shows dedicated to women's
rights and women's issues;
Whereas such shows are devoted to relationships, parenting,
and other social topics;
Whereas despite terrible risks, the staff of Radio Al
Mahaba works at the station because they want to reach out
and touch peoples' lives, and they want to give hope,
knowledge, empowerment, support, and a passage to freedom to
Iraqi women;
Whereas Radio Al Mahaba, amid the struggles in Iraq, has
followed the examples of the United States which guarantees
freedoms of speech and the press, thereby encouraging Iraqis
to build an open, democratic civil society;
Whereas Radio Al Mahaba has a positive, important role in
educating women;
Whereas Radio Al Mahaba provides women with freedom of
speech;
Whereas Radio Al Mahaba provides an opportunity for women
to secure their role in the governance of a civil society
within Iraq; and
Whereas Radio Al Mahaba meets a palpable need of Iraqi
women: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) commends the efforts of Radio Al Mahaba to provide
Iraqi women with freedom of speech and an opportunity for
women to be included in and informed of the reconstruction of
Iraq with an open, democratic civil society;
(2) supports the mission of Radio Al Mahaba; and
(3) urges Al Mahaba to continue its important work.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Ackerman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.
{time} 1600
General Leave
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, House Resolution 784, introduced by our colleague Mrs.
McCarthy, and a measure of which I am proud to be an original
cosponsor, commends and supports Iraq's first and only radio station
for women, Al Mahaba. All of us who have spent time in the Middle East
know of the courage that it takes for women to take to the airwaves and
provide education and information for women.
It was April 1, 2005, when Al Mahaba first went on the air. Despite
personal risk, these courageous people took to the airwaves, in the
words of the resolution, to reach out and touch people's lives, and
give hope, knowledge empowerment, support and a passage to freedom to
Iraqi women.
Its commitment was to serve as an important education resource for
women, for broadcasting in three languages, and enabling women to hear,
some for the very first time, messages about women's rights and women's
issues. Radio Al Mahaba provides a forum for women to voice their
opinions and to hear the opinions of other women who face the
complexities of life for women in the Middle East.
The programming on Al Mahaba deals with issues specifically focused
on women, which includes such important topics as relationships,
parenting and other social issues which are not dealt with in other
media. This radio station, which operates within the aura of what we in
America know as our first amendment rights of freedom of speech and
freedom of the press, is a wonderful example to Iraqi women and Iraqi
people nationwide of the benefits of freedom. It plays an important
role in paving the way for women to have more of a fundamental impact
on Iraqi society.
House Resolution 784 appropriately commends the efforts of these
pioneers. It supports the mission of Radio Al Mahaba and it encourages
it to continue with its important work. I urge my colleagues, Mr.
Speaker, to support this important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this
resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, first I would like to commend and thank my good friend
and colleague from New York, Carolyn McCarthy, for sponsoring this very
important measure.
Mr. Speaker, our intervention in Iraq and its aftermath have not been
without controversy, but there are some developments there that I know
every Member of this body is happy to embrace. Radio Al Mahaba
represents just such a development.
Radio Al Mahaba is a unique phenomenon in the Middle East, a radio
station for women dealing with issues of interest to women, and, more
importantly, run by women.
In a society where a majority of women are illiterate, radio is a
vital
[[Page H5339]]
means of imparting information. Of course, female illiteracy is a
problem in virtually every state in the Islamic Middle East, which is
precisely why Radio Al Mahaba is a model for the region.
I am pleased to report, Mr. Speaker, that Radio Al Mahaba is a fully
independent radio station, both politically and religiously. It is
surely one of the few Iraqi radio stations, some say the only one, that
can be described in that way.
Mr. Speaker, Radio Al Mahaba was founded 1 year ago with a $500,000
grant from the United Nations Development Fund for Women. It started
out broadcasting 6 hours a day; and as a result of its incredible
popularity, it was up to 16 hours a day very soon thereafter.
Unfortunately, it was forced to cut back after terrorists destroyed its
transmitter. Nonetheless, Al Mahaba carries on.
Radio Al Mahaba is a beacon of free expression for Iraqi women, and
it has the potential to make a remarkable contribution to the political
and cultural growth of Iraqi society as a whole. It deserves the
support of every Member of this body, as does the resolution commending
its work.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution and urge all of our
colleagues to do likewise
Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York, the
sponsor of the resolution, Carolyn McCarthy.
Mrs. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from New
York for allowing me to speak on this, and I also want to thank my
colleague from Florida, who has been a sponsor. We actually had a trip
of women that went to Iraq and saw firsthand how important it is for
the Iraqi women to have a voice.
