Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) has been trying to ensure that the voices of
Afghan women are heard by as broad an audience as possible. WLUML believes that
international efforts for the reconstruction of Afghanistan must promote a process guided by the
Afghan people. Afghan women are half of the Afghan people - a fact too often and too easily
forgotten. It is not enough to  call merely for the representation of various ethnic communities
and/or factions in the decision making and transition processes around Afghanistan. The
presence of Afghan civil society, most particularly women, at the negotiation table and decision
making of any peace process is vital.

More than fifty Afghan women from different NGOs and organizations met at the call of the
Afghan Women's Network on 7 November 2001 in Peshawar, Pakistan. Below is an appeal they
drafted addressed to the concerned warring parties and countries. They would like the
endorsement and support of other organizations for the demands in the appeal.

Despite the fact that the UN has been complicit  by its support of the US war in Afghanistan, it is
making efforts to ensure that a more just transition process take place if and when this is
possible. Therefore, the international solidarity network (WLUML) is urging the United Nations
to ensure and facilitate Afghan women's involvement in the decision-making and transition
processes in the coming months. It should be noted that the Special Representative of the
Secretary General for Afghanistan, Mr Lakhdar Brahimi, has been specifically interacting with
Afghan women's groups to discuss ways of including women in the transition processes led by
the UN.

The hope is that your action on behalf of the women’s demands will put UN officials on notice
that there is a wide network of women and men supporting the people of Afghanistan, one-half
of whom are women, who want the killing to end and demand participation in building a future
for their people that ensures peace with justice.

STATEMENT OF WLUML   7 November, 2001

For more then two decades the Afghan nation has been passing through the most difficult
experiences of war, human rights violations and brutality. While we struggle to survive, we are
scared for life, losing our dear ones, seeing our children traumatized, our neighbors killed, our
husbands disabled by a war fought under different banners but yet with the same tragic
consequences. In whatever name the war might be fought, jihad, justice, terrorism etc. We ask
you to stop it.

The waging and continuation of the war affects us more deeply every passing day by hearing that
someone else has been added to the list of victims.

Perhaps a million Afghans are in movement facing closed borders, a hostile reception and
already jammed camps with the most miserable conditions of life.

Stop this war in the name of the Afghan child, the Afghan mother and a nation who have
sacrificed more than enough. The continuation of war will not only be adding to the existing
misery of the Afghan nation, but will hinder the chances of a peaceful solution in the future. We
call upon the international community and the countries and groups involved in this war to
support us by listening to us and ensuring our rights as citizens of the world are respected. Help
us in seeking our right to survival.

We (WLUML) request the following:

• The military action in Afghanistan be stopped immediately.
• The anti-terrorism campaign should not be fought at the expense of restricting or violatinghuman rights of Afghans. It should be dealt with in accordance with international law and procedures by an international tribunal.
• The neighboring countries of Afghanistan should open their borders to Afghan families fleeing the war.
• Afghans should be supported in the peace process and nation building effort in such a way, which ensures the respect of its diverse ethnic groups and religious sects, women and children.
• Afghan women's participation in the peace process must be assured.

WRITE, FAX, or EMAIL your message of solidarity with the WLUML to any or all of the following persons. List their demads in your message.
 
Lakhdar Brahimi
Special Representative of the Secretary General for Afghanistan
Tel: +1 212 963 1386
Fax: +1 212 963 0616

Kamal Hossain
UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan
Fax: +880 29564953
Email: khossain@citecho.net

Carolyn McAskie
Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Fax: +1 212 963 1312

The office of Hina Jilani, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights
Defender Martine Anstett
Email: manstett.hchr@unog.ch

The office of Asma Jahangir, UN Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial
Killings Henrik Stenman
Email: Hstenman.hchr@unog.ch

For more information:
WLUML - international solidarity network
Email: wluml@wluml.org
www.wluml.org