Jean Sasson's Blog, page 5

HERE’S A REAL MAN, ZIAUDDIN YOUSAFZAI: father of MALALA YOUSAFZAI

Ziauddin Yousafzai, a proud Muslim father of his daughter

There are great men living among us, but sometimes it take an epic event for their presence to be known outside their limited geography.  

Rarely do men take the lead in fighting for women’s rights.  But I have just read about a man who has been fighting for women’s rights for his entire life.  That man’s name is Ziauddin Yousafzai.  Ziauddin is the Pakistani father of the very famous Malala Yousafzai, his daughter, and the courageous young woman who stood up for the education of girls in Pakistan.  As a result, Malala was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban.  

 

As you might have guessed, I just read “I AM MALALA.”  It’s an outstanding book that I recommend to everyone.  There is no more worthy book being sold today.   

Malala is an exceptionally brave young woman.  But, her father was more brave.  There could have been no Malala without Ziauddin, a man of astounding courage who has fought for his entire life for the education of all children in Pakistan, boys and girls.  When Malala was born, no one in the family was happy because she was a baby girl.  But Ziauddin stunned all by not only being happy about his daughter’s birth, but was extremely vocal about his pride to be the father of a daughter.  He insisted that his daughter be included in the family tree, much to the horror of other family members.  (Sadly, in most of the Muslim world, when daughters are born, everyone goes quiet with grief.  When sons are born, celebrations go on for days.) 

And so from the beginning of her life, Ziauddin’s daughter was lavished with love, attention, and books.  From the moment she reached the age of understanding, she knew that her father “had her back” and he would fight to the death to ensure that she, a mere girl in other’s eyes, would be treated equally with her two brothers.  And so Malala grew into her teenage years feeling confident that she had the right to speak her mind, to study, to learn, and to have and pursue dreams.  Ziauddin had taught his daughter how to struggle against injustice.  And Malala learned how powerful a person can be who speaks out against injustice.  Every child born deserves such a life.  

When reading this book, I adored Malala, and I marveled at Ziauddin.  He grew up at a time when women’s feelings  were not even considered, yet he respected women, and was proud to  express his respect for females, insisting that his school be open to girls, too. 

Ziauddin is not only passionate and confident with his beliefs, but he is exceptionally wise about many aspects of life.  Here are just a few tidbits in the book shared by Malala:  “My father also loved to write poetry, sometimes about love, but often on controversial themes such as honor killings and women’s rights.”   

When a Mullah in their village started a campaign against Ziauddin’s school, open to girls and boys, Ziauddin was not afraid to fight back, telling others, ’Nim Mullah khatrai iman’ or, “A Mullah who is not fully learned is a danger to faith.”  (After living in the Muslim world for many years, I KNOW that it takes extraordinary courage for anyone to speak out against a Mullah.  Even powerful kings and dictators chose their words with care when addressing or discussing a Mullah!) 

When a doctor’s clinic was closed by the Taliban, the doctor approached Ziauddin for advice after the Taliban later offered to reopen the hospital.  Ziauddin advised his friend, “Don’t accept good things from bad people.”  He didn’t believe that a hospital protected by the Taliban was a good thing.  He was right, and not afraid to speak out against the brutal Taliban.

When the Taliban first came to their valley (SWAT) many people welcomed them with open arms, much to Ziauddin’s dismay, for he knew they were wolves in sheep’s clothing.  Later after the Taliban completely took over and began to murder many people, everyone was forced to flee.  When they returned to their village, they found a letter from a Pakistani soldier condemning the villagers for allowing the Taliban to gain control Swat.  Ziauddin told his daughter, “This is typical.  We people of Swat were first seduced by the Taliban, then killed by them and now blamed for them.  Seduced, killed and blamed.”  In fact, Ziauddin was being generous.  He was never seduced.  In fact, he fought against the Taliban from the first day until the last.

When Ziauddin received death threats from the Taliban, he refused to give up his activities to educate children or to stop warning his friends against cooperating with the Taliban.  Even after his friends were shot in the face by the Taliban, he kept on course.  Everyone believed that Ziauddin would be next.

But it was his daughter who was shot. 

After the attempted murder of Malala, Ziauddin ”…argued that all he had ever wanted was to create a school in which children could learn….”  “My only ambition,” Ziauddin said, is to educate my children and my nation as much as I am able.  But when half of your leaders tell lies and the other half negotiating with the Taliban, there is nowhere to go.  One has to speak out.”

