Malalai Joya, Afghanistan's youngest member of parliament

Joya, who has already survived four assassination attempts, clearly stated that she will not be silenced

Malalai Joya, in a press conference in Kabul on May 21, 2007 vows to continue her fight against warlords. (AP photo)

The Spanish people, the same who have so strongly opposed their army's presence in Iraq, appear now to be in favour of the army's presence in Afghanistan. This change can be explained only by their lack of lack of information about this war.

The international military intervention in Afghanistan was intended to end the rule of the cruel Taliban regime, but it has been replaced by a political regimemainly controlled by the warlords, ruthless men who enriched themselves through drug dealing, and who are as fundamentalist and chauvinist as the Talibans themselves. This is not just my opinion: I have read it in reports issued by human rights watchers, who agree with what I once heard from an Afghan feminist: "the only difference between the Talibans and them is that their beards are shorter".

A recent fact underscores this reality. The protagonist is Malalai Joya, Afghanistan's youngest member of parliament; despite her young age (29), she is a well-known defender of women and children rights. At 19 years old she was already teaching literacy courses for women; then she directed an orphanage and a clinic. In 2003 she became internationally known for her powerful denunciation on the role of warlords who were writing the new Afghan constitution. Two years later, she was elected to Parliament, as representative for the province of Farah, and since then she has endlessly denounced many members of that Parliament, accusing them of being warlords and drug dealers.

After her latest declaration in which she defined the Parliament "worse than a stable, because at least a stable is full of useful animals", on May 21st the Parliament decided to ban her, limiting her freedom of movement and initiating a court case against her. This is a proof of how freedom of expression is limited in Afghanistan.

Joya, who has already survived four assassination attempts, clearly stated that she will not be silenced. Human Rights Watch, as well as European PM Luisa Morgantini, demanded the trial against Joya to be annulled.

This power is being supported by our government and that should be known by the Spanish people.