If you decide not to forward this, please send it back to me. This is an actual petition, and "signatures" will be lost if you drop the line. Please take 3 minutes out of your life to do your part. And be sure to include other members of your household who are willing to sign. Oprah recently had a show about this atrocity and it was heartbreaking. Petition to the United Nations Background Information: Madhu, the government of Afghanistan, is waging a war upon women. Since the Taliban took power in 1996, women have had to wear burqua and have been beaten and stoned in public for not having the proper attire, even if this means simply not having the mesh covering in front of their eyes. One woman was beaten to death by an angry mob of fundamentalists for accidentally exposing her arm(!) while she was driving. Another was stoned to death for trying to leave the country with a man that was not a relative. Women are not allowed to work or even go out in public without a male relative; professional women such as professors, translators, doctors, lawyers, artists and writers have been forced from their jobs and restricted to their homes. Homes where a woman is present must have their windows painted so that she can never be seen by outsiders. They must wear silent shoes so that they are never heard. Women live in fear of their lives for the slightest misbehavior. Because they cannot work, those without male relatives or husbands are either starving to death or begging in the street, even if they hold Ph.D.'s. Depression is becoming so widespread that it has reached emergency levels. There is no way in such an extreme Islamic society to know the suicide rate with certainty, but relief workers are estimating that the suicide rate among women must be extraordinarily high: those who cannot find proper medication and treatment for severe depression and would rather take their lives than live in such conditions. At one of the rare hospitals for women, a reporter found still, nearly lifeless bodies lying motionless on top of beds, wrapped in their burqua, unwilling to speak, eat, or do anything, but slowly wasting away. Others have gone mad and were seen crouched in corners, perpetually rocking or crying, most of them in fear. It is at the point where the term "human rights violations" has become an understatement. Husbands have the power of life and death over their women relatives, especially their wives, but an angry mob has just as much right to stone or beat a woman, often to death, for exposing an inch of flesh or offending them in the slightest way. Women enjoyed relative freedom: to work, to dress generally as they wanted, and to drive and appear in public alone until only 1996. The rapidity of this transition is the main reason for the depression and suicide; Women who were once educators or doctors or simply used to basic human freedoms are now severely restricted and treated as subhuman in the name of right-wing fundamentalist Islam. It is not their tradition or 'culture', but it is alien to them, and it is extreme even for those cultures where fundamentalism is the rule. Everyone has a right to a tolerable human existence, even if they are women in a Muslim country. If we can threaten military force in Kosovo the name of human rights for the sake of ethnic Albanians, citizens of the world can certainly express peaceful outrage at the oppression, murder and injustice committed against women by the Taliban. STATEMENT: In signing this, we agree that the current treatment of women in Afghanistan is completely UNACCEPTABLE and deserves action by the United Nations and that the current situation overseas will not be tolerated. Women's Rights is not a small issue anywhere, and it is UNACCEPTABLE for women in 2001 to be treated as subhuman and as so much property. Equality and human decency is a fundamental RIGHT, not a freedom to be granted, whether one lives in Afghanistan or elsewhere. 