Consilience Productions

« How Obama turned on a dime toward war. | Main | Global Voices Online. »

Malalai Joya, acclaimed Afghan Woman's Rights Activist, denied visa to enter U.S.
March 19, 2011 1:26 PM

The U.S. Embassy this week denied famed Afghan women's rights activist Malalai Joya a visa to the United States for an extensive speaking tour that was to kick off on Saturday March 19th:

Ms. Joya, who was named one of TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2010, was set to begin a three week U.S. tour to promote an updated edition of her memoir, A Woman Among Warlords, published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

Colleagues of Ms. Joya's report that when she presented herself as scheduled at the U.S. embassy, she was told she was being denied because she was "unemployed" and "lives underground." Then 27, Joya was the youngest woman elected to Afghanistan's parliament in 2005. Because of her harsh criticism of warlords and fundamentalists in Afghanistan, she has been the target of at least five assassination attempts. "The reason Joya lives underground is because she faces the constant threat of death for having had the courage to speak up for women's rights -- it's obscene that the U.S. government would deny her entry," said Sonali Kolhatkar of the Afghan Women's Mission, a U.S.-based organization that has hosted Joya for speaking tours in the past and is a sponsor of this year's national tour.

The only possible reason the U.S. Government has for denying her visa is the following:

Joya has also become an internationally known critic of the U.S.-NATO war in Afghanistan. Organizers argue that the denial of Joya's visa appears to be a case of what the American Civil Liberties Union describes as "Ideological Exclusion," which they say violates Americans' First Amendment right to hear constitutionally protected speech by denying foreign scholars, artists, politicians and others entry to the United States.

It is outrageous that the United States Government has denied this Human Rights Activist and Afghan Member of Parliament a visa to visit the United States!

Please sign this petition, and then urge your member of Congress and Senator to sign this letter already drafted by 6 members of Congress and 3 senators:

Page 1
Page 2

HURRY! Her time is running out!!


Join the discussion: Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Email Link to a Friend
Permalink to post: http://www.cslproductions.org/democracy/talk/archives/001165.shtml
Receive an email whenever this DEMOCRACY blog is updated:   Subscribe Here!
Tags: , ,

Share | | Subscribe

"Home of the brave"...well, everyone except Ms. Joya I guess. And she only wants to visit, not to stay! Please allow Ms. Joya her visa, the only way the US will be harmed is if her words cannot be heard.

- Posted by Denise Kitashima Dutton - March 19, 2011 3:39 PM

Totally agree, Denise!

- Posted by Vinson Valega - March 20, 2011 1:53 AM


Add your comment

Name (required)
Email
Website
Remember personal info? Yes   No
Comments

home | music | democracy | earth | money | projects | about | contact

Site design by Matthew Fries | © 2003-23 Consilience Productions. All Rights Reserved.
Consilience Productions, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
All contributions are fully tax deductible.

Support the "dialogue BEYOND music!"

Because broad and informed public participation is the bedrock of a free, democratic, and civil society, your generous donation will help increase participation in the process of social change. 100% tax deductible.
Thank you!


SEARCH OUR SITE:

Co-op America Seal of Approval  Global Voices - The world is talking, are you listening?