[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20726-20727]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING AFGHANI WOMEN

  (Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
express my solidarity with the courageous women of Afghanistan.
  This past weekend, Afghani women once again made history as their 
country held their second round of free and fair elections to select a 
national parliament and provincial assemblies.
  Despite threats of retaliation and retribution, 580 women stood for 
election. These 580 women have risen up to be leaders of their land, in 
a country that just 4 years ago prohibited women from participating in 
national life.
  Just as significant, many men for the first time voted to support 
female candidates. While skeptics on the left and in the media said it 
could not be done, this is an unmistakable victory for forces of 
democracy in our battle against tyranny and oppression.
  The Afghan election demonstrates that we have learned the lessons of 
history: if women are not allowed to participate in the decision-making 
process, if women are deprived of rights to run for elective office, 
and if women are barred from determining their own future, then those 
women will suffer oppression and human rights violations.
  Afghani women no longer have to fear the terrible cruelty of their 
past because they now control their own future.
  With our support, these women will continue to fan the flame of 
democracy and build a brighter future.

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