Sister Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s Sacrifice
By Asim H. Akhund • Aug 14th, 2008 • Category: Politics, Worth A Second Look • 16 CommentsMoazzam Begg, ex-Guantanamo detainee, who was also held at Bagram airbase for approximately a year and then transferred to Guantanamo, wrote in his book “Enemy Combatant: A British Muslim’s Journey To Guantanamo and Back” about woman screams and how he first imagined they could be from his wife. It was later confirmed that the screams were of a woman who was held at Bagram base for some years. More precisely referred to as prisoner number 650 or the “Grey Lady of Bagram”.
Moazzam’s book was published in 2006 and since then the issue of the Gray Lady of Bagram has been in a limbo. It was very recently when Yvonne Ridley, the British journalist, who came to Pakistan in July 2008 and made a press conference making it public that a female prisoner, who was believed to be Dr. Afia Siddiqui, has been kept at Bagram base and that in very inhuman conditions. Dr. Afia has been held in exactly the same conditions as the men and has absolutely no privacy when it comes to toilet and shower facilities. She shared the same facilities and probably at the same time with other male inmates. Shockingly humiliating. “This would never happen to a Western woman and it shows just how women are viewed by the US military. There is even a suggestion she has been molested and sexually abused by her captors several times. We need to demand the truth,” quoted Ridley from her press conference. Moazzam had specifically written in his book that,
“I began to hear the chilling screams of a woman next door… Why have you got a woman next door? They told me there was no woman. But I was unconvinced. Those screams echoed through my worst nightmares for a long time. And I later learned in Guantanamo, from other prisoners, that they had heard the screams too.”
US and Afghan authorities have been denying since Begg and Ridley raised this issue but the surprising thing is that after two or three weeks of Ridley’s press conference US authorities captured Dr. Afia Siddiqui i.e. on July 17th 2008 loitering around an Afghan governor’s compound carrying documents for creating explosives and more surprisingly the story that was concocted was that when the FBI went for her interrogation she some how got hold of one the men’s gun and fired upon them in result they also fired at her and she received one bullet wound near her torso yet she was able to travel to US. How amazing the story is, imagine a person shot near her kidney area that resulted in removal of one her kidneys yet she was able to travel to the US. And why all this didn’t come out in public? why all has come after Ridley’s conference and other journalists questioning? Had US disclosed at that time she was captured i.e. according to them July 17th 2008, all the allegations of Dr. Afia being at Bagram since April 2003 would by default be defeated but they could not have done that because she was not arrested on July 17th 2008.
Another question was that how can they transport her to US so quickly whereas even under the extradition treaty the US authorities were obligated to ensure the Pakistani government that Dr. Afia’s crime was a) sufficiently serious, b) there exists a prima facie case against her, c) the event she was involved in qualifies as a crime in both countries, d) she can reasonably expect a fair trial in the US and e) more importantly her likely penalty will be proportionate to her crime. Even the procedural requirements would have taken months. How come no requests were received by our Foreign Office from Afghan or US authorities operating in Afghanistan? Where is her son whom the US authorities have claimed was arrested with her.
Very sadly, these questions should have been asked by our Foreign Office but they seemed to be least bothered. Had Dr. Afia been one of their real sisters she wouldn’t have been taken lightly. How can we celebrate independence when our sisters are sold by our leaders? How many more Dr. Afia’s will have to be sold for us to wake up and realize our responsibilities. We will not get rid off people like Musharraf, Zardari and Sharif until we stand up for our rights.
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Very true, Asim. How many others are in line for the hideous crimes committed by the so-called “civilised” Americans? How can we ever atone to what has happened to Dr. Aaffia? How will Allah ever forgive us?
Where is our morale that we just sit and slouch around, thinking about our own lives, when our various Muslim brothers and sisters suffer this mustual fate of Dr. Affia? Has our selfishness made us blind and immune to all this?
How can we, Pakistanis, sit back on our heels knowing what has passed?
Isn’t it strange that Americans always stamp fake, non-existent crimes on educated Muslims? What are they afraid of? The time when we will show them who is the civilised and the leading nation of the world? The time, which is not far, when we will reign over the world like we did not long ago?
Maham Javed, “The time, which is not far, when we will reign over the world like we did not long ago?”
When was it? and which world?
Aftab Sahib,
Give the girl a break, she is just using trying to be poetic….:) It sounded good to me as well for a moment, until one starts to think about the questions.
Regards
Mr. Aftab, I am talking about the time which Allah has promised us. The time when Muslims will reign all over the world; like we did over Spain. I hope you are familiar with Muslim history. Sadly, your response states the opposite. If you think it’s all crap then go on thinking that. But I truly believe that time will come.
Dr. Alshaer, I am certainly not being poetic. NOW is not the time for poetry. It is the time for action. And if not action, then atleast to feel remorse and to ask ourselves questions.
Regards.
Once BBC had givn me live opportunity of questioning to mozaam beig in UK jail and I just asked him simple question that how he made himself prepared for killing of unarmed civilians who have no interests in politics neither they were aware of you, nor they harmed him any way and in response he started reciting arabic verses mostly related with some jihad words. I really didnt understand his point of view as he looked like abnormal man to me but when I started probe of few missing persons then I found that some had links with fanatics groups that were financed by CIA like orgainsations.Such type of people opted to live in US and UK but developed lot of hate against them ,really dont know about the exact reasons of such deadly hate against the country that was responsible for their bread and butter and social security of their family members.
No doubt few local victims have been targeted as they had personal problems with some high ranking army officers so it is not hard to make reaserch on such cases as all crimnals of missing persons case are live and roaming on our streets in luxurious cars .Only thing is how to make them accountable for such heinous crime against humanity.