Although Ziauddin was unusually courageous, he was often frustrated, once saying, “I have a school, but I am neither a khan nor a political leader.  I have no platform.  I am only one small man.”

I beg to differ:  Ziauddin, you are NOT a small man.  You are a lion of a man, the greatest of men, one of the most courageous men I’ve ever had the pleasure to read about — a man unafraid to go against entrenched ideas and prejudices fully embraced by your society.  

When Mala’s mother continued to believe that women should not go out of the house, and should not speak to any man not of her family, Ziauddin told his wife:  “Pekai, purdah is not only in the veil, purdah is in the heart.”

Ziauddin kept a famous poem (written by Martin Niemoller, who lived in Nazi Germany) in his pocket:

First they came for the communists,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the socialists,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,

and I didn’t speak out because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Catholics,

and I didn’t speak out because I was not a Catholic.

Then they came for me,

and there was no one left to speak for me.

I have discovered that it is very difficult to bring change to our world.  And, as hard as women might fight against abuses, we cannot bring this kind of massive social change until men stand by our side.  If only every thinking men would come forward like Ziauddin Yousafzai to fight for women’s rights.  If only every man would live as Ziauddin Yousafzi has lived, soon we could defeat the abuses man inflicts upon women.

Ziauddin Yousafzi is a modest man, calling himself a “small man,” but in fact he is one of the greatest men ever to walk this earth. 

We should all nominate Ziauddin Yousafzi for next year’s Nobel peace prize, and for the TIMES man of the year.  We need to hold him up as the kind of hero young boys should emulate. 

Ziauddin is a real man.  

    

 

  

Making a Difference…really!

Originally posted on Citizen Journalist Review:

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……………………………………….Jean Sasson

Today I’d like to share with you some information about a new book I recently read by one of my favorite authors. I’d also like to share information about a humanitarian project she’s started. The reason I chose to share this with you, is that many of you have spent time in the middle east, or have a family member who has and that’s what the book and project are about.

First, let me introduce you to Jean Sasson in the event you aren’t familiar with her and her writing. Jean Sasson is an award winning author who lived in Saudi Arabia for many years working in a hospital there and has spent time in some of the other Middle Eastern countries as well. Some of her books are about royalty and some of her books are about common people trying to live a normal life. She is recognized by the Kuwaiti Government as an authority on the middle east and was invited by the Kuwait Government to be one of the 146 people on the Freedom Flight that they invited into Kuwait at the end of the Kuwait War. So, she has her creds. Her latest book Yasmessas Choice is a true story of the horrors that many women in Kuwait endured at the hands of the Iraqi soldiers during that invasion and the horrors were many and awful. It’s not a book for the faint hearted or for those looking for a romance novel. It’s a real book about real women whose lives were destroyed by beastly Iraqi men who used them as sex slaves during the Kuwait invasion.

I’ve followed Jean’s writing for a long time and she has amazing talent along with a kind and caring heart. Below I will let her tell you in her own words how she is working to help women in the middle east break out of some of the antiquated practices they are forced to live with on a daily basis. So, first of all, may I strongly endorse all of her books, but especially Yasmeena’s Choice ( http://www.amazon.com/Yasmeenas-Choice-Story-Courage-Survival/dp/1939481147/ref=la_B000APMHVU_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383432885&sr=1-4 ) . Later the Princess series is a favorite too.

She now has a project called ‘The Good Monk’ (http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/jean-sasson-and-the-good-monk ) where she is taking a stand against abuse of women and children. I generally don’t send you off site to read something, but this is different and it is worthwhile. It is another example of Jean making a difference. With her talent, she is working to alleviate abuse. She writes:

“I feel so strongly about these projects that I am giving my rights to the story. I am writing two screenplays without compensation. Yes, you heard right. I will not be taking any pay for the work for the time I have spent on these projects.”

So, I invite you to read about her amazing project

( http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/jean-sasson-and-the-good-monk ) and become familiar with all of her books. They are all worthy reads and you will find that you simply can’t put them down.

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Making a Difference...really!

Reblogged from Citizen Journalist Review:

..........................

..............................................Jean Sasson

Today I'd like to share with you some information about a new book I recently read by one of my favorite authors. I'd also like to share information about a humanitarian project she's started. The reason I chose to share this with you, is that many of you have spent time in the middle east, or have a family member who has and that's what the book and project are about.

