“NATO’s main role in Afghanistan is to assist the Afghan Government in exercising and extending its authority and influence across the country, paving the way for reconstruction and effective governance.”
“UNAMA’s key role is to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan by leading the efforts of the international community. Together with the Government of Afghanistan the Mission supports the rebuilding of the country and the strengthening of the foundations of peace and a constitutional democracy.”
Met dit soort ‘mission statements’ slaan de Crembo’s en consoorten van de Noord-Atlantische wereld ons graag om de oren ter verantwoording van ‘ons’ engagement in conflictgebieden.
En ik heb daar tot op een bepaald punt nog begrip voor, ook.
Echter, wanneer een lokale overheid waarvoor ‘onze jongens’ lijf, leden en familie riskeren, met opgeheven gestrekte middelvinger wetten invoert die haaks staan op de richting die je met constitutionele democratie uit wil, dan pas ik liever.
Het geval Karzai, al een jaar of 7 president van Afghanistan, maar tegenwoordig wanhopig op zoek naar meer populariteit in de aanloop naar de verkiezingen, dacht op slinkse wijze oogluikend de deur open te zetten voor wetgeving waardoor het land in één klap terug naar het Taliban-tijdperk werd gekatapulteerd.
Voor het zondagse gemak refereer ik voor de inhoud van de geplande wet aan een artikel uit The Guardian.
- The law is believed to contain articles that rule women cannot leave the house without their husbands' permission, that they can only seek work, education or visit the doctor with their husbands' permission, and that they cannot refuse their husband sex.
… the law grants custody of children to fathers and grandfathers only…
The Afghan constitution allows for Shias, who are thought to represent about 10% of the population, to have a separate family law based on traditional Shia jurisprudence. But the constitution and various international treaties signed by Afghanistan guarantee equal rights for women.
…the law was passed with unprecedented speed and limited debate. They wanted to pass it almost like a secret negotiation, because Karzai wants to please the Shia before the election.
[hierna wordt het pas echt achterlijk pijnlijk]
Ustad Mohammad Akbari, an MP and the leader of a Hazara political party … said the law actually protected women's rights.
"Men and women have equal rights under Islam but there are differences in the way men and women are created. Men are stronger and women are a little bit weaker; even in the west you do not see women working as firefighters."
Akbari said the law gave a woman the right to refuse sexual intercourse with her husband if she was unwell or had another reasonable "excuse". And he said a woman would not be obliged to remain in her house if an emergency forced her to leave without permission.”
