Afghan anti-war campaigner to speak against the occupation

Afghan feminist and former member of the Afghan parliament Malalai Joya is visiting Sydney this month to talk about her opposition to the occupation.
In 2005, Ms Joya was the youngest woman elected to the Afghan parliament.
Her main Sydney Lecture ‘Afghanistan: Ten Years On – Why Western Troops Must Leave’ will be held on Friday, September 9 at Marrickville Town Hall.
The series of talks will coincide with the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, as well as the US-NATO invasion of Afghanistan.
Pip Hinman, founding member of the Stop The War Coalition says Joya is an inspiring and courageous woman whose talk is not to be missed.
“Malalai is an unwavering defender of the rights of ordinary Afghans, and Afghan women in particular,” says Ms Hinman.
Ms Joya’s third visit to Australia to campaign against Australia’s involvement in her country’s occupation will see her address schools, unions and Sydney University’s Centre of Peace and Conflict Studies.
Ms Joya was dismissed from parliament in 2007 for publicly denouncing the presence of warlords and war criminals.
In 2010, she was placed in Time Magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. She has also been listed in the “Top 100 women: Activists and campaigners” by Britain’s The Guardian newspaper.
Ms Joya is set to speak at meetings in Adelaide, Hobart, Armidale and Perth. She will also take part in the Melbourne Writers’ Festival.
Malalai Joya speaks at Marrickville Town Hall, Friday, September 9, 5.45pm. $15/$10. Book online,http://trybooking.com/11554 or at http://stopwarcoalition.org

By Georgia Fullerton