What are you doing in the refugee camps in Pakistan?

We have schools for girls in the fugitive camps; but in some we have problems because of the influence of the fundamentalists. We have handicraft projects for women; we run chicken farms, a jam-making business and carpet weaving projects. We also have mobile medical teams that go in to the camps one or two days a week to give free medicine. We had a hospital called Malalai, but it closed because of our financial problems; one of our very urgent projects is to reopen it.

What are your feelings about the attack on America?

We are so sorry for the victims of this terrorist attack. We want to shower them with deep solidarity. We can understand their sorrow because we also suffered this terrorism for more than 23 years. We were already victims of this tragedy.

On the other hand, unfortunately, we warned the United States government about this many, many times; as well as the other countries that are supporting and creating the fundamentalist parties. They helped create these terrorists during the Cold War; they supported Osama bin Laden [during the Russian occupation of Afghanistan]. Fundamentalism is equal to terrorism; it's equal to crime. We said, this germ won't just be in Afghanistan, it will spread out all over the world.

Today we can see this with our own eyes. We warned them but they never listened to our cry, to our voice.

How is the crisis in America affecting your work at RAWA?

Thousands of families are escaping from Afghanistan, leaving everything behind because they are afraid of war. Thousands of others that are living in Afghanistan don't have the possibility to immigrate here; and now, even the borders are closed. That means that our people have to burn in the flame of war and all the doors are closed.

In fugitive camps it's really hard to work, especially hard because millions of fugitives have just arrived. They are in shock, and have nothing but themselves and the clothes on their back. I met a family yesterday that wanted help from RAWA, they cried and said they walked through the mountains because the border was closed. Their child fell down the mountain and died, but they couldn't stop because they had to escape.

Our people escape from Afghanistan because of the fear of killing and rape and torture, but they will die in the refugee camps because of lack of food, jobs and healthcare. Even here the situation is not good. We are in a crisis in the camps; thousands have contacted us for help and we don't know how to help them. At every moment they want their children to be in our orphanages or our schools; they want a house, medicine -- they need everything, and we have no money.

Also we are so worried about our members inside Afghanistan, about their lives.

Are you concerned about a war with the United States?

We are condemning an attack of the U.S. on Afghanistan, because it won't be the Taliban but our people who will be the victims. The United States should decry these terrorist groups in Afghanistan; but not through an attack. Maybe through commando attacks, though. We do want the United Nations to be more active -- their rule is very important in this moment.

We also want to convey a message to the American people that there's a difference between the people of Afghanistan and the criminal government of Afghanistan. There is a river of blood between them.

Do you support the Northern Alliance?

We condemn the cooperation of the United States with the Northern Alliance. This is another nightmare for our people -- the Northern Alliance are the second Taliban.

The Northern Alliance are hypocrites: They say they are for democracy and human rights, but we can't forget the black experience we had with them. Seventy-year-old grandmothers were raped during their rule, thousands of girls were raped, thousands were killed and tortured. They are the first government that started this tragedy in Afghanistan.

What government do you support, then?

We are ready to support the former king. It doesn't mean that the king is a very ideal person for us. But in comparison to the fundamentalist parties, we prefer him. The only condition we have for the king is that he must not cooperate with the Northern Alliance.

What does RAWA need right now?

We are in a very bad financial condition. We need anything we can get -- for our mobile team, for medicine, for our schools. Maybe $1 is nothing for them, but for us it means a lot. To run our struggle with empty hands is impossible for us.

(To donate to RAWA, visit RAWA's Web site, the The Afghan Women's Mission, or The Feminist Majority.)

Do you want to go back to Afghanistan?

I miss Afghanistan very much, it's my country. I love my city and my country a lot. I am a fugitive here. Whenever there is peace in Afghanistan we will never go to another country -- we will go back to rebuild Afghanistan and experience good days, I hope.

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