Read more… 462 more words

My latest book just published: YASMEENA’S CHOICE: A True Story of War, Rape, Courage and Survival

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over twenty years since I met the young woman you will know as Yasmeena in my latest book, YASMEENA’S CHOICE.  There is a long history attached to this book.  I had written THE RAPE OF KUWAIT soon after Iraq invaded Kuwait August 1990, and the book became an instant bestseller.  Seven months later, after Saddam’s forces fled from Kuwait to Iraq, I flew into Kuwait on the FREEDOM FLIGHT.  I then remained in that war-torn country for nearly a month, traveling and meeting Kuwaitis and others who had survived a brutal occupation.  To my surprise, the Kuwaiti government gave me full access to women of various nationalities who had been kidnapped and held in Kuwaiti neighborhood prisons, as sex slaves by the Iraqi soldiers.  After entering the villa where the young women were being housed, I met one of the most courageous young women I’ve ever known.  While I met a number of rape victims, Yasmeena was the only rape victim I interviewed who provided me with intimate detail of the brutalities she had endured, and survived.  And, unlike most rape victims, she WANTED her story told.  She insisted, in fact.  I’m never had any person make a stronger impression on me than that young Lebanese woman.  I believed that I would come home from Kuwait and write her story.  But I did not.  I set the book aside.  There were a variety of reasons that I postponed writing the story of Yasmeena, and of the repercussions of war rape.  But the book inside me did not slumber peacefully.  Many were the times I remembered Yasmeena,  and what she had endured.  I remembered her expressive face as she nearly screamed out her story.  I remembered the high sound of her voice as she described scenes one could scarcely imagine.  I remembered the swiftness of her movements as she leapt from her chair, into the air, and then to the chair once again. Her heartrending story was one of the most horrific this author has ever heard.  Yasmeena’s story is timeless, because even as I write these words, vast numbers of innocent women are being raped by men who are claiming their bodies as war booty.  I have alerted my readers that YASMEENA’S CHOICE is necessarily graphic, for without the detail provided to me by a war rape victim, none of us could imagine the horror of what so many women have endured.  I hope that you read this important book.  I hope that afterward, you contact your government officials and tell them that you expect all world communities to join forces to instate practical steps to ensure that war rape criminals will receive the harshest possible punishments.  We must stand together and face the perils facing so many innocent girls and women.  I believe that you will agree that all of us have a common duty to the human race to stop the worst offenses of war and violence.   

 

Yasmeena’s Choice: A True Story of War, Rape, Courage and Survival

True story of a young Lebanese woman, caught in the madness of war and violence.

Heartbreaking and Heartwarming story: Little Afghan girl who is a Taliban victim.

I’ve been reading so many hateful & false messages going around the internet since the horrific shootings of 20 young American children last week. These messages meanly claim that Americans only care if American children are harmed and don’t care at all if the child is another nationality. How very wrong they are. Over and over again I read accounts of individual Americans reaching out to help children all over the world.

When the Taliban killed a young girl’s father and brother, who stepped in to help? An American nonprofit children’s organization.

Sure, many people from many countries help young children in need, but you can’t discount the fact that Americans are in that group.

Here’s a heartbreaking story where a young girls was saved and enormous effort is being made to help her.

I believe that most people are good, and most people would never harm a child. Of course, the Taliban is not of that group. They seem to take great pleasure in harming and murdering children.

ANYHOW, here is the story:

Six year-old girl shot in face by Taliban and left for dead gets free surgery in US

By Greg Cergol, NBCNewYork.com

A 6-year-old girl — shot and left for dead by the Taliban in Afghanistan earlier this year — received free reconstructive surgery at a hospital in the U.S. Friday.

“She’s OK. All is good, thank God!” said Elissa Montanti of the Global Medical Relief Fund.

The nonprofit children’s organization, based on Staten Island, helped bring Marizeh to the U.S. after the attack that cost the girl her right eye.

Taliban fighters ambushed Marizeh’s family as they drove home in a remote, unidentified region of Afghanistan last spring, said Montanti.

Her father tried to hide the girl under his feet inside the family car but she was shot in the face, after watching both her father and brother murdered.

“They thought she had died. She was there for three hours before she was discovered,” said Marizeh’s doctor, Kaveh Alizadeh.

The plastic surgeon, who founded a nonprofit group that provides medical care to needy children, first heard Marizeh’s story during a trip to Afghanistan.

