|
We have witnessed in the past
decades, a glorification of culture as a primary issue dictating
people’s lives and rights. Culture has come to take precedence over
human rights, equality, liberation, rights of individuals, children’s
rights and women’s rights - concepts and issues which have been long
argued and have prominence in modern and civilized civil societies. The
birth of cultural relativism and its recognition in the society as a
credible concept is the result of this process. I ask you why an arbitrary
concept as culture must be so glorified that takes precedence over
prominent issues such as freedom, equality, and justice. Why should people
be categorized and placed in different pigeon holes according to culture
or religion. These should be private matters. There is no justification
for assigning such prominent status to culture which overshadows any sense
of justice, equality and freedom, the achievements of long battles fought
by freedom loving people and socialists for more than two centuries.
I like to reflect on another
issue here. As it regards the Islamic courts, we are dealing with a
movement, which has gained political power in some influential countries
and has become well known internationally: political Islam. In my opinion,
it is a reactionary and misogynist movement. I am talking here to you as a
first hand victim of political Islam. I can show you here among the
audience many more victims of this brutal movement. There are many women
and men here today who have fled the torture, execution threats, and
humiliation of political Islam. For us to see that the seeds of an Islamic
republic are being sown here in
Canada
is terrifying.
Let me briefly take you back
to the 11th of September 2001. The horrific day that thousands
were killed in the most horrendous manner. It was not only the number of
human beings who lost their lives that shook the world, it was the manner
in which it happened. As a result of this tragedy political Islam was
marginalized and came under increasing pressure. The crimes of this brutal
movement in
Afghanistan
and
Iran
were exposed. People in the world became appalled by the atrocities
committed by political Islam.
However the actions by the
USA
and
Britain
, the attack on
Iraq
and the bullying attitude adopted by the
US
created a ground on which this movement began to build a psychological and
propaganda campaign to present itself as the victim of Western racism. It
began to create a feeling of guilt among decent freedom loving people in
the West. The crimes and atrocities inflicted by the US in Iraq and
against immigrants and people from Middle Eastern origin became a source
that political Islam came to cash in on to appear as ‘victim’. After
that date, political Islam took our belief in freedom and equality hostage
to serve its own interests. Our decency became a source for their
exploitation. The term Islamophobia came into being. And once more after
we have pushed back cultural relativism to the margins we came to fight a
new monster. We were threatened by them and frowned upon by
well-intentioned people for criticising Islam and its treatment of women,
for criticising the veil, especially child veiling. The movement that
flogged us, tortured us for not observing the veil, and made us flee our
homes and seek refuge here, now calls us racist. We should not let this
happen. This mockery must be stopped. We should put and end to this
charade of victimization and self- righteousness by a movement that has
terrorized millions of women into submission and subjugation.
It is true that we are the
first hand victims of political Islam, but we are not mere victims. We
belong to a vibrant, dynamic, strong, and progressive movement, which has
fought political Islam not only in
Iran
, not only in
Iraq
, and not only in the
Middle East
but also here in the West. We have raised the banner of freedom and
equality not only for women but for humanity and are fighting to push back
religion to its rightful place - that is to the private sphere. We are
fighting to diminish the role of religion in the running of society, to
separate religion from education and the state, and judiciary. We have
raised the banner of secularism. We are the front runner of the secular
movement in Europe, and now in
Canada
. Women’s rights, equality and freedom need the secularisation of the
society. We have organised this fight; we are at the forefront of this
struggle, and we are proud of it. We will not allow political Islam to
take root in the West and we will soon uproot it in the
Middle East
as well.
The
above is a speech prepared by Azar Majedi for an International Women’s
Day panel on March 8, 2004 on Sharia Courts and Women’s rights. Azar
Majedi is the head of the Organisation of Women’s Liberation
Back
< 1 2 |
