|
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:
houzan73@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: +44 79 56 88 3001
www.equalityiniraq.com |