TASLIMA NASRIN IS IN DANGER, IRANIAN ACTIVIST GROUP WARNS
PARIS 6TH NOV. (IPS) Starting an international campaign in defence of the Bangladeshi novelist Taslima Nasrin, the Worker-communism Party of Iran (WPI) warned that the life of the outspoken activist of women's rights is in danger by "both Bangladeshi execution squads and by reactionary Muslim thugs".
Ms Nasrin, author of the book "Shame", fled her native Bangladesh in August 1994 of fear of her life, after she was threatened to death by fundamentalist Bangladeshi Islamic terrorist organisations that had taken example from the Iranian grand ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeiny's fatwa, or death sentence pronounced against Mr. Salman Rushdie, the Anglo-Indian author of "The Satanic Verses".
Like Mr. Rushdie, Ms. Nasrin, born Muslim, had been sentenced to death by Muslim fundamentalists on charges of "blasphemy against Islam" and fled Bangladesh before she was caught.
The important difference between her situation with that of Mr. Salman Rushdie is that the clerics who had called for her execution were not in power in Dhaka while the Iranian ayatollah who condemned the world famous writer 10 years ago not only was the absolute master of Iran but would yield great influence over Muslim hard liners all over the world, including in Bangladesh.
Another major difference between the two cases was that while most Muslims would consider "The Satanic Verses" as desecrating the prophet Mohammad, "Shame" was a novel condemning the killing of the Buddhists in Bangladesh by hard line Muslims, mostly manipulated and encouraged by the Iranian ayatollahs.
"Taslima Nasrin, the author of the controversial book "Shame" and the outspoken feminist is in danger of execution by both Bangladeshi execution squads and by reactionary Muslim Thugs", the WPI warned in a press release received by Iran press Service in Paris.
Following the joint international Appeal by the Iranian Workers Party and the International Campaign for the Defence of the Rights of Iranian Women in defence of Ms. Nasrin, demonstrations were organised by activists and rights organisations in many world's capitals, including in Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Germany, France, Belgium, Holland the US, Canada and Australia, calling on the Bangladeshi authorities to take "immediate and appropriate" measures to safeguard the life of Ms. Nasrin and to prevent any possible action against her life and freedom of expression by Muslim thugs.
After publishing her book, and following threats she received from Muslim fundamentalists, Ms. Nasrin was granted political asylum in several West European nations, including Sweden and Germany and received many awards for her uncompromising campaigns in favour of the rights of women in Muslim countries, returned to Bangladesh to visit her ailing mother but had to face, once again, the same Islamic fundamentalists.
"What horrible crime has she committed to deserve the death penalty? Her crime was that she was spoken against the abuses women suffer under Islamic rule; she has exposed some of the atrocities inflicted on women by fanatic believers in Islam and that she has defended women's rights. Thus, according to Islam, death is "the just" punishment for such apostates", the WPI states.
As an example of such "abuses" against women in Muslim countries, the WPI cites the recent bill approved by the Majles, or the parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran segregating, under Islamic Sharia, or Canon, completely all medical services, imposing separate hospitals, doctors, nurses, gynaecologists, dispensaries, dentists and all elementary medical services for men and women.
"Not only this law means death for millions of poor Iranian women, mostly in rural areas where medical services are rudimentary, but sends into redundancy at least 6000 men gynaecologists as well as thousands of male nurses", observed one Iran doctor.
"What awaits Taslima is an example of what thousands of women in Iran, Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, and even in Islamic communities in the heart of Europe among fanatic Muslim families suffer every day. Taslima symbolises those women who stand up against reactionary Islamic rules and against silent slavery of women", the Iranian Stockholm-based organisation says.
"It is the responsibility of any freedom loving and progressive human being to side with Taslima Nasrin and to oppose these medieval, backward rules and customs that ruin the lives of millions of women world-wide. To defend Taslima's life and dignity is the responsibility of any progressive person and organisation that believes in equality and freedom", the WPI further adds that demands:
The withdrawal of the court injunction for Taslima Nasrin's arrest;
The Bangladesh Government to guarantee the safety of Taslima Nasrin and her mother while they are in the country;
The Bangladesh Government to provide a safe exit for Taslima Nasrin and her mother to leave the country
In another press release, the Iranian Workers Party said Ms. Nasrin had denied a dispatch by the German News Agency DPA quoting her family as saying that she was "ready to apologise for her position against Islam", describing the DPA's story as "baseless and irresponsible".
"I've expressed the truth, why then apologise? Women in Bangladesh are victims of religion and the rule of men. Throughout centuries, they have been told they must be slaves of men. I want to awaken them so that they can fight for their rights. I've been greatly helped and encouraged by people who believe in freedom of expression and in human rights and this has made me more determined to carry out my struggle. For my part, I shall never keep silent. In case (the) situation gets better, I would like to stay in my country, but not to the expense of selling out my ideals and my battle", Ms. Nasrin is quoted having said in her statement.
"The life of Ms. Nasrin is in danger. By participating in the WPI campaign and actions, one can help saving hr life, her struggle for freedom of expression and the equality of rights between men and women. Defending the cause of Ms. Nasrin is defending the rights of millions of women that live under medieval age Islamic laws that deny them the most basic and elementary human rights, the millions of women who in countries like Iran and Afghanistan refuses the barbaric and authoritarian rule laws of Islam and Islamic states. Join the Nasrin camp and vigorously fight for her life, for her freedom as well as for the total equal rights for men and women is Muslim societies", the Iranian organisation urges. ENDS TASLIMA 7119802