Statement from Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML)
We mourn our dead in Paris and stand in solidarity with the people of France.
And whilst we mourn the dead, let us not forget the many other civilians who whilst going about their daily lives have been slaughtered by Islamism, or political Islam – a global killing machine
This month alone, the dead comprise 7 Hazara, including a 9 year old girl, beheaded by ISIS and 19 year old Rokhshana, stoned to death by the Taliban in Afghanistan; a mass grave of Yazidi women uncovered after ISIS was routed from Sinjar; roadside bombings in Baghdad and Sadr City, which killed 41 people; twin explosions in Beirut, Lebanon, which killed at least 43 people; a downed Russian airliner killing all 224 on board; at least 4 killed in suicide attack in Sinai, Egypt; a secular publisher killed and 3 others wounded in Bangladesh; at least 32 people, including four children, killed in a suicide attack in Pakistan; 30 people killed and dozens injured in twin suicide bomb attacks in Nigeria’s Borno State.
Countless others have also been killed – not by “jihadis” but legally by Islamic states via Sharia laws: 100 have been executed in Saudi Arabia during a 6 month period with 700 executions in Iran during the same time-frame. The current President Rouhani, who planned to visit France, has overseen the execution of 2000 civilians during two years in office. Many more languish in prison – people like Raif Badawi and Atena Faraghdani – or face male guardianship rules, compulsory veiling, gender segregation, even bans on laughing out loud or music.
French President Hollande says the Paris attacks are an act of war, but this war has been raging for decades. People in many countries across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia have lost a generation and been fighting this movement at great risk to their lives. This “war” is one of the main reasons for the mass migration.
Despite the devastation, there is hope. Just this week, women came out to oppose Rokhshana’s stoning, tens of thousands came out against the ISIS beheadings in Afghanistan and Kurdish fighters liberated Sinjar from ISIS, lowering ISIS’ flag and raising the Kurdish flag.
Protests in defence of the people of Paris are part and parcel of this global protest movement against Islamism’s inhumanity and brutality. Our success will lie in recognising the global resistance against Islamism and seeing how it is intrinsically linked to our own.
We will not win if we place collective blame on migrants or Muslims. Many “Muslims” (or those presumed to be Muslims) are the first victims and on the frontlines of resistance. Also, many migrants are fleeing Islamists or dictators like Assad in Iraq, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan.
Those who kill indiscriminately in Paris or in Raqqa include the European-born. This is not an “anti-imperialist” movement to be excused and justified nor is this about “identity.” It’s about politics – regressive, fascist politics that needs no justification to kill and slaughter.
To push back this movement, we must oppose it all – not just jihadis – and not just in Europe. Keeping the people of Europe safe is intrinsically linked to keeping people the world over safe. In this we have many allies amongst the people of Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Iraq to Algeria, who have been standing up to and resisting Islamism for decades.
We call on all individuals and organizations to come together for a global, human resistance to political Islamism, and to fight back on behalf of people everywhere.
If you would like to support this statement, either as a person or as an organisation, please email [email protected].
This statement is supported by:
Codou Bop
Faizun Zackariya, Citizens Voice for Justice and Peace
John Carrick Green, Canada
Edna Aquino, Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML), Women’s Empowerment & Leadership Development for Democratization (WELDD)
Sally Armstrong, journalist, Canada
Ifra Asad
Elfriede Harth, Frankfurt, Germany
Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV)
Dr. Sara Hakemi, Hagen, Germany
Forum for a Progressive Islam, Switzerland (www.forum-islam.ch)
Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
One Law for All
Fitnah – Movement for Women’s Liberation
Equal Rights Now – Organisation against Women’s Discrimination in Iran
Bread and Roses TV
Maryam Namazie, Campaigner, UK/Iran
Houzan Mahmoud, Organisation for Women’s Freedom in Iraq, Kurdish campaigner, UK
Faisal Saeed Al-Mutar, Iraqi activist and founder of Global Secular Humanist Movement
Kate Smurthwaite, comedian and activist, UK
Monica Lanfranco, feminist journalist, Marea, Genova , Italy
Sue Cox , Lic Ac.M.B.Ac.C., Survivors Voice Europe
Dr Rumana Hashem, Women Rights Campaigner, Bangladesh and UK
Gita Sahgal, Centre for Secular Space
Nari Diganta, Women in Movement for Equal Rights, Social Justice and Secularism
Progotir Poribrajak Dal, Progressive Foot Steppers, Bangladesh
Yasmin Rehman, Women’s Rights Activist
Pragna Patel, Director of Southall Black Sisters
Lila Ghobady, Filmmaker, Iran/USA
Laura Guidetti, Marea Magazine, Italy
Caroline Fourest, Author
Sanal Edamaruku, Founder-President and Editor of Rationalist International, the president of the Indian Rationalist Association
Djemila Benhabib, Author
Inna Shevchenko, FEMEN Leader
Nira Yuval-Davis, Director of the Centre for Research on Migration, Refugees and Belonging, UK
Kathryn Spellman, Associate Profesor, Aga Khan University, Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations
Elham Manea, Yemeni Human Rights Activist
Rahila Gupta, Journalist
Originally published on FreeThoughtBlogs.com, adapted and republished for WLUML with the consent of Maryam Namazie.
Image credit: Time.com, Thibault Camus, AP
