NY TIMES BESTSELLER PROMPTS THREATS FOR KABUL BEAUTY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 001867



SIPDIS



SIPDIS



DEPT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A

STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG

STATE PASS TO U/S PAULA DOBRIANSKY

NSC FOR AHARRIMAN

OSD FOR SHIVERS

CENTCOM FOR CG CJTF-82 POLAD



E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2017

TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREF, PREL, PTER, PK, AF

SUBJECT: NY TIMES BESTSELLER PROMPTS THREATS FOR KABUL

BEAUTY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES



Classified By: Acting DCM Carol Rodley for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)



1. (C) SUMMARY: In a June 4 meeting with Embassy

PolOffs and RefCoord, four female employees of the

Kabul Beauty School described their fear of

persecution due to the publication of NY Times

bestseller, "Kabul Beauty School: The Art of Perms,

Friendship and Freedom." The book, written

by Amcit Deborah Rodriguez, who managed the school

and its adjoining salon for two years, features

allegedly unauthorized pictures of the four women

(sometimes without a headscarf - a major social

taboo) and tells intimate details of the women's

personal lives. As a result, the women report that

unidentified persons have come to their place of

employment and called them, issuing vague threats

and chiding the women for their role in a book that

allegedly defames Afghan cultural and religious

values. The book's author has contacted the

Department to argue on behalf of the women receiving

asylum in the U.S. and claims that she herself had

to flee Afghanistan in mid-May due to threats brought

on by the book's release. Fearing for their safety,

two of the women plan to flee Afghanistan in the near

future; the other two are undecided. Embassy offered

assistance in contacting UNHCR once the women have

decided to leave. END SUMMARY



BETRAYED, WOMEN REPORT THEIR LIVES ARE IN DANGER

-------------- ---



2. (C) On June 4, Emboffs met with four (Frehba

Fazia Aziz, Sharifa Ahmadi, Palwasha Hamdad, and

Terina Sediqqi) of the six women whom author

Rodriguez reported face danger as a result of the

book's release. (Note: Since its inception, the

cosmetology school has trained nearly 120 Afghan

women, six of whom remain employed as instructors

and beauticians at the school and its adjoining

salon. End note.) All four of the women

interviewed said they fear for their safety and

the safety of their families. They alleged that

before the book was published, Rodriguez promised

that their photos would not appear in the book and

their names would be changed. Instead, the women

shared with Emboffs a copy of the book that featured

their faces prominently (in some cases uncovered),

though their names have been thinly veiled through

the use of pseudonyms. While some versions of the

book printed in the U.S. do not include their

pictures, their pictures are reportedly printed in

copies of the book printed in 14 other countries

throughout Europe and Asia. The women brought

copies of the book published in Australia and

Germany, both with their pictures. In accordance

with an agreement they maintain they had with

Rodriguez, they did not believe the book had been

published in Dari, Farsi, or Arabic in any Muslim

countries. That said, "pirated" translations of

Western books are often reprinted in Farsi in Iran and

eventually make their way into Afghan bookstores.



3. (C) The beauty school employees reported that,

after the book's release, two unidentified women came

to the salon along with a foreign language translation

of the book that included the women's photos. Initially

thought to be customers, the women eventually revealed

that they had come to the school solely to verify

whether they could locate the same school and women

identified in the book. Upon being asked why, the

women told the beauty school employees that they had

done a very bad thing in bringing shame upon Afghan

women and Afghan values and cooperating with

foreigners. "You will hear from us later," they said,

issuing a rather vague but ominous threat as they

departed the school. The visitors' male companions



KABUL 00001867 002 OF 003





remained waiting outside in vehicles.



4. (C) Frehba Aziz reported that unidentified callers

from Logar and Khost provinces had contacted her under

the pretext of finding someone to provide cosmetic

services. Fearful of disclosing her identity to

unknown callers, Frehba denied being a beautician, to

which the callers allegedly replied, "We know who you

are and what you do. You are lying. You will be

sorry." She said no further threats were issued, but

she fears that someone is trying to locate and

potentially harm her. (Note: Aziz is more fearful

than the others, as she reported having prior problems

with an alleged member of the Taliban, who was a

colleague of her husband who was staying at her home.

