April 6, 2003
Awakened Woman's Circle is working for peace
Open letter to Senator Boxer regarding Afghanistan
by Mervis Reissig
Senator Barbara Boxer
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Boxer,
I am writing to you because of your position on the Committee on Foreign Relations. A group of us in Sonoma County have been trying to educate ourselves better on events around the world. In that endeavor, we have reached out to women of Afghanistan and have learned some things about the country and America's involvement in that country that concern us.
Women from Afghanistan have told us that their country is still not safe for women, particularly in rural areas outside Kabul. They have told us compelling stories about the fact that the U.S. is supporting many members of the Northern Alliance for positions in a newly formed government. We understand that many of the Northern Alliance members are warlords and fundamentalists - many of the same people who actually destroyed the country prior to the Taliban's takeover.
Senator Boxer, we firmly believe that the United States should undertake correct moral action in these countries, if we have taken it upon ourselves to be involved in these countries. We need to assure that decisions about governments are not made on the basis of economics or who has done favors for us.
We urge our government to rebuild Afghanistan as we pledged we would. Tax dollars wisely spent for that effort are dollars we gladly give to our government! The people we support to run that country should be held to a standard of basic rights and freedoms in all the sections of Afghanistan, a standard that honors life and gives people a basic security and standard of living. We need to assure that the people the U.S. supports are not killing and raping and refusing basic rights to their women, or to ethnic minorities.
We always stick by the bombing part of our commitment, but often do not follow through with the humanitarian aid. Please urge your fellow congress people to do the right thing this time, and to do it in a thoughtful, democratic, moral way.
Thank you.
Very truly yours,
Mervis Reissig