On Friday, Alizadeh performed surgery on Marizeh at South Nassau Communities hospital on Long Island to help repair lingering damage to her breathing and facial structure. She had previously been fitted with a temporary prosthetic eye.

The medical care should have cost upwards of $100,000, Alizadeh said; but in this case, it was all done for free.

“To think about the trauma she’s been through and to see her come down and have a smile on her face, it’s unbelievable,” said hospital chief operations officer Joseph LaMantia.

Marizeh is expected to leave the Oceanside hospital this weekend and return to the Global Medical Relief Fund’s headquarters in Staten Island.

Thousands rally in Karachi for Malala, 14-year-old Pakistani girl shot by Taliban

It’s unclear when she will go home to Afghanistan. Montanti declined to reveal Marizeh’s last name or hometown, for fear the Taliban will target her again.

“If they know the Americans are helping them, it’s dangerous. So we have to be cautious,” Montanti said.

For all who helped Marizeh, it was a danger worth facing, to restore a little girl’s smile.

“She is a very happy little girl, a lovely girl,” Montanti said.

Happy Days! All three books about PRINCESS SULTANA in one edition.

For years I’ve had requests for all three books to be in one edition. It’s finally happened. Princess, Princess Sultana’s Daughters and Princess Sultana’s Circle are available in one e-book so those readers who would like to read all three. And, the publisher has priced them at a very agreeable price: $9.99. This is always nice for an author to know that her/his books are easily available to interested readers.

Other exciting news: Barnes & Noble have chosen the book as a NOOK BOOK FIRST. Check it out!

OKAY, WordPress has changed the manner someone can add links or images. I will add to this blog tomorrow with the desired book image and links…

Sigh….

Girl Brutally Gang-Raped in Delhi; Outpouring of Indian Women’s Rage!

jeansasson:

One of the best and most important blogs there is. I recommend that everyone who cares about other human beings to follow this blog.

Originally posted on THE 50 MILLION MISSING CAMPAIGN BLOG ON INDIA'S FEMALE GENDERCIDE:

photo by The Hindu

New Delhi, December 2012 

On December 16, a 23-year-old woman returning home with her boyfriend after seeing a movie, was brutally assaulted in a moving bus in New Delhi by seven men.  She was gang-raped and physically assaulted for over an hour with an iron rod.  She’s currently battling for her life in a hospital in the country’s capital.  Her intestines were badly ruptured in addition to a number of other injuries, and she has undergone numerous surgeries already.

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Girl Brutally Gang-Raped in Delhi; Outpouring of Indian Women's Rage!

Reblogged from GENDER EQUAL: A BLOG ON INDIA'S FEMALE GENDERCIDE:

photo by The Hindu

New Delhi, December 2012 

On December 16, a 23-year-old woman returning home with her boyfriend after seeing a movie, was brutally assaulted in a moving bus in New Delhi by seven men.  She was gang-raped and physically assaulted for over an hour with an iron rod.  She’s currently battling for her life in a hospital in the country’s capital. 

Read more… 328 more words

One of the best and most important blogs there is. I recommend that everyone who cares about other human beings to follow this blog.

Afghanistan: Can we make a difference? MAHBOBA’S PROMISE

A forum discussion on preparing for peace and progress for Afghanistan as international troops leave.
Mahboba’s Promise in partnership with the Sydney Peace Foundation and Sydney University’s Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, hosts a forum with distinguished guest speakers.
, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Australia and a Fulbright Scholar.
, well known journalist and presenter of SBS Dateline, escaped from Afghanistan as a child.
, a retired major-general of the Australian armed forces, awarded Australian Thinker of the Year 2009.
M,is a Professor at ANU’s Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies.
,has firsthand experience of the trials of being born a woman in Afghanistan’s complex culture.
Moderated by , barrister at the Victorian Bar, refugee advocate and co-creator of the film ‘Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea’.
, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence will wrap-up the forum and summarise Government’s plans for assistance to Afghanistan after the troop withdrawal.

The above event will be held at the Footbridge Theatre at Sydney University on Wednesday October 17, 2012 at 6:30 PM.  If you are in Sydney, please try to attend.  If you are not in Sydney, you can follow the event at www.mahbobaspromise.org

After reading about this event, you might feel that you would like to help Afghan women and children.  If so, you can donatedirectly  to Mahboba’s Promise, a well established organization that devotes their energy to helping suffering women and children in Afghanistan.