1) Giuliana D. Black, Daly City, CA, USA 2) Mariam Nayiny, Palo Alto, CA, USA 3) Sunaina Gulati-Ruh, Palo Alto, CA USA 4) Megan McCaslin, Palo Alto, CA USA 5) Blake Hallanan, San Francisco, Ca. USA 6) Kit Henderson, Sacramento, CA USA 7) Kara Myers, San Francisco, CA 8) Ellen Tilden, San Francisco, CA 9) Vanessa Ross, San Francisco, CA 10) Jenna Shaw- Battista, San Francisco, CA 11) Jeanne Racik, B!erkeley, CA 12) Julie Silas, Oakland, CA 13) Renee Longstreet, Tarzana, CA 14) Susan Johnson, Encino, CA 15) Kenneth Johnson, Encino, CA 16) Terri Treas, Los Angeles, CA 17) Amy Retzinger, North Hollywood, CA 18) Babette Crooms, Los Angeles, CA 19) Olivia Kienzel; Santa Barbara, CA 20) Sean Dexheimer, Los Angeles, CA 21) Elio Chavez, Jr., Pasadena, CA 22) Gregory Kastigar, Los Angeles, CA 23) Robert Collie, Los Angeles, CA 24) Jeff Garvin, Brea, CA 25) Tricia Allen, Sherman Oaks, CA 26) Joleen Nordstrom ~ Hollywood, CA 27) Theresa Donahoe - Martinez,CA 28) Jennifer Horn - Concord, CA 29) Roxanne Ryan - Alamo, CA 30) Miriam Tyler- San Jose CA 31) John Burns- San Jose CA 32) Kristin Lynn Minick- Fort Worth TX 33) Jeff Neal- Marietta, GA 34) Anna Neal- Marietta, GA 35) Frances Murley-Fort Worth, TX 36) David Murley-London, England, UK 37) Jillian Dykhouse, Colleyville, TX 38) Bonnie Dykhouse,Colleyville,TX 39) Nancy Williams, Colleyville, TX 40) Georgene Farr, Sterling Heights, MI 41) Joanne Arensberg, Riverview, MI 42) Luann Ouellette, Vermillion, SD 43) Sandie Sullivan, Vermillion, SD 44) Troy Nelson, Minneapolis, MN USA 45) Joseph Miller, Minneapolis, MN USA 46) Kathleen Miller, White Bear Lake, MN USA 47) Jerry Marquis, Mpls. Mn. USA 48) Julie Stokes, Coon Rapids, MN USA 49) Tracy Ford, Blaine, MN USA 50) Sheila Lawrence, Monticello, MN USA 51) Brenda Kitchen, Westlake Village, Calif!ornia,USA 52) Teresa Burke, Sherman Oaks, CA, USA 53) Bruce Ehrlich, Sherman Oaks, CA USA 54) Yllania Francis, Los Angeles, CA USA 55) Drew Hedin, Los Angeles, CA USA 56) Laura Paridon, Laguna Woods, CA USA 57) Jeanie Hagedorn, Des Moines, IA USA 58) Sue Christensen, Des Moines, IA USA 59) Sybil Finken, Glenwood, IA USA 60) Luke Finken, Earth 61) Doug Gerace, Lincoln, NE USA 62) Cheryl Gerace, NE 63) Sheri Lew, CO 64) Raven Grace, Boulder, CO 65) Martha M.Mertz, EL, Michigan 66) Colleen R. Cooper, Okemos, Michigan 67) Barbara J. Sawyer-Koch, East Lansing, MI 68) Margaret A. Meyers, Okemos, Michigan 69) Mary Helen Espes, Okemos, Michigan 70) Maureen Kirchhoff, Allenspark, CO 71) Bart Johnson, Err, France 72) Sharon!O'Connor, Olympia, WA USA 73) Nancy Irving, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia 74) Martha Lindley, Seattle, WA, USA 75) Judith Alexander, Woodinville, WA, USA 76) Arlene B. Hawkinson, Seattle, WA, USA 77) Christine E. Mobley, Bothell, WA, USA 78) Trudie Breen, CA, USA 79) Catherine Standiford, CA, USA 80) Beverly Truett, AZ, USA 81) Christine Meehan,AZ,USA 82) Janice Gilbert, Valley Center, CA, USA 83) Dawna Upchurch, Anchorage, AK USA 84) Roxanna Groves, Olympia, WA USA 85) Lynda Lynde, Helena, MT USA 86) Constance Gelu, University Place, WA USA 87) Jodi Woolett, Tacoma, WA USA 88) Lisa I. Reeves- Lynden, WA USA 89) Amanda James-Bow, WA USA 90) Kelli J. Smith, New Port Richey, FL USA 91) Chris Poirier, Largo, Fl USA 92) Mike Carpenter, Palmetto, Fl USA 93) Alice Pryor, Melbourne FL USA 94) Ellen Catano, Manchester NH USA 