Women 'vow to raise kids for holy war'
- added July 9, 2008
- 21 responses
-
-
-
- goldenways
- added this
-
By Zeeshan Haider in Islamabad | July 09, 2008
HUNDREDS of Islamist women gathered at the radical Red Mosque in Pakistani capital today and vowed to raise their children for holy war, days after a suicide bomber killed 18 people after a similar rally.
Chanting slogans of "jihad is our way", burqa-clad women, some with babies, listened to fiery speeches from the daughter of the mosque's jailed cleric on the eve of the anniversary of a commando raid on the complex in which more than 100 people died.
"Our mujahideen (fighters) laid down their lives for the enforcement of the Islamic system in Pakistan. We are left behind to carry forward their mission," the daughter of cleric Abdul Aziz told the tightly guarded rally in the mosque compound.
Several thousand men attended a similar rally on Sunday to mark the anniversary of the July 10 commando raid that ended a week-long siege that began when gunmen from the mosque clashed with police.
Shortly after the Sunday rally ended, a suicide bomber attacked police who had been guarding the gathering killing 18 people, all but three of them policemen.
The attack highlighted the danger posed by militants in nuclear-armed Pakistan, where a new coalition government has been preoccupied with what to do with the unpopular President Pervez Musharraf, a staunch U.S. ally who has been isolated since his allies were defeated in a February election.
The blast in the centre of the capital also compounded gloom on Pakistan's financial markets where stocks have been sliding because of economic worries and the rupee has set new lows.
The Red Mosque had for years been a bastion of militant support in Islamabad, but the clerics and their followers had waged an increasingly defiant campaign to enforce Taliban rule.
They occupied a state library, kidnapped women they accused of prostitution and some
policemen, and stormed music and video shops and beauty parlours, much to the dismay of the moderate majority in the capital.
They also accumulated weapons and battled security forces for days after the siege began, rejecting calls to surrender.
President Pervez Musharraf ordered commandos to storm the mosque and an adjoining women's madrasa to end the stand-off.
The assault unleashed a wave of suicide bomb attacks across the country in which hundreds of people were killed, including former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
HUNDREDS of Islamist women gathered at the radical Red Mosque in Pakistani capital today and vowed to raise their children for holy war, days after a suicide bomber killed 18 people after a similar rally.
Chanting slogans of "jihad is our way", burqa-clad women, some with babies, listened to fiery speeches from the daughter of the mosque's jailed cleric on the eve of the anniversary of a commando raid on the complex in which more than 100 people died.
"Our mujahideen (fighters) laid down their lives for the enforcement of the Islamic system in Pakistan. We are left behind to carry forward their mission," the daughter of cleric Abdul Aziz told the tightly guarded rally in the mosque compound.
Several thousand men attended a similar rally on Sunday to mark the anniversary of the July 10 commando raid that ended a week-long siege that began when gunmen from the mosque clashed with police.
Shortly after the Sunday rally ended, a suicide bomber attacked police who had been guarding the gathering killing 18 people, all but three of them policemen.
The attack highlighted the danger posed by militants in nuclear-armed Pakistan, where a new coalition government has been preoccupied with what to do with the unpopular President Pervez Musharraf, a staunch U.S. ally who has been isolated since his allies were defeated in a February election.
The blast in the centre of the capital also compounded gloom on Pakistan's financial markets where stocks have been sliding because of economic worries and the rupee has set new lows.
The Red Mosque had for years been a bastion of militant support in Islamabad, but the clerics and their followers had waged an increasingly defiant campaign to enforce Taliban rule.
They occupied a state library, kidnapped women they accused of prostitution and some
policemen, and stormed music and video shops and beauty parlours, much to the dismay of the moderate majority in the capital.
They also accumulated weapons and battled security forces for days after the siege began, rejecting calls to surrender.
President Pervez Musharraf ordered commandos to storm the mosque and an adjoining women's madrasa to end the stand-off.
The assault unleashed a wave of suicide bomb attacks across the country in which hundreds of people were killed, including former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
-
-
-
-
- goldenways
- 3 months ago
-
I'm hardpressed to see a difference between these women and the American parents who rear their children with pro-military, patriotic, Christian values. Beyond simple acceptance in our culture of these values, what's the difference?
-
-
-
-
- dkincheloe
- 3 months ago
-
-
Very good point!
I agree-
-
-
-
- goldenways
- 3 months ago
-
-
Religion is good for nothing.
XVX for life, R.A.S.H. 'til death.-
-
-
-
- aquamammal
- 3 months ago
-
-
So sad.
Women, are the source of life.
That these mothers would raise their children to choose violence and hate is sickening.
People can choose a different reaction to oppression.
