Make it a day to say No! To Islamic Sharia law in Iraq!
international |
rights, freedoms and repression |
press release 
Friday February 24, 2006 11:34
by Houzan - Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq- Representative abroad
houzan73 at yahoo dot co dot uk
+44 79 56 88 3001
For secularism, equality and freedom!
Make it a day to say No! To Islamic Sharia law in Iraq!
For secularism, equality and freedom!
The Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) sends its greetings for this historic day to women activists all over the world. For centuries women have been struggling for their rights and for equality and liberation in all parts of the world. Major changes have been won, but nowhere do we have real equality, and in many parts of the world the oppression and exploitation of women are still striking. Iraq is one of those places.
The US-UK occupation has pushed Iraqi society back into a medieval world in which “honour killings”, beheadings, forced veiling and seclusion and sexual servitude are now a part of everyday life.
Now the reactionary, tribalist and sectarian government the US has installed in Iraq wants to go further by institutionalizing the oppression of Iraqi women. The outcome of a war and occupation which was sold to the world as bringing “liberation” and “democracy” has been a hand-picked group of political hacks and tribal elder imposed on Iraqi society through a pseudo-parliament and a constitution that makes women second class citizens.
For the last three years Iraqi women have stood up against not only the occupation but against political Islamist groups who are fighting to establish an Iranian or Saudi Arabian-type regime of gender apartheid, with all marital and family matters regulated by Islamic Sharia law.
OWFI is fighting to mobilize Iraqi women and their supporters across the world against the occupation and Islamisation of Iraq. The USA and its allies claim that in facilitating our subjugation they are respecting “Islamic culture” and “Arab culture”.
We say that this viewpoint, permanently relegating people in the so-called Muslim world to barbarism, borders on racism. We oppose politicized religion and demand a secular and egalitarian constitution for Iraq!
They want to divide people along lines of religion, ethnicity and gender. We are demanding equality for all Iraqis regardless of their origin! Women in Iraq need your support more than ever. OWFI has been able to maintain and continue its work because of international support and solidarity, because of solidarity from women’s, progressive and workers’ organizations all over the world helping us to stand firm for our lives and our liberties.
We call upon you to join with us this International Women’s Day (8 March) to say No to religious law in Iraq and yes to equality and freedom.
No to Islamic Sharia Law in Iraq!
Long Live International Women’s Day! Long live freedom, equality, and secularism!
Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq- Representative abroad
February 2006
For further information please contact Houzan Mahmoud:
[email protected]
Tel: +44 79 56 88 3001
www.equalityiniraq.com
Comments (3 of 3)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3This is a mail I got requesting that he statement be publicised. I put it up here on behalf of the Iraqi Women. If you or your organisation endorse the statement then please contact Houzan.
pat
Dear Friends and supporters of organsiation of women's freedom in iraq please endorse our call and publisize it widely
Yours
Houzan Mahmoud
Houzan Mahmoud
www.equalityiniraq.com
www.ifcongress.org
www.uuiraq.org
Tel:+44 7956883001
Call from the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq- abroad representative
To make International Women’s Day on 8 March a day of saying No to Islamic Sharia law in Iraq
To all women’s, progressive, secularist and labour movement organizations
Iraqi women are facing a historic threat. The US/UK occupation has strengthened political Islamist groups, who now constitute a majority in the US-installed parliament and have a dominant position in the new constitution based on ethnic division and the principles of Islamic Sharia law. Iraq’s personal status law will now be abolished and all marital and family matters will be conducted on the basis of Sharia and other forms of religious-tribal law. This means the enslavement of Iraqi women under a system of laws developed hundreds of years ago in the dark ages. Iraqi women will not accept their subjugation. We will stand firm against both the occupation and political Islam in Iraq.
To do this we need your solidarity - please support us in our struggle.
Please sign the following statement and send it back to us:
"The war and the occupation of Iraq by the US and UK have opened the way for reactionary forces in Iraqi society to impose a constitution based on Islamic Sharia and other forms of religious-tribal law. We the undersigned organizations and individuals condemn the introduction of religious law. We demand freedom and equality for Iraqi women and support their Struggle for a democratic, secular and egalitarian constitution."
For further information please contact Houzan Mahmoud:
[email protected]
Tel: +44 79 56 88 3001
www.equalityiniraq.com
Heres another mail from Houzan. Respond to her call above. Let her know that you support the Iraqi Women against islamic fundamentalists.
pat
*************************************
Dear Pat
this is great well done, we are hoping to generate alot of support to our camapign against islamic sharia law in Iraq..
Happy international women's day to you, although I think people don't say this any more, but I think we should say it.. full equality is still something to be fully fought for ! we will not submitt to a new dark age !!!
Comradely
Houzan
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