Tahmeena Faryal: Democratic government is best hope for Afghan women

Tahmeena Faryal is a spokeswoman for the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan, the oldest women's humanitarian and political organization in Afghanistan. She is currently touring the United States, raising money for RAWA and educating Americans about the plight of women in Afghanistan both under the Taliban and under the Northern Alliance.

CNN: Welcome to CNN.com Tahmeena Faryal and thank you for being with us today.

FARYAL: Thank you very much, it's really my pleasure to have this opportunity to be interviewed by you.

CNN: You do not show your face during interviews. Is your life endangered even as the Taliban continues to falter?

FARYAL: Yes, definitely. The danger for RAWA members did not stop with the Taliban. We had it in 1992 when the other fundamentalists had power, and we had it when the Soviets were in power. From the first day, RAWA had to remain underground. Right after the Soviet invasion, RAWA started with underground activities, and continued when others took power, and it definitely got worse when the Taliban took power, and imposed great restrictions for women. We cannot forget that Meena was assasinated, and any of us could be assassinated too.

CHAT PARTCIPANT: What would you like to see in terms of women's roles in the new government in Afghanistan?

FARYAL: Our main goal is to empower women and to give women the rights that they never had for centuries and decades. Even though the women in Afghanistan would be convinced that what they had was okay, and that a woman's job was to be a good wife and mother and hostess, we want to change that. RAWA was established when we did not have the fundamentalist domination, and there's a great need for an organization for women, fighting for women's rights. We believe that women should play an important role in the new Afghanistan. RAWA is a feminist organization, and we want equal participation of women with men in the political, economic and social parts of Afghanistan. We think this can't happen without a democratic government in Afghanistan, and it's not possible with a fundamentalist group in charge, either the Taliban or the Northern Alliance.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: There seems to be the perception that women in Afghanistan have never had many rights. Is this true?

EXTRA INFORMATION Chat Transcript -- Mavis Leno: Lives of Afghan women

FARYAL: The situation of women in Afghanistan never was something to be happy about, but in the early 20th century it had started to improve. It started with a king we had who was very progressive. We had women's schools established. Then it got even more improved, until the Soviet invasion and the fundamentalist domination. In the 1960s and '70s, women in the cities played an important role in society as doctors, lawyers, teachers, even ministers in the government. Sixty percent of the teachers were women, 40 percent of the doctors were women. Over half of the university students were women.

That was in the cities, though, but in the rural areas, women still suffered. It was not like today in Afghanistan, though. What women in Afghanistan have experienced since 1992 is different, though. We have so many restrictions that have nothing to do with Islamic values. There is a terrible rate of suicide rate among women. The lack of hope is unprecedented. Over half of the women in Afghanistan suffer from mental health problems, because they have no hope for themselves or their children.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: How do you explain the fact that women in Kabul are still wearing burqua in public?

FARYAL: Because there is no change in the situation. The departure of the Taliban and arrival of the Northern Alliance changes nothing. Women still have a great fear of being raped or abducted, or married by force to a fundamentalist. The same fears they had under the other fundamentalists, those are the same men in the Northern Alliance now. They still have great fear, and basically know they have no security and peace and stability. For that matter, most prefer to remain under their burquas. We already have reports that in some of the parts where the Northern Alliance recaptured, there is actual fighting. In Mazar-e Sharif, they say that the alliance had to leave, because of the fighting between the groups and the Northern Alliance. Now that they have recaptured those areas again, they are already fighting again. If they are the future rulers of Afghanistan, the situation will continue as it is today.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: What other threats will exist (for women) after the Taliban regime is removed?