95) Bevely Jennings, Cincinnati OH USA 96) Linda Feely, Norwood,OH USA 97) Sherry Stidham, Norwood OH USA 98) Brittany Brown, Cincinnati OH USA 99) Sandy Brown, Cincinnati, Oh USA 100) Tim Brown, Cincinnati, OH USA 101) Pat Brown, Cincinnati, OH USA 102) Amy Cregger, Memphis, TN USA 103) Kay Emerick, Logan, OH USA 104) Trina Bookman, Logan, OH USA 105) Mary Samuelson, St. Louis, Mo USA 106) Jeannette Ward, Memphis, TN USA 107) Elisabeth Davis, Memphis, Tn USA 108) Rose Klimek, Memphis, TN USA 109) Barbara K. White, Hoquiam, WA, USA 110) Paula J. Eriksen, Palm Harbor, Florida USA 111) Rag!nar Eriksen, Palm Harbor, Florida USA 112) MARILYN KING, CLEARWATER, FL, USA 113) Barbara Stiner,Oldsmar,FL,USA 114) Jac'line Weisgerber,Clearwater,FL,USA 115) Charlotte Beadles, Douglasville, GA, USA 116) Jody Hoadley, Powder Springs, GA, USA 117) Hope Howard, Atlanta, GA, USA 118) Cliff Howard, Atlanta, GA, USA 119) Kay Chicoine, Atlanta, GA USA 120) Mark Chicoine, Atlanta, GA USA 121) Paula King, Lexington, KY,USA 122) Sally Weissman,Minneapolis,Mn,USA 123) Susan Abbott, New Brighton, MN USA 124) Rachel Fine, St. Louis Park, MN, USA 125) Deb Harley,Eden Prairie, MN,Usa 126) Barb Handahl,Faribault, MN,USA 127) Ann Olson,Chamberlain S.D.USA 128) Deb Hunt,Sioux Falls S.D.USA 129) Anne Frankman, Sioux Falls, SD USA 130) Susie Kostel, Tabor, SD USA 131) Julie Anderson, Mount Prospect, IL USA 132) Janet Tilden, Fremont, NE USA 133) Debbie Bowman, Kingston Springs, TN, USA 134) Shari Watkins, Franklin, TN, USA 135) Teresa Beck, Columbia, TN USA 136) Amy Stephens, Brentwood, TN, USA 137) Vicki Warren, Lyles, TN, USA 138) Linda Lupo, Westland, MI, USA 139) Cathie McClary, Clinton Twp. MI, USA 140) Diane Catellane, Clinton Twp. MI, USA 141) Judy Mellen, Clarkston, MI, USA 142) Donna Waite, Lake Orion, MI, USA 143) Ann Acton, South Lyon, MI, USA 145) Tami Hall, South Lyon, MI, USA 146) Wendy Belsley, South Lyon, MI, USA 147) Gretel Coombs, East Lansing, MI, USA 148) Mike Jones, Lansing, MI, USA 149) Jeff Jones, Atlanta, GA, USA 150) Marion Jones , Atlanta, GA , USA 151) Pat Scott, Enumclaw, WA, USA 152) Bob Panzer, Houston, TX, USA 153) Pat Panzer, Houston, TX, USA 154) Joe Schwartz, Jacksonville AL USA 155) Stefanie Walfield, Fayetteville, NC, USA 156) Liz Dunkley, Milledgeville, GA, USA 157) Christine Dunkley, Milledgeville, GA, USA 156) Mike Dunkley, Milledgeville, GA, USA 157) Randy Parsons, Eatonton, Ga. 158) Bonita Platner, Kirkwood, NY. USA 159) Ralph Platner, Kirkwood, NY. USA 160) Charles Lundquist, Binghamton, N.Y. U.S.A. 161) Tracy Rowe, Hollywood, CA USA 162) Daniel Raphael New York, New York USA 163) Ann Brameier, New York, NY USA 164) Kazuko Tao, Healdsburg, Ca USA 165) Shelley Zavat, Rio Nido, Ca. USA 166) Kendall Smith, Fort Bragg, Ca USA 167) Candi Zizek, Sacramento, California USA 168) Annette Blackwood, West Hartford, CT USA 169) Frank Sentner, West Hartford, CT USA 170) Ann Steadman, Roanoke, VA USA 171) George Steadman, Roanoke, VA USA 172) Elizabeth Byam,Washington, DC USA 173) Mary Dougal,Montclair, NJ USA 174) Kathleen Ennen, Champaign, Il. USA 175) Patricia S. Berky, Baltimore, Md. USA 176) Wahiba Abu-Ras, Old Bridge, NJ. USA 177) Magdi Awad, Old Bridge, NJ USA 178) Melissa Joralemon, NY USA 179) Vida Cofie-Robertson, NJ USA 180) Sema Gurun, NY, USA 181)Sahika Yildirim, UB, Mongolia 182) Ceylan Orhun istanbul-turkey 183)Efsa Kuraner, Istanbul, Turkey 184) Meyzi Barin Istanbul Turkey 185) Marie-Aude Serra, Istanbul Turkey 186) Gil Serra, Istanbul Turkey 187) Brian Wilks, France 188) Laverne Travis. TX USA 189) Beth Nikiel, Texas, USA 190) Kim Rosales, TX USA 191) Stephen Rosales, TX USA 192) Lori Lutz, CO USA 