MESSAGE
ON
WOMEN'S
INTERNATIONAL DAY.
8th,
March 1999. FOR, RAWA.
It is matter of great pride and pleasure for my Party PPP (SB) and me to laud and congratulate the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan for their courageous struggle against the reactionary forces who are trying to stop the rightful emancipation of women of Afghanistan.
In this era of tremendous technological progress, the reactionary forces have joined hands to crush the rights of working and exploited classes. These forces have now adopted the most modern technological devices, like electronic and print media, to conceal their conspiring faces under the cover of liberalism. The trumpeting of their concern about the basic human rights while practically acting quite otherwise is a glaring example of their deceit.
These reactionary forces and their brokers, to make them live under constant pressures of poverty, superstition and oppression have especially targeted the majority of womenfolk. The abuse of their rights, in grabs of religious tenets or sophisticated modernity, presents a frightening picture of deceit and exploitation. This picture includes the whole world, but the women of the Third World are facing much more tragic situation than those living in developed countries.
Afghanistan is no exception. I know that the Revolutionary Association of Afghanistan is fighting against the tyrannies of religious priesthood that, with their brokers, perpetrate ignorance as bliss and suppression as women's destiny. Consequently, the women of Afghanistan, like their sisters in Pakistan, are living in the dark medieval ages even at the end of twentieth century.
On my behalf of my Party, and all the sections of Pakistan society who are engaged in the same struggle of women's emancipation, I salute the relentless fight of RAWA, against the usurpation of rights of women in Afghanistan. I want to assure them that they are not alone in their struggle. And that they are bound to win. The day is not very far in the future when all oppressed and exploited laborers; workers farmers and women shall live in the atmosphere of justice and equality.
Ghinwa Bhutto
Chairperson, PPP (SB)
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