FARYAL: We don't see any change, basically, in the situation after the departure of the Taliban from most of Afghanistan. We did not see any change between 1992-'96, prior to Taliban, and '96 to a few weeks ago. In fact, the tragedy for women in Afghanistan began in 1992 when other fundamentalist factions took power. Cases of rape, forced marriage, abductions were worse then. There were some worse cases after the Taliban came, mostly in the capital cities, where they looted most of the material values we had in Afghanistan. The same threats that women in Afghanistan have faced since 1992 continue for them today. It will continue if we don't have a democratic government in Afghanistan soon.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: Is there a chance that RAWA members will be able to step out in the light and be a part of Afghanistan political future after the Taliban are gone?

FARYAL: RAWA wants to be part of a future democratic government in Afghanistan. RAWA proudly claims to be the real representative of the women in Afghanistan, and we have risked our lives to do projects in Afghanistan, and in Pakistan among refugees. RAWA members could live abroad in Western countries, leading a luxurious and comfortable life, as many Afghans, including women who claim to be activists, have done. But we remain, risking danger. For that reason, we always claim to be the real representative, their real voices. For that reason, we want to be in a future democratic government of Afghanistan, continuing to be the real voice for women.

CNN: You have been traveling across the United States. What are your impressions about this country and the rights of women here?

FARYAL: Before my travels, I knew that women in this country had achieved a lot. They have achieved because of their struggle, and I'm sure there are some in this country who have sacrificed their lives to acheive the struggle, and I think that's why women in this country are to this point today. But still I think that the equal participation of women cannot be seen in this country as well. RAWA defines feminism as equal participation in political, social and financial things in the country, and I think women in the U.S. still have a long way to go to have equal participation. I think that's the reason there are still women's movements in this country. What really touched me was the solidarity, support and sympathy I saw from women in this country, especially after September 11, a lot more sympathy for women in Afghanistan, which brings more solidarity and support for other women. I saw that in my tour, even more closely.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: Tahmeena, what line of thinking has led to those conditions upon the woman of Afghanistan? I mean how can you convince a country of men to think otherwise?

FARYAL: I think that it should be made clear that Taliban or other fundamentalists never can represent the whole main population of Afghanistan. We accept that Afghanistan is a very conservative and male-dominated country, and has been so for centuries. There are still a lot of cultural, traditional things around the neck of Afghanistan women, even without fundamentalist domination. But the Taliban and Northern Alliance can't represent the majority. They know of atrocities against women, and it's difficult to change some for the patriarchal mentality. You can't change that mentality of the Taliban or the other fundamentalists in Afghanistan.

But that's not the case of the main population of Afghanistan. They are not violent. You can talk to them and educate them, and the mentality can be changed. We already have a lot of examples. In the beginning it was difficult to get rural women involved in our activities. We had to talk to the main male members, who were convinced easily. We had projects for the men, too, because they saw how good the projects were for the women. We have thousands of supporters who help us in many ways. But I agree that we must end the domination of fundamentalists. As long as they are in power, it is very very difficult to change the situation, especially for women.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: RAWA was not represented in the recent talks in Bonn. Do you see that as a bad sign for the future of women in Afghanistan?

FARYAL: We know that some of the women represented at the Bonn talks were unfortunately... at least one of them was the official representative of the Northern Alliance, and could not represent Afghanistan. There was one person from RAWA as part of the king's delegation.

CNN: Do you have any closing comments for us today?

FARYAL: I just want to mention RAWA's Web site, which is http://www.RAWA.org. If you're interested to get more information about the plight of women in Afghanistan and more about RAWA, visit the Web site, and find out how to help and get involved. If you want to send donations, there is a bank account on the Web site. We welcome any help at any level. We have already been touched by the support and sympathy of people in this country and hope you'll continue to support us in any way you can, so that the voices of women in Afghanistan can be heard, and the voice of resistance will not be stopped.

CNN: Thank you for joining us today Tahmeena Faryal.

FARYAL: Thank you very much.

Tahmeena Faryal joined CNN.com chat room via telephone from New Hampshire. CNN provided a typist. This is an edited transcript of the interview, which took place on Tuesday, December 04, 2001.