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Maryam Totakhail,one of the panel members, is my Afghan heroine in the book I wrote about her life, titled:  FOR THE LOVE OF A SON.

Maryam’s true story

 

From the first day I came to know Maryam, I could see that she cares deeply for her country and for her people.  That’s why she is going to take time out of an extremely busy life to travel from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Sydney, Australia to appear on the MAHBOBA’S PROMISE  panel to discuss important points about Afghanistan’s future once the international armies depart Afghanistan.  It is the wish of all who care for the people of Afghanistan that the country avoid dissolving into chaos.  (This occurred when Russia was defeated and left the country at which time the various warlords began fighting the other, starting a vicious civil war that killed so many innocent Afghan men, women & children.)

Although Maryam is concerned about the fate of all Afghan people, she is most disturbed about the continued suffering of women and children.  She wants to help in any way possible.   Here’s my chance to wish Maryam every success in this very important cause.

 

Maryam signing books

 

Here’s a note from Maryam about the event in Australia: 

Maryam Totakhail supporting widows & orphans in Afghanistan

I would like to introduce myself.  My name is Maryam Totakhail.  I am an Afghan American who was born and raised in Afghanistan before having to flee my country to the United States.  There is a book about my life, titled For the Love of a Son, written by an internationally known author, Jean Sasson. The book covers my childhood in Afghanistan and reveals the truth of the enormous difficulties all Afghan people faced during the times of trouble.  I now live in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and I am the mother of two sons.

So you see, I know about suffering, but sadly, there are those who suffer more.  But there are those to spend their lives helping to alleviate suffering.  I want to tell you about such a woman.

This woman is named Mahboba.  I had the pleasure to meet Mahboba through a very special lady named Mary who had read the book about my life.

Mahboba is a humanitarian and a global citizen whose life’s work has vastly improved the lives of thousands of women and children.  Quite simply, Mahboba is one of those remarkable women who refuses to ignore the suffering of others.  Her great work has linked many people and organizations in the Australian community.  She works hard, sacrifices much, and gives of herself, not only to her adopted country, but also to the country of her birth.  The more I discover about Mahboba, the more I admire her.  I know that you will admire her, too.

I felt honored to hear from Mary and Mahboba when they contacted me with an invitation to be a guest speaker at Mahboba’s Promise at the November fundraiser in Sydney, Australia.  I knew immediately that the fundraiser would be a very special event and that I wanted to be a part of this very extraordinary occasion.  I do so hope that you can join us at the great event which is to be held on October 17, 2012 in  Sydney, Australia.

I also hope that you can contribute to this great cause.  Your contribution will mean so much to so many.  Mahboba’s Promise organization feeds, clothes, houses and educates Afghan children in Afghanistan.  At this time, her sponsorship program continues to grow and is now supporting 171 widows and 247 children.  The assistance given to these people has a ripple impact, affecting so many family members, and making it possible for the impoverished to eat, to attend school, and to obtain jobs.  Anything you can do to help will be appreciated.

All donations are utilized to buy goods, books, clothes, generators and to hire teachers in Afghanistan.  Please send your contribution to Mahboba’s Promise.

Executive Officer  Mahboba’s Promise, Inc. www.mahbobaspromise.org 

With kind regards, I am Maryam Totakhail, and I thank you.

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NOTE FROM JEAN SASSON:

Recently I chatted with Maryam and told her that I believed the readers of her life story would like to know how she is doing.  For sure, once a book is written about anyone, their life changes forever.  Therefore, I posed twelve questions to Maryam and here is that interview.

The Author of FOR THE LOVE OF A SON, interviews the heroine of the book: 

1)    Maryam, tell us how your life has changed since FOR THE LOVE OF A SON was published:

I would like to say that to tell my story to another person felt as if I was going through therapy.  There were many long hours talking over the phone and hundreds of e-mails going back and forth.  All the trauma, conflict and the hidden emotion came out of me as I talked about my life and then witnessed the beauty of my story emerging on paper.

My life has definitely changed since the book was published.  So many people have responded to the book.  From the first day I have received e-mails, telephone calls, and other communications from women and men from around world. Some readers simply want to thank me, just as Mrs. Hillary Clinton thanked me in a formal letter from her offices.  There are others who would like to meet me.  Others say that they would like to give me a hug.  Such kindness brings tears to my eyes and happiness to my heart. All who have contacted me will never know how grateful I am to learn that my life story touched their lives.

