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American Morning

Interview of Saba Sahar, Spokeswoman for RAWA

Aired November 14, 2001 - 09:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Ever since the start of the war on terrorism, we have been reporting on the severe repression of Afghan women and girls under the Taliban regime. Banned from working, banned from going to school, facing beatings, even executions for infractions of the law. As more cities fall from Taliban control, one big question is: how do Afghan women recover? A spokeswoman for RAWA, the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan, joins us from Islamabad, Pakistan. She uses the pseudonym Sahar Saba for protection. Thank you for being with us this morning.

You are quoted as saying that the men of the Northern Alliance are animals and that they really aren't any different from the men in the Taliban. What is your reaction to the Northern Alliance's taking of Kabul?

SAHAR SABA, SPOKESWOMAN, REVOLUTIONARY ASSOCIATION OF THE WOMEN OF AFGHANISTAN: Unfortunately -- what do -- we must say is that with the coming to power or with capturing Kabul or many other cities by the Northern Alliance will not change the situation for our women specially, and it is also based on the experience that we had during their time since 1992 to '94. The -- these people and the Northern Alliance, which is composed of definite fundamentalists bands, are responsible for what happened since 1992 to this time. And they have committed such crimes and we are sure once they get power in Afghanistan, they will repeat the same crimes. And most importantly, they will raise their ethnic and also religious conflict in Afghanistan, and they are only by deceiving ourselves, saying that today women will not wear burka or man can listen to music, or people can listen, it will not really change the situation. Our tragedy is beyond this, and our problems and our miseries are more -- much more than this, and it is all because of all these groups. Not only the Taliban. The removal of Taliban from the political scene is, of course, a positive change, but replacing them with another (UNINTELLIGIBLE) brutal groups will not change anything for us.

ZAHN: So, Sahar, what does your hope rest on? A government? We know the transitional government hasn't been formed, but just a government that ultimately reflects all the ethnic groups in Afghanistan?

SABA: Yes. In this situation, we strongly ask the world community and also the United Nations, to make intervention in Afghanistan, and to send a peacekeeping force to Afghanistan. And must not let the jihaddis group, different groups in Northern Alliance to take advantage of this political vacuum. And, must disarm this peacekeeping force, try to disarm all these groups, because under gun -- under fundamentalists, armed fundamentalists, it is impossible to think about peace, about security, let alone about freedom or women's rights or democracy in Afghanistan.

ZAHN: You've made it very clear about how you feel about the Northern Alliance. Once again, you feel that they don't treat women any differently than Taliban, but can you point to any changes that have happened in women's lives in what used to be Taliban controlled areas? Are they allowed to freely walk around with a burka now?

SABA: Yes, there are some changes, of course, and it's because of the recent political situation in the country, and if people express their feelings, it never means to welcome the Northern Alliance, it's just after six years people have the chance to have a little bit freedom. But, we are sure that soon these groups will start looting, will start destruction and killing and torturing people.

ZAHN: Sahar, unfortunately we have to leave it on that note, thank you very much for your honesty this morning, and we'd like to check with you in next several weeks to see if there are any more changes in Afghanistan, for women, and particularly the women whose independence you have been fighting so hard for. Thank you for your time.

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