In tears, prominent Afghan women's rights activist thanks Germany for saving her life
Record ID:
1633530
In tears, prominent Afghan women's rights activist thanks Germany for saving her life
- Title: In tears, prominent Afghan women's rights activist thanks Germany for saving her life
- Date: 24th August 2021
- Summary: DUESSELDORF, GERMANY (AUGUST 23, 2021) (CORONA POOL) VARIOUS OF CONSERVATIVE CDU CANDIDATE FOR CHANCELLOR AND NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA STATE PREMIER ARMIN LASCHET INTRODUCING AFGHAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND ONE OF COUNTRY'S FIRST FEMALE MAYORS ZARIFA GHAFARI, SAYING GERMAN AUTHORITIES, INCLUDING IN ISTANBUL, DID EVERYTHING TO MAKE TODAY'S IMMIGRATION TO GERMANY POSSIBLE, ADDING SHE WILL MEET HER FAMILY HERE AND FOR NOW SHE WILL BE LODGED HERE BUT SHE WANTS TO FIGHT FOR HER COUNTRY AND SHE WANTS TO TELL EVERYONE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN AFGHANISTAN GHAFARI CRYING (SOUNDBITE) (English) AFGHAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST, ZARIFA GHAFARI, SAYING: "First of all, I'm really, really, really thankful to the German government and all people to save my life and my family's life. Secondly, I know the crisis of refugees and immigration and everything in Germany. But me and my family, we are not here as migrants. I am just here to raise the voice of those 99% of people in Afghanistan who are not able to come out of their houses, those women who are not able to work, those women who are not able to speak out." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) AFGHAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST, ZARIFA GHAFARI, SAYING: "For the next days I want to meet everyone, to go all around and to speak on behalf of all those unspoken women of Afghanistan. Thank you." (SOUNDBITE) (German) CDU CANDIDATE FOR CHANCELLOR AND NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA STATE PREMIER, ARMIN LASCHET, SAYING: "We discussed the situation there a little bit and the way to the airport and into the airport and you can imagine what had happened if the Taliban had had the opportunity (pauses) to get Mrs. Ghafari into their hands. She might not have survived. So this might make it clear for us here in what dangerous situations some people live in other parts of the world and how much courage (gestures) they have to still fight for women's rights." LASCHET AND GHAFARI LOOKING ON
- Embargoed: 7th September 2021 10:41
- Keywords: German visa Kabul airport Prominent Afghan women's rights activist Zarifa Ghafari Taliban
- Location: DUESSELDORF, GERMANY
- City: DUESSELDORF, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA001ERN1KCN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:PLEASE NOTE THIS EDIT CONTAINS A WHITE FLASH
An Afghan mayor who fled to Germany said she would work in her host country to draw attention to the plight of those left behind who are living in fear of Taliban militants running Afghanistan.
Zarifa Ghafari, who was one of the country's first female mayors in Maidan Shahr west of Kabul until the Taliban seized power last week, thanked the German government and people for "saving" her life and that of her family.
"I am just here to raise the voice of those 99% of people in Afghanistan who are not able to come out of their houses, those women who are not able to work, those women who are not able to speak out," she said.
Ghafari was speaking in the western city of Duesseldorf where she met Armin Laschet, the chancellor candidate of Angela Merkel's conservative bloc in an election on Sept. 26.
Laschet, whose campaign to succeed Merkel as conservative chancellor has been faltering, has been criticised by rivals for saying that there must not be a repeat of Europe's 2015 migrant crisis when Merkel welcomed almost one million asylum seekers.
"She wants to fight for her country and tell everyone what has happened there," said Laschet, premier of the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, standing next to a tearful Ghafari at a hotel in Duesseldorf.
When they last held power, the Taliban strictly enforced their ultra-conservative interpretation of Sunni Islam that included banning women from going to school or working. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said last Tuesday that women "will be very active in society but within the framework of Islam".
Ghafari, who first fled to Istanbul with her family, said she was aware of the crisis of refugees and immigration in Germany, but added: "Me and my family, we are not here as migrants."
Her journey was facilitated by the German army, whose soldiers are helping German nationals, Afghans as well as activists and lawyers whose lives are in danger for helping NATO armies flee Afghanistan.
(Production: Michele Sani) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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