Aziz maintained that prior to the book's

release, this man criticized her for working as a

female and that his attitude towards her had grown

significantly worse in recent weeks. Upon hearing

reports from the man's wife that he was a member of

the Taliban, she and her husband made arrangements for

him to stay elsewhere. She fears that this man may

now be behind some of the threatening phone calls she

has received, and she is particularly concerned

because he knows where she lives.)



5. (C) For some of the women, the fear that their

family or spouse will get hold of the book is as

great as their fear of a reaction from the Taliban or

reactionary elements within the Parliament. Because

none of them read English, the women are still unaware

of the full extent to which their personal lives have

been disclosed in the book. Media reports maintain

that intimate details, such as how one of the women

faked her virginity on her wedding night, are

recounted in the book. Given Afghanistan's strict

societal norms for women's behavior, family honor and

sexual morality, if identified, this woman could face

harsh retribution from both her family and the Afghan

public. The women also reportedly fear that members

of Parliament might eventually see the book and summon

them for public questioning about their role in

exposing details of Afghan family life in a shameful

manner. Said one woman, "I'd commit suicide before

going before Parliament." The women reported having

autographed several copies of the book for Ms. Rodriguez

prior to receiving threats and worry that these

autographed copies may surface in Kabul and be used as

evidence of their complicity in the book. (Comment:

While this scenario may seem far-fetched, in recent

months the Afghan Parliament has indeed summoned or

threatened to summon several prominent Afghan figures,

such as Foreign Minister Spanta, Attorney General

Sabit, and Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) Chairwoman

Sima Samar for public hearings. The thought that a

coterie of conservative MPs might seek to make an

example of these women is not inconceivable. Sadly,

suicide by self-immolation is not an uncommon

reaction among Afghan women who feel they have no

way out of a dilemma inflicted by societal dictates

on women's behavior. End Comment)



WEIGHING THEIR OPTIONS

--------------



6. (C) Emboffs explained to the women how the asylum

process would work, should they choose to flee

Afghanistan, noting that they would have to apply

once outside the country. Frehba Aziz and Terina

Sediqqi reported having already decided that they

will go into hiding in Pakistan, although they

expressed concern that they would not be safe there

either. The other two women, Sharifa Ahmadi and

Palwasha Hamdad, remain undecided and indicated that

fleeing to Pakistan would also create problems for

them, as their families, including Ms. Ahmadi's very



KABUL 00001867 003 OF 003





conservative husband, are still unaware of the book but

would certainly demand an explanation for why the

women suddenly wanted to seek refuge in Pakistan.



COMMENT

--------------



7. (C) Given the vague threats made against the

women, it is difficult to assess to what extent the

women are in imminent danger. Over the past year,

similarly vague threats were issued to many women's

rights activists without ever materializing (reftel).

On the other hand, Afghanistan is a dangerous place

and similar threats were also issued to the Director

of Women's Affairs in Kandahar Province (who was later

assassinated in September 2006) and to a female

journalist, Shakiba Shangaa Amaj, who was shot and

killed on June 1. Both women were prime targets

given their very public profiles.



8. (C) In the case of the Kabul Beauty School

employees, the women's perception of imminent danger

appears to be genuine. The threat could emanate

just as easily from socially conservative political

elements as from their own families, given that

"honor killings" are common in Afghanistan. In

assessing the authenticity of their claims, it is

also worth noting their allegations of betrayal by

Ms. Rodriguez and that, since departing

Afghanistan in mid-May, Rodriguez has allegedly

provided no support to the school (which now has an

outstanding rent bill of $10,000, no electricity, or

telephone),its students (who are normally provided

lunches) or salaries for the teachers. Though they

believe they are in danger, the women continue to work

at the school and salon, as several of them are their

family's sole breadwinner. Overall, they seemed very

mistrustful of Rodriguez and did not appear to be

using a claim to asylum simply to join her in the U.S.

WOOD