193) Kathy McGinty, CA, USA 194) Marie Friedman, CA USA 195) Rana Gebara , Dubai, UAE 196) Hassib Gebara, Dubai, UAE 197) Youssef Naaman, Jeddah, KSA 198) Hiram Na'man, Beirut, Lebanon 199) Elham Na'man, Beirut, Lebanon 200) Paul Na'man, Beirut, Lebanon 201) Paula Na'man, Beirut, Lebanon 202) Joseph Na'man, Beirut, Lebanon 203) Audrey Na'man, Beirut, Lebanon 204) Eleanor Curtis, London, UK 205) Polly Davidson, London, UK 206) Charles Gollop, London, UK 207) Robert Devcic, London, UK 208) Antony Smith, London, UK 209) Nick Napier, London, UK 210) Alison Rowe, Los Angeles, USA 211) Emma Allen, London, UK 212) Shenoha Batho, London, UK 213) Natalie Clayton, London, UK 214) Elizabeth McGoldrick, London, UK 215) Sonja van Montfort, London, UK 216) Pauline Cornelissen, Groningen, The Netherlands 217) Astrid Menick, Groningen, The Netherlands 218)Margaret Ferguson Australia 219)Rod Ferguson, Australia 230)Jamie Ferguson 231) Cassie Ferguson 232) Carole Hardy, Qld., Australia 233) Wayne Hardy, Qld. Australia 234) Derek Hardy, Qld. Australia 235) Max Hardy, Qld. Australia. 236) Luke Martin, Qld, Australia 237) Sandra Martin, Qld, Australia 238) Catherine Brinsley, QLD, Australia 239) Catherine DeLacy, London, U.K. 240) Rebecca De Lacy, QLD, Australia 241) Bill Colbrahams, Ipswich, Qld, Australia 242) Austin Parry, Mundubbera, Qld, Australia 243) Robert & Bev. Perry, Gayndah, Qld, Australia 244) Lisa Perry 245) Lea-Anne Hooey, London, UK 246) David J. Jones, San Antonio, TX 247) Clif Barnhart, Crested Butte, CO 248) Kathy Barnhart, Crested Butte, CO 249) Michael E. Newell, San Antonio, TX 250) Brian Wangsgard, Centerville, UT 251) Clair S. Weenig M.D., Orinda, CA 252) Joan M. Weenig R.N.,Orinda, CA 253) Alyson S. Weenig, San Francisco, CA 254) Grant S. Weenig, Austin, TX 255) Irene Racz, Montpelier, VT, USA 256) Barb Stafford, Colchester, VT, USA 257) Madelyn Glase, Newfield, NY, USA 258) Michael Hall, Palo Alto CA, USA 259) Gail Dalrymple, San Antonio, Texas USA 260) Sandra C. Zamora, San Antonio, Texas USA 261) Gerald D. McFarlen, San Antonio, Texas, USA 262) Brett Anthony. Corpus Christi, Tx., USA 263) James Pettus, Corpus Christi, TX, USA 264) Shannon Mayo, Corpus Christi, TX USA 265) Glenn Mayo, Corpus Christi, TX USA 266) Jim Milam Pettus Goliad, Tx USA 267) Annie T. Gross, Carbondale, CO USA 268) Sheldon Gross, Carbondale, CO USA 269) Mary Dorman, Carbondale, Co USA 270) Ben Dorman, Carbondale, CO USA 271) Pamela Powers, Whitefish, MT USA 272) Michael Powers, Whitefish, MT USA 273) Jodi von Jess, Deerfield, MA USA 274) Kirsten Cirincione, USA 275) Jane Lynch, USA 276) Andrea Porter, Florence, MA USA 277) Michelle Phillips, Florence, MA USA 278) Kristina Fuller, san francisco, ca usa 279) Michele Bishop, San Francisco, CA USA 280) Joy McCollum-Franco, San Bruno, Ca USA 281) Sean Adams, Cupertino, CA USA 282) Melanie Kuhn, Sacramento, CA USA 283) Casey Hagopian, Redwood City, CA 284) Alicia Gamble, Union City, CA 285) Kristin L.Pope, Hayward, CA 286) REGINA RIESGO-WELLS, SAN JOSE, CA 287) Simone Campos, NC USA 288) Leah Almondia-San Jose, CA USA 289) Lissette Roacho, San Jose, CA USA 290)Aimee Koerner San Jose, CA. USA 291)Fernando Leon, San Jose, CA USA 292) Sonja Groff, San Jose, CA, USA 293)Damon Daood, San Jose, CA, USA DIRECTIONS: PLEASE COPY this email on to a new message, sign the bottom and forward it to everyone on your distribution lists. If you receive this list with more than 300 names on it, please e-mail a copy of it to: sarabande@brandeis.edu </ym/Compose?To=sarabande@brandeis.edu> Even if you decide not to sign, please be considerate and do not kill the petition. Frances Alexander, Anderson SC USA