I have also feel a lot of contentment to know that so many people care about someone they do not know.  All the ugliness in the world is being defeated by such goodness.

For example, I receive many texts from a young twenty-four year old man who felt so badly for my situation.  He wants to make me feel better.  He does this by addressing me by the name of Mano.  My lost son, who was later found, used to call me Mano.  A young lady from India calls me just to hear my voice.  I even receive telephone calls from Afghanistan, and believe me, it is not easy to call out of Afghanistan!  A nice Afghan man called me to say that his own mother weeps because she says her life now, is just like my life was when I was beaten and abused and lost my son.  His mother knows that so many women in Afghanistan suffer, as we have suffered.

So, the book definitely changed my life for the better.  Most tell me how much it means to them that my life story was written and is now available for the world to read.  These people say that they feel through my own story that the world is hearing about their story, too.  This is such a blessing for all.  My story has given so many women a voice and for that I am very happy.

2)    As an Afghan woman raised and educated in Afghanistan, what do you think needs to happen in your country so that women can be free to participate in public life?

The entire world knows that Afghan women have been deprived for so long.  The cultural “tribal laws” are what keep women in bondage.  I believe, as many others, that education is the key to women’s empowerment.

When Afghan women have the right to be educated, she will have the ability to work and to earn money.  She will learn to speak up to the men in the family.  That’s when the tribal laws will be abolished; albeit slowly.

3)   What can be done to stop the mental and physical abuse of so many Afghan women?

Do you know that 90% of the women in Afghanistan are illiterate?  This makes them feel hopeless and they feel they have no choice but to accept the physical and mental abuses inflicted by their men, and by society.  Therefore, women must be empowered!

Empowering women comes about from education, national stability, and the abolishment of poverty.  None of these are easy things to do in a landscape like my country of Afghanistan, but it can happen.  Education and knowledge will bring women to a point when they feel strong enough to push for change, so that they have a choice how they live. Once the women have hope, they will gain confidence. Mothers will feel like confronting their husbands over the welfare of their daughters.  This will take several generations, but it can be done.

I believe that once women can help themselves that the entire society will improve.  Even the men will be mentally happier, I believe, when they are no longer in a position of creating so much anguish.

4)   Did the American & English military presence in Afghanistan help or hurt your country?

Jean, this is a hard and sensitive question.

I may surprise you by saying that my answer is yes and no.

YES:  First if all, the most important thing is that the American and the British militaries (accompanied by other countries who wanted to help the Afghan people) forced the Taliban and the foreigner fighters under the banner of Al-Qaeda to give up control of Afghanistan and leave the country, at least for a time.  This was a good thing for these two organizations were destroying the beauty of life for the Afghan people.

NO:  Sadly, the presence of foreign armies from America and England and other countries failed in that there is still no peace in the land.  Only in Kabul can Afghan citizens live peacefully.

I believe, as do others, that the reason for the failure to achieve peace is unemployment and poverty.  These huge problems were ignored.  If there is no food on the table, there will be chaos and violence.  After 9/11, the main focus was on finding Osama binladen and other members of his organization.  Once the Taliban and members of Al-Qaeda were on the run and no longer in charge of the country, the emphasis should have been to rebuild the shattered country, and to make certain there were jobs.  People would have been contented with that solution and would not have later turned to criminal organizations to seek money to support their families.

It is frightening now to see that the Taliban is once again gaining power.  Because of poverty, the Taliban is becoming very successful in recruiting poor Afghan men to their cause.  The country will return to total chaos if the Taliban comes back to rule.

5)   What can America and the other countries still involved in Afghanistan do differently that will help your country?

It is not too late.  As an Afghan woman who has lived inside and outside Afghanistan, I believe that the country desperately needs a civil presence, not a military presence.

At this point, I would urge the countries who want to help Afghan people to send engineers, doctors, teachers, and even farmers to help the people on important things like education and the economy. (While there are some ongoing projects to help the economy prosper, there is not enough to make a difference.)

There is no need to spend any more money focusing on the Taliban, basically, playing hide and seek with them.  Because of these efforts, so many Afghan people are caught in the middle.  Many are killed (just as American soldiers are being killed).

Really, a simple way to put it is for those who want to help Afghanistan, please send economic help, not military help.  Books, not guns!

