He knows how many people are supporting him, and that gives him strength
The brother of Pervez Kambakhsh is angry and upset not just for his brother but for the people of Afghanistan.
People want justice, but this shows that justice is impossible. People want fairness, not only for my brother, but for the whole of Afghanistan, because everyone is a victim of this…Last year there were protests in 15 provinces on a single day, to try to get justice for Pervez. The people who marched were marching for democracy, marching for justice, and they have been disappointed. These people are the future of Afghanistan, but they have been ignored by the people who are fighting against democracy and against human rights. They are fundamentalists…These fundamentalists have put pressure on the court. No one expected this cruel and unjust decision, and we are all in shock. When we moved the case to Kabul we thought we would get justice. We thought we could trust the courts. We thought we could trust the judges. We were wrong. There is no rule of law, not even at the Supreme Court in Kabul, so what chance have people in the provinces got?
None, it seems, at least for the present. So what can we do?
When I saw my brother yesterday he was in shock and very concerned about his safety. But he knows how many people are supporting him, and that gives him strength. It gives me strength, too.
Well we can do that, at least – we can be among the people who support him. We can do our best to give Pervez Kambakhsh and Yaqub Ibrahimi strength by supporting them.
It would be one thing to read of this happening in Iran or Saudi Arabia – bad enough wherever it happens. But for it to happen in a country where Americans, Canadians, British, Germans and others are dying … I don’t understand. Are we in the wrong story? In what way does the government of Hamid Karzai differ from the Taliban? It’s hard to see. If people from democracies are fighting and dying there, then we’ve got to do it right. That means Pervez Kambaksh should not be in jail. If he is, what are men and women dying for?
A very very very uphill battle to improve the situation (for the sake of domestic security more than altruism, but the needs of both at least partly coincide). It may be a doomed enterprise – but that’s the basic goal, as far as I understand it.
Well, I don’t know, but if we’ve got troops there, and they’re dying, and the government we’re defending (or propping up, or whatever it is we’re doing) refuses even to make a gesture of concession to the values of those men and women, how much security do you think those lives are buying, and for how long?
Besides, as everyone knows, we’ve just pushed them over the border into Pakistan, and that whole country, nuclear weapons and all, is more unstable now than when we first began. It strikes me as a fool’s bargain, and we shouldn’t be making it with the lives of our soldiers.
“We can do our best to give Pervez Embaksh and Yaqub Ibrahimi strength by supporting them.”
And how do I do that, in practical terms? Sitting here at my desktop in Australia, I don’t see how I can make any difference… :(
// SM
No but the point is that Ibrahimi said his brother ‘knows how many people are supporting him, and that gives him strength’ – that means supporting him by being on his side. We help with that by speaking up here and other places – and encouraging other people to speak up – and so on.
I wonder if I can figure out how to start a Facebook group…it can’t be that hard…
No, it isn’t.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=58129598684&ref=mf
You start by e-mailing your elected representative. You make them aware that their constituents have a problem with this.
My elected representative is a Tory, but I must admit he is responsive to issues such as this.
What Don said. Oh, and starmonkey, you’re probably already a member, but if not I’d suggest joining Amnesty…
Trying to find direct contact details for people in foreign power structures can be tricky, but sometimes you can find contact info for extremely senior people, which might be entertaining (if not incredibly practically useful)..?
I once sent an email to the office of the President of Iran, congratulating them on the (small) attempts he’d made at reform (things like allowing satellite dishes, so that people could receive foreign news/ideas), and requesting him to please keep heading down that path…
Hmmm.
Clearly didn’t have the desired effect :-)))
But nosiy fussing sometimes does have an effect. Always worth a try.
(Helps to spell the name right. I was confusing his name with Pegah’s. sigh. But the noisy fuss about Pegah probably helped! But then Jacqui Smith isn’t Hamid Karzai. sigh.)
There’s a certain dignity gained from others’ knowing about your plight–it means your violations and sufferings won’t be completely forgotten, won’t be dismissed from human memory as completely insignificant. So it’s no surprise to me that the mere knowledge and mental support of others’ gives him comfort. I just wish we had something more to give.
Hi all!!! Thanks for that terrier
i fined puppy, My very best to you…
Perfect site! What can I say, I already (from speaking with you) knew some of your sad, tragic, amazing, story, but the site shows just how strong and inspirational you (and your family) have been miniature i fined terrier
your, sale, so hold.
O, super project. But now is the time to look forward and get life and health back on track map 1 missing everyone so much austin bank card chicago mastermoney section, att univeral card win, atlanticare kids never, map 1, Thank you for your site