American Indians faced and still face overwhelming violence, oppression and genocide, but choose a different path to prevail.
Watch video of American Indian leader, mother, grandmother and co-founder of Indigenous Women's Network to hear how Indian women work for the People and make decisions for the 7th generation. -
People are so easily brainwashed. Sad.
-
And I agree, NO difference between this and Christian/Jewish/etc etc fanatics.
-
Stupid women support stupid Islamist extremists.
Giving and taking Life is something only -God- can do. -
Beyond any rational thought. Mothers willing to sacrifice their children. Anyone see the reasoning of seperation of church and state now?
-
-
-
-
- bluestranger
- 3 months ago
-
-
So sad.
Women, are the source of life.
That these mothers would raise their children to choose violence and hate is sickening.
People can choose a different reaction to oppression.
American Indians faced and still face overwhelming violence, oppression and genocide, but choose a different path to prevail.
Watch video of American Indian leader, mother, grandmother and co-founder of Indigenous Women's Network Anishinaabeg Winona LaDuke to hear how Indian women work for the People and make decisions for the 7th generation. -
Benazir Bhutto was a fascinating dignified leader. If only she was still alive to see this happening. Perhaps she could have done something about it. Too bad she was destined for assassination, just like the rest of her family.
It is so hard for me to believe that somehow people can believe their God would want them to hate and kill in its honor... -
wait.. wait..
did someone here mention the american indians as an example of resistance?
no disrespect, but who would want to end up like them? their people were massacred, their culture raped, and they now live a life strategically dependent upon the very criminals who practically erased their presence on this continent under the glorious banner of "manifest destiny"..
no no.. this story is not difficult at all to comprehend.. this is the same romantic notion that is dramatized in every other hollywood flick.. one reason it may be too strange for most is because none of the people in those movies ever have beards or wear burqas..
to some, life itself is not the ultimate goal.. there are other principles which are sometimes viewed as higher in worth.. whether those be spreading democracy halfway around the world in the middle of a desert down the barrel of a rifle.. or by raising your own flesh and blood to give up his/her life in the hopes of one day establishing/defending the type of homeland that you believe so strongly in..
you may not agree with it.. but that does not mean that it is all that difficult to understand it..
peace -
Yes yes yes. Let's all freak out about it. This has been done in the past. But, if my history is correct, they were trying to recapture their cities from the Europeans such as King Richard. Sala-al-Din was responsible for recapturing cities such as Jerusalem.
And this is no different from other religions who have cried similar wars. Inquisition? Crusades? Hello??? -
If I was around then I wouldn't have agreed with the crusades either: just because they happened doesn't mean we should stand for this!
-
that's right..just because it happened doesn't mean it is right...or that we would personally make that choice. I am living on land the Native Americans lived on for thousands of years in Maine, USA. I own a house..this is sad for me to think about..I don't know what a solution would be here. I don't think I am expected to give up our home because our family worked, ethically, within the rules of our current situation.
I think we need to move forward and respect each other in the future..and for generations to come. We also need to bring out the truth of our past and not bury it..that does not work anymore...teach our children in school the full history of the country. Probably most people were good hearted and hard working trying to better their families in ethical ways but there were quite a few who were oppressors and did things like sending small pox blankets to villages...disgusting.
Thanks for the video Touchart..I will watch it later today...sounds inspiring.-
-
-
-
- CarolynGillis
- 3 months ago
-
-
I appreciate that, and it's a tricky situation for good people alive today to deal with. But it's awfully easy for the people who are better off after the atrocities the pilgrims committed to say they 'feel bad', while the Natives have to live in trailer parks: actions speak louder than words.
-
Yes we should all work on that right away.
That is something I always think about and hope to do in the course of my days. As one person I am always trying to get there..when my children are in college next year I hope to get some kind of paid employment helping solve some of the inequalities in the world or other issues that affect us all...there are so many it is hard to decide which one to focus ..that's why I have my nonprofit fund raising system I developed to help them all ..on my profile..this would help people channel funds to inequities like this.as well as free press and environment and school groups..all the important issues...don't know if it will ever get funding though. I have been developing it over the past 11 years as a volunteer.-
-
-
-
- CarolynGillis
- 3 months ago
-
-
I think my message was misunderstanding. the reason I wrote that message because I read some of the comments here and I do not appreciate people pointing fingers at Muslims and how bad they are. I'm just a little tired about the anti-Muslim message. And I had that feeling from this article. Sorry if my message was confusing. I was trying to make a point that we should not apply Muslim fanatics to the whole Muslim community. Just like we should not do the same with Christians, Jews, etc.
-
Yes Angel that is a great point.
Well said-
-
-
-
- CarolynGillis
- 3 months ago
-
Login/Registration is required to add a response.
