Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STOCKHOLM240
2009-04-14 12:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Stockholm
Cable title:  

Media Reaction - Op-ed on women in Afghanistan

Tags:  OPRC KMDR KPAO PINS PHUM PREF EUN SW 
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VZCZCXYZ0005
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSM #0240 1041221
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 141221Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4289
UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000240

SIPDIS

SECSTATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PPD, EUR/NB, EUR/PA, EUR/FO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PINS PHUM PREF EUN SW
SUBJECT: Media Reaction - Op-ed on women in Afghanistan


I. On April 11, the independent liberal Stockholm morning daily
"Dagens Nyheter" published a signed op-ed by Lisa Bjurwald
'Afghanistan: The war against women is increasing':

"American Vice President Joe Biden pointed out that the presence by
the United States in Afghanistan is not about maintaining human
rights, but about defeating the Taliban and the terrorist network
al-Qaida. Of course it is despicable that the government is
considering the legislation [that would legalize rape within
marriage], said Biden this week, but meant that the United States
gets equally upset over oppression in, for example, China....

"Biden is correct that the change should come from within, but
misses that the fate of women is directly connected to the fate of
Afghanistan. It is therefore important that aid organizations that
focus on women get to have part of the funding and that it does not
only go towards military operations. The United States special
envoy, Richard Holbrooke says he is 'deeply dissatisfied' with the
lack of knowledge about the Taliban among the United States and its
allies, which has been placed in the background when the
intelligence efforts have been focused on Iraq....

"It would promote both the civilian and military struggle against
fundamentalism."

SILVERMAN