Historically, Iraqi women were extremely well educated, but the
educational suppression brought on by Saddam Hussein led to the
illiteracy rate of women rising to almost 75 percent.
After Saddam was ousted, Bushra Jamil, an Iraqi who was living in
Canada, saw an opportunity to empower the women of Iraq as it
transitioned to democracy. Bushra returned home and created Radio Al
Mahaba, the Middle East's only radio station for women. The station
became so popular that they were broadcasting, as my colleague had
said, 16 hours a day in three languages, Arabic, Kurdish and English.
While we take radio shows that cater to women for granted, this was a
revolutionary concept in the Middle East. Women who had been oppressed
for years were finally able to hear their side of the story.
The radio station provided a forum for women to make sure their
voices were heard. The station received 100 calls a day from women
asking questions, giving advice and voicing their opinions on the
rebuilding of their country. The radio station had found an audience,
and they were now financially sustainable through sponsorships.
But last October, unfortunately, the radio station fell silent. The
terrorist attack on the Palestinian hotel in Baghdad destroyed their
transmitter. And while the station was not the target of this attack,
many leaders in Iraq were not all upset that these women's voices were
silenced.
They found another transmitter, but it wasn't as powerful as the one
they lost during the terrorist attack. This new transmitter could only
reach about a third of their listening audience. Fewer listeners meant
less sponsorship revenue for the station.
Unfortunately, the rented transmitter broke down about a month ago,
and they are in desperate need of funds to get back on the air. Once
they receive this funding, they plan to expand their listening audience
to include all of Iraq and its neighbors. They are also planning on
broadcasting in Persian to reach the women of Iran, who have been
oppressed for nearly 30 years.
The radio station can be the place for women in Iraq and throughout
the Middle East to learn about the issues that will affect their lives.
The right to educate one's self and to be heard are cornerstones of our
own democracy, and these characteristics should be carried over into
the new Iraq.
The station's 28 full-time and part-time staff risk their lives every
day by going to work. These people are Iraqi patriots, and I am
confident their sacrifices will be rewarded.
Mr. Speaker, I recently had a chance to speak to President Bush about
the station and he was very enthusiastic about the role it will play in
a democratic Iraq.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this station and the resolution. I
would like to thank members of the Iraqi Women's Caucus and the
International Relations Committee. I would also like to thank
Representatives Osborne, Tauscher, Granger, Solis, my colleague from
New York, Mr. Ackerman and, of course, my colleague from Florida, Ms.
Ros-Lehtinen, Chairman Hyde and Ranking Member Lantos for their strong
support of this station and this resolution. This has been a bipartisan
effort from the start, and I hope we can continue to work together.
Mr. Speaker, with all the bad news that is coming out of Iraq, we
must recognize those who are really trying to make a free Iraq.
Democracy takes a long time. We can do this, but we all must work
together.
Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to yield the balance of
my time to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) who is going to
close our debate, the cochair of the Iraqi Women's Caucus here in the
House.
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, as has been mentioned, I have served as a
cochair of the Iraqi Women's Caucus. Some people may say, well, why
would you have a Women's Caucus? The reason is at one point we were
meeting with Paul Wolfowitz, and Paul was mentioning the fact that
women had been subjugated in Iraq, had not been given a voice. So at
that time Jennifer Dunn and I thought that maybe doing something to
encourage Iraqi women would be helpful, because women tend to be
oriented toward family, toward children, and they tend not to be as
isolated by tribes, by ethnicity. As a result, we formed the Iraqi
Women's Caucus. We felt that women could be a key to uniting Iraq.
So we are very encouraged by Radio Al Mahaba and the fact that they
are now broadcasting in three languages. They do not recognize
differences between the Shiia, the Kurds and the Sunnis; and they
devote themselves almost entirely to women's issues. We feel that this
is something that absolutely has to be encouraged.
In talking to Iraqi women who have come to the United States, and we
have had many groups who come here, they have said that really Iraq is
not as divided as most people in the United States believe, because
there is intermarriage and there are cousins who are from one tribe or
another and they all are related. So we feel that endeavors such as
this are really important.
Mr. Speaker, we particularly want to commend the staff at the radio
station, Al Mahaba, for their bravery, for their fortitude, and for
what they are doing to try to bring Iraq together. I think one thing
that we will find is that humanity has certain common instincts and
needs, and certainly the desire to nurture on the part of women, and
men as well, the desire to have strong families, the desire to have our
children have a better life than what we had is something that is
common to all of us.
So as we point out these things and as this radio station capitalizes
on those instincts, I think we certainly are moving toward a better day
in Iraq.
