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January 12, 2005

MASOODA JALAL

41yo Tajik pediatrician. New Afghan Minister of Women's Affairs. 1 of 7 children. Studied psychiatry at Kabul Medical School, but switched to pediatrics when mental health dept shut down during civil war. Remained single until 30, & chose own husband.

When Taliban removed her from teaching position at Kabul University, became official with UN World Food Program, where boss forced her to sign statement that safety was her own responsibility: "I did it. I was not going to give up."

Also provided services to war widows all over country. Several employees of her assistance group were captured, & Taliban threatened to hang her. Married to philosophy professor Faizullah Jalal, who was also campaign manager. Has 3 children, aged 9, 7, & 3.

Ran against Karzai in 2002 loya jirga in campaign in which women candidates were shot at. Warlord Mohammed Fahim ordered Jalal's husband to rein her in. Came in distant 2nd, turned down position as VP. Ran against Karzai in historic presidential election, received 1% of vote.

Fiery independent who craftily cloaked campaign in virtue of motherhood. Campaign slogan: Vote for the Mother.

Afghan-born US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad on election: "It was a spectacular success," notes that many took special baths, dressed in best clothes to vote; some women wore henna on their hands, a wedding tradition,& others 'said their last prayers,' determined to vote even if it meant they might be killed.

Tribal council chief Tamim Nuristani says women all over country defied their husbands' instructions to vote along ethnic lines & voted for Karzai: "It's really quite simple. For the last 3 years their homes have not been bombed, their daughters, sons & husbands are safe from rape & forced conscription, there has been peace. Karzai is synonymous with peace, so he got their vote."

Masooda Jalal on heartbreaking rate of birth defects from intermarriage: "13 years ago a survey said that hundreds of thousands of Afghans were mentally disabled. Intermarriages were the 1st cause of this disability. I hope that the Ministry of Women can design a program so that the next generation of Afghans is stronger."

Masooda says families know the risk, but still marry daughters to first cousins to avoid paying a large dowry, & to keep daughters within safety orbit of family.

On her appeal as a candidate: "People want to get rid of warlords. They want a civil government, not a government full of former military people. They want democracy, they want their rights. I am a doctor & a mother. I want to nurse Afghanistan back to health. Only a healthy country can ensure a healthy people."

On what sets her apart from warlords: "I don't have blood on my hands, I haven't destroyed any cities."

On being a role model: "There is an interpretation of the Koran according to which a woman can indeed be a leader. I will try my best & we will see. If I am not the winner, (my campaign) will still be important. As a woman, I am giving a lot of courage to the women of Afghanistan."

On her legacy: "I have had an impact ... if I do not become president, the girls of this country will. I broke a tradition. I created honor & values for the women of Afghanistan. They are not nothing any more."

On her campaign: "My hands are empty, but I want to prove that a woman with empty hands can do a lot. It will be a lesson for all the women of Afghanistan. Already 5000 years we women have waited for our turn. We cannot wait another century."

On Karzai: "He's with the warlords, I'm with the people. I am independent, he's not. I am not owing anything to the warlords. If I get the success, I will disarm them."

On defying the odds: "Unlike one candidate who is surrounding himself by all powers to stay in office, candidates like me donÂ’'t even have a small percentage of these powers. How can we call the result of the election fair & democratic? How can we say it represents the will of the people & reflects their political rights?

"Afghanistan is not democratic. If it continues like this it will bring bad reputation to democracy. We the people of Afghanistan want real democracy. We want freedom, fairness, human rights - no dishonesty, no influence from internal military forces or foreign powers."

On courage: "If I show weakness some men will say, 'look she is not brave'. They will say, 'there is another woman who gave up'."

On fearlessness: "I have dug a hole & buried all my fears."

See also Krauthammer: The Afghan Miracle; Chrenkoff: Good News from Afghanistan

Posted by Jeff at January 12, 2005 09:58 PM

Comments

Posted by: obaidullah nurestani at February 11, 2005 05:42 AM

Posted by: ahmad javed at February 27, 2005 09:35 AM