La ragazzina che ha "schiaffeggiato" il principe del Galles con un garofano

[Paola Lucchesi <paola.lucchesi@mail.inet.it>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Viviane Lerner" <vlerner@interpac.net>
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 00:59:13 -0800
To: "Infoshop" <infoshop-news@infoshop.org>
Cc: "Rad Times" <resist@best.com>, "FAB" <FBOYLE@LAW.UIUC.EDU>, "Network of
East-West Women" <neww@neww.org>, "Media Watch" <mwatch@cruzio.com>, "Global
Women's Rights" <cecilmarie@globalwomensrights.net>, "[Global News]"
<global.news@topica.com>, <a-infos-en@ainfos.ca>
Subject: A blow for peace

Would anyone have contacts in a Human Rights organization or such in Riga,
so we'd have an idea of how to best support Alina Lebdeyva?
Thanks,
Viviane
=========

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/stories/2001111800040300.htm
A blow for peace

The fact that peace rallies are being held suggests a process of thinking
that needs to be acknowledged. The demonstrations are a culmination of the
realisation that a war cannot bring about peace or end terrorism; that the
repercussions of a policy of using violence are so grave that no country can
remain untouched by it.


KALPANA SHARMA

Lashing out ... Alina Lebdeyva and the red carnation.
HER weapon was a red carnation. Her enemy was war. And she struck a royal
cheek three times to register her protest. A 16-year-old schoolgirl
momentarily brought to the front pages of some newspapers the fact that
there are people all over the world who are against the bombing of
Afghanistan. Ms. Alina Lebedyeva is a student in std. 11 in Riga, capital of
the Baltic state of Latvia. She said: ``I did it because I am protesting
British involvement in the bombing of Afghanistan and Latvia's attempt to
join North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.'' And for her action of slapping
Prince Charles three times with a red carnation, she faces a possible 15
years in jail.

Young Alina's action has interesting symbolism. She used a flower, which
could not do the object of her attack any harm. She is a woman. And she took
a calculated risk in doing this. What motivated a young girl like her, one
wonders? The police claim that she is a well-known political activist. But
"well-known" already by the age of 16? Despite the culture of violence fed
to them by the media, why are young people like Alina protesting against war
and demanding peace?

You would not think this is happening if you scan the media, either here or
in other countries. The news continues to be dominated by talk of war even
if occasional opinion pieces reflect another point of view. But the fact
that many ordinary people, young and old, are feeling apprehensive about the
turn of events after September 11 is not being adequately reported.

It is true that many of the protests are relatively small. Not all of them
are as dramatic as Alina's "action". Yet, the very fact that peace rallies
are being held suggests a process of thinking that needs to be acknowledged.
The demonstrations are a culmination of this process, of the realisation
that a war cannot bring about peace, or end terrorism; that the
repercussions of a policy of using violence are so grave that no country, no
people, can remain untouched by it.

Even in the heart of American redneck country, Texas, the home state of the
current incumbent in the White House, there are protests that are being
planned. At the end of October, Texans United Against War was formed. They
are now planning a week of protests in every major city in the state of
Texas. They are also negotiating a "peace bridge" between the United States
and Pakistan and are considering taking a delegation from the U.S. to
Pakistan. Their three point programme is simple: "Oppose war, defend against
racism, protect civil liberties".

The Texans are only the latest on a long list of groups in the U.S. who have
registered their opposition to war and urged restraint on the part of their
Government. One of the earlier statements was made by the War Resisters'
League barely a week after September 11, when all such sentiments could
easily have been misunderstood given the charged atmosphere in the country.
Since then there have advertisements in newspapers signed by hundreds of
people, and other forms of protests that have clearly revealed that there is
no unanimity in the U.S. about its Government's action. But once again it is
the media that is refusing to recognise these protests and what they
represent. The illusion of widespread support for the bombing is thus being
reinforced.

All these groups in different parts of the world, from the U.S. to Japan,
Australia, Britain, countries in Europe and even India and Pakistan, have
called for a halt to the bombing specially during Ramzan. In Pakistan,
thousands of people travelled to Rawalpindi at their own expense earlier
this month to protest against the war. The Alliance for Peace and Justice
called for an end to the bombing of Afghanistan. But it also raised slogans
against terrorism, against religious fanaticism and religious terror and
demanded a crackdown on armed bands and religious fanatics. This set them
apart from the pro-Taliban groups that have been demonstrating in Pakistan
and who are constantly in the news.

For the media, in general, these protests have been non-events. They are
considered to be part of the same liberal-loony-left brigade who oppose war
and globalisation and who support human rights and environmental protection.
But the media is missing out on a story, on the fact that these protests are
part of efforts by civil society groups to underwrite peace, regardless of
whether there is war or relative peace. For instance, in the on-going
conflict between Israel and Palestine, few people know that Women in Black,
a group of women peace activists, have been demonstrating every single week
for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Israeli and Palestinian women
hold a silent vigil each week. But the very regularity of their protests
makes them a "non-event" for the media.

As the weeks drag on into months, one gets an uncomfortable feeling that
just as these voices for peace are being muffled or ignored, Afghan women
will be forgotten as political negotiations attempt to forge a settlement in
their country. Women are often used as an excuse to wage war. But apart from
constantly being shown as victims of war, their ability to negotiate peace
is hardly ever recognised.

Instead of discussing whether the future government in Afghanistan — if and
when this war ends — will comprise followers of King Zahir Shah, or have
representatives of the Northern Alliance and supposedly-moderate Taliban,
Afghan women living outside the country's borders with a strong commitment
to peace, secularism and democracy should be involved. One cannot forget the
voice of sanity that Ms. Hannan Ashrawi brought during the Middle East
negotiations. Surely there are more than a few equivalents amongst Afghan
women. Which government will have the courage to push for their inclusion
and central role in forging a peaceful future for Afghanistan?

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