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res.
784, which commends and supports Radio Al Mahaba, Iraq's first and only
radio station for women.
In the midst of all the bad news coming out of Iraq, it is important
that we recognize one of the positive developments there. Radio Al
Mahaba provides a unique service to the citizens of Iraq, particularly
the women. It allows Iraqi women to express their opinions about issues
important to them, including women's rights.
For Iraq to have any kind of future, there must be full participation
and equal treatment under the law for women in Iraq. The voices of
Iraqi women must be heard in all levels of government, the private
sector, in schools, and in the media. I am pleased that today this body
officially goes on the record in support of these efforts.
However, we should not stop here. We must continue to encourage the
leadership in Iraq to protect the rights of women, particularly in the
amendment process for the constitution. Iraqi women and men should be
guaranteed equality in the constitution to ensure that women
[[Page H5340]]
will never become second-class citizens. Both women and men should have
the right to vote, access to equal opportunities, and equal treatment
under the law. I am particularly concerned that final language in the
constitution could limit women's rights, including in matters such as
divorce, child custody, and inheritance.
I have introduced legislation, H.R. 5548, the ``Empowerment of Iraqi
Women Act of 2006,'' which would establish an Iraqi Women's Fund to
help Iraqi women and girls in the areas of political, legal, and human
rights, health care, education, training, security, and shelter, and it
would authorize $22,500,000 in each fiscal year 2007, 2008, and 2009
for this fund. I have met with several delegations of Iraqi women
during my trips to Iraq and here in Washington. I am always inspired by
their strength and courage to speak out in support of equality, even in
the face of danger. While these women have hope, they understand that
the future is very uncertain.
I know my colleagues join me in expressing our strong support and
solidarity with the women of Iraq as they fight for the rights to which
they are entitled. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this important resolution.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.
Res. 784, a resolution that would celebrate Radio Al Mahaba, the first
and only radio station for women in Iraq. Located in a country that
only just recently employed a democratic system, Radio Al Mahaba is a
true symbol of the rights associated with that system.
In Iraq's history, women were typically denied their basic rights.
Radio Al Mahaba, which means ``Voice of Women,'' first went on the air
on April 1, 2005 and represents just the opposite of this norm. It has
become a forum where women can voice and discuss opinions and practice
their freedoms of speech and the press. The station offers speaking
opportunities for local volunteers and female journalists. It has been
an effective tool not only to reach out to women throughout Iraq, but
also to encourage greater female participation in the electoral
process. Thus, the establishment of Radio Al Mahaba was truly a step in
the right direction towards establishing autonomy and liberties for
women in Iraq.
Moreover, Radio Al Mahaba can be a key source for open communication
among the people of Iraq, delivering information, such as news alerts,
when necessary. It also represents a positive result of the U.S.
presence in Iraq.
Today, it is critical that we commend Radio Al Mahaba for its
inspiring work and encourage it to stay on the air for years to come. I
commend Congresswoman McCarthy for proposing H. Res. 784, and I
strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to
support House Resolution 784, the resolution that commends Iraq's first
and only radio station for women.
As the women of Iraq continue to fight for their rightful place in
society, we must recognize the avenues they have engineered for
themselves that provide the forum for practicing their right to be
heard.
Established in 2005, the radio station is appropriately named al-
Mahaba, which means ``love'' in Arabic, is the first and only
independent women's radio station in Iraq. The station was funded by
UNIFEM, a United Nations agency that supports women's issues, and is
not affiliated to any political party.
Having returned from a recent Codel trip to Iraq, I was very
fortunate to have met with women representatives from the radio station
who expressed their commitment to women's issues. These strong and
courageous women understand much too well the importance of taking a
stand against oppression and know they have found a new sense of
empowerment.
The station's purpose is to reconcile women's rights, which have been
arbitrarily taken away by political regimes; and to encourage them to
face their fears and learn to assert themselves as women.
I support the format facilitated by the radio station because it
provides women with a long overdue venue where they can tell their
stories, share their ambitions and express their fears.
When calling the radio station, these women address a wide range of
personal and political issues that have a direct affect on them as
women. The format allows them to candidly share enduring numerous
beatings from their husbands; share their frustrations with the
consistent pressure from religious groups to wear the hijab; and
express their fear of having a strict form of Islamic Law imbedded in
their society.
For women who feel as forgotten members of society, the radio station
provides them a haven to freely express themselves without fear of
judgment or persecution. These women endure immense atrocities and
oppressions and we must support and recognize their efforts to assert
themselves as strong voices in Iraq's society.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Wamp). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 784.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________