Malalai Joya visited Winnipeg on November 16 and 17 as part of her 2009 cross-country tour to convince Canadians to press for the withdrawal of their troops from Afghanistan.
This feisty woman packed the house at the University of Winnipeg and spoke with passion about the oppression of her people under the combined weight of the Taliban, Hamid Karzai’s warlord drugocracy, and the NATO occupation.
Her message was one not heard in this country. Loosely paraphrased, it is: “Go home! You are making our lives harder!” It is a lesson we must all take to heart.
Malalai Joya was hosted locally by Peace Alliance Winnipeg, with support from the following organizations:
- The Uniter (Mouseland Press Speaker Series)
- Public Service Alliance of Canada (Prairie Region)
- University of Manitoba Students Union
- Project Peacemakers
- Global College Student Advisory Council
- Institute for Womens and Gender Studies, University of Winnipeg
- Winnipeg Labour Council
- Global Justice Committee CUPE Manitoba
- Grassroots Women Manitoba
I shot some video for those who couldn’t make it. It features her speech at Convocation Hall at the University of Winnipeg. The total running time is just under 1 hour 16 minutes.
Useful links
Source: Originally posted at Paul S. Graham.