“Such type of people opted to live in US and UK but developed lot of hate against them ,really dont know about the exact reasons of such deadly hate against the country that was responsible for their bread and butter * and social security of their family members.”
Good point Nazia! I also feel sorry for such people.
* and their curry and their rice and the naans.
Maham,
I really do not understand how this dialogue went this far of “hurling insults” and I want you to know, please continue sharing your views. I have read few of your articles and I am very happy to know that we have people here that can express themselves. I believe the problem most likely came up here is that, some of the words and questions you asked, were fragmented and not clear.
This case of Aafia Siddiqui has caused a lot of divisions among people. Even within my family here in the US, we have quite divergent positions.
Please accept my apology and continue sharing your views. Dialogue is important for better understanding, even if others do not agree.
I do not question your intentions and I am sure others do not as well.
Regards
Dr.Alshaer,
Thankyou for your concern. I, however, have decided not to share my opinions in the form of comments. I am happy to know that you like my articles. There can be no higher praise nor any soulful motivation for me, other than your words about my writing. You can be assured that i will continue writing articles but I will refrain from commenting.
I truly appreciate Mr Aftab. He was the first person to comment on my very fist article and I am very grateful to him for that. He even continued commenting good-naturedly on my other articles and I have absolutely no intention of making him against me over a petty issue like this.
After all there are more major issues like Dr, Affia and the things happening in the world. It seems almost churlish to pick on people on minor things.
Once again I am sorry that my comment caused such hassle. And thankyou for your kind comment.
Regards.
Dear Maham,
You are most welcome, though i do hope you will reconsider from commenting on this site. The uniqueness of writing on a blog is that, the writer has an opportunity to interact with readers. You are one of the few writers on this blog that really is putting forth original ideals and it would be a shame, the readers will not be able to exchange ideas with you.
I have also thought of not commenting on this site, due to the immaturity of some the responses to my comments, and after some contemplation I reconsidered. Do not be intimidated by anyone.
The final choice is yours, though I certainly pray that you will continue to comment on this site. I look forward to reading your next article.
Regards
Respected Doctor,
I am quite touched about your opinion which classifies me “as one of the few writers, putting forth original ideas” and I must say I will try to reconsider you on your lines about commenting. I, try to write and interact with my readers as well as fellow writers to quench my insatiable thirst for knowledge. My comments, I am sad to say, resulted in a petty, yet a meaningless quarry. I never imagined that they would provoke such kind of responses from such wonderfully, knowledgeable people. Infact more informed people than me.
I hope you will keep checking my upcoming articles too and that my articles occupy the same place in your eyes.
Regards
A Glorious Dawn…And a Better Day:
Another dawn …another day,
Disgrace; insult is thrown our way;
Yet shamelessly on their golden perch
The spineless look - Oh how they sway!
As if there is no Lord above,
They with the devil-hand in glove;
Selling our dearest values and souls,
For gold and power - push and shove!
This crime you saw they so denied,
To filthy scum they sold the bride;
Yet the mighty Creator seeing it all
Unveils the gruesome act they hide!
Amongst ravenous wolves the fair one lies,
As from brutish hands she helplessly flies;
A suffering sister sane no more,
Her anguished screams - they rent the skies.
And this is all the pride you boast,
Our tormentors you daily host !
But yesterday we shared the cup,
- And today so far apart we coast ?
When comes a ‘Qasim’ to stem this rot?
Of Almighty Allah and His Messenger forgot!
Of cheaply selling our heritage which -
With submission and sacrifice was dearly bought.
And yet the strong will go their way,
As an ‘Iftikhar’ keep the monsters at bay;
Afia! Our elders pray, while the braver fight -
For a glorious dawn…and a better day!
We have an article on sister Aafia that I hope you will find beneficial:
The Aafia Siddiqui I Saw
http://www.al-istiqamah.com/IF/Aafia1.htm
The son of Dr.Afia Siddique is in US custody. According to reports, US officials have admitted that Ahmad, 12 years old son of Dr.Afia has been in US custody since 2003. A video released at a website, shown US officials interrogating Ahmad.This admission by us government is being seeing of siddiqui family as not only his detention illegal but also legion the allegation case made by Washington.
Update on Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s case:
“Pakistani indicted in NY for attack on U.S. soldiers
Tue Sep 2, 2008 4:50pm EDT
Reported by Reuters
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Pakistani woman suspected of links to al Qaeda was indicted on Tuesday on federal charges of attempted murder and assault of U.S. soldiers during a confrontation in Afghanistan in July.
Aafia Siddiqui, 36, a U.S.-trained neuroscientist, resurfaced in August after being declared missing for five years by human rights groups. She was flown by the United States to New York from Afghanistan.
The indictment says Siddiqui was detained by Afghan police in July and brought before U.S. officers for questioning in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province on July 18.
She was found to possess “handwritten notes” about a “mass casualty attack” and a list of U.S. locations, including the Empire State Building, the Statute of Liberty, Wall Street and the Brooklyn Bridge, the indictment said.
During an interview with U.S. soldiers and others, Siddiqui got control of one of a U.S. officer’s rifle and fired it at several members of the interview team. She then attempted to assault other officers, the indictment said.
Siddiqui’s lawyers have said they believe she had been secretly detained since March 2003, when she left her parents’ home in Karachi to visit her uncle in Islamabad.
In 2004, Siddiqui was identified by the FBI as an “al Qaeda operative and facilitator who posed a clear and present danger to America.”
Siddiqui is married to a nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who helped plan the September 11 attacks. Her husband was captured in 2003 and is now held at the U.S. military prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Siddiqui, who was shot in the abdomen and wounded during the alleged attack, is charged with attempted murder, armed assault, and other charges.
If convicted, she could face life in prison. She is due to be arraigned on Thursday.”