6)   Corruption seems to be an enormous problem in Afghanistan, and in other countries in the region.  What steps should be taken to stop corruption. 

Unfortunately, you are right.  Corruption is a huge problem.

People are so poor in my country.  The inflation is very high while salaries are extremely low.

Even an employed civil servant cannot maintain a decent life.  These civil servants are the ones running the country.  But they are desperate to provide basic necessities for their families.  So when they have a chance to make extra money, they feel they cannot turn it down.  It would be a big step in the right direction to restrain corruption if wages could be increased.

7)    Readers of the book about your life discovered that your father greatly loved his country.  What do you think your father would say about the situation happening today in Afghanistan? 

My father would have been not happy to live to see his beloved Afghanistan invaded by yet another foreign force.  I can close my eyes and hear him now.  He would have said, “No matter what, we Afghans want to live in a free country.”

8)   What woman in Afghanistan today do you think can make a difference in your society?

I believe that we need more than one woman to make a difference.  We need all our women!   In an old book of thoughts, it says that behind every successful man there is a woman.

I say, behind a prosperous country there are educated woman!

I cannot stress this enough:  The status of women is so very important. A woman is the center and the strength of her family.

If all Afghan women have the opportunity to obtain a good education and the support of her family, then I believe that our Afghan society will be peaceful and prosperous.  Afghan women are the key holders to a great Afghanistan. An educated Afghan woman will be a better mother to her child, a better wife to her husband, and a better leader to her country.

9)   What can the average American citizen do to help the women of Afghanistan reach a status of respect and dignity in their own country and culture?

I lived in America a long time.  I discovered that the average American person is very compassionate and kind.  Yet, all Americans need to be more involved in the decision making as to where American tax dollars go.  There have been billions of dollars spent in Afghanistan, and many American soldiers have lost their lives.  (As have the English and other countries, I am sad to say.) At the end of the day, Afghanistan is still a wreck after huge sums of money have been spent and after many lives have been lost.

If the governments currently helping my country would invest in rebuilding hospital, schools, roads, and factories, you would see a miracle.  The citizens of Afghanistan would turn against the Taliban and other foreign organization who like to make mischief in my country.   That’s when the average Afghan would begin to see the foreigners in their country as peacemakers, there to build and not destroy.  That’s when respect would come.  Tragically, the foreign military presence from countries who want to bring peace has actually brought more damage into the country.  Since 2001, over 2,000 Afghan children die each year as a result of the fighting between foreign military forces and the Taliban.  This is a great waste and a great pity.

10)  Tell us a little something about the upcoming event (Mahboba’s Promise Panel at Sydney University) in Australia that you are going to attend and be a member of the panel.  What do you hope to accomplish?

I’m very happy and honored to be a participant for the October 17, 2012 Afghan event in Sydney, Australia.  This meeting is very important because there will be a forum to discuss how Afghanistan can prepare for peace and progress once the international troops depart the country.

The foundation hosting the event was founded by Mahboba Rawi.  She is an Afghan woman who has been working to help Afghan women and Afghan children who are orphans.  She is doing important work and I am pleased to be a part of this.

The event will provide funds for Afghan the women and children to have a better tomorrow.

11) Although I (Jean Sasson) wrote your story, FOR THE LOVE OF A SON, I know that you are working on a book yourself.  Tell the readers of your life story something about this book you are writing and also, what you hope to accomplish by writing this book.

For the past thirty years Afghan children have only seen conflict.  Afghan children have never known peace.  War and violence has created massive uncertainty in the lives of all the Afghan people.  As a result of never-ending war, Afghan children have been subjected to the horrors of human trafficking, forced child labor, and forced child prostitution.

Since I moved to Saudi Arabia sixteen years ago, I have personally witnessed young Afghan children begging in the streets of Jeddah.

As a mother, and as an Afghan woman, I was compelled to find out why those children were begging in the streets of a foreign country to them.  The Afghan children are MY people.  I wanted to help.  Finally I decided that their lives were a story that the world should know about.  So I started talking to these children and interviewing them.  As time passed, I went to their homes and talked to their mothers.  The stories are amazing.  Let’s not forget that although they may be beggars, the mothers and their children are like the rest of us, human beings who experience hope and fear.

I long for these children to have a home, to eat full meals, to know what it is to be safe, and to receive an education.

Hopefully I can help this to happen.

12)   Readers will want to know the answer to this question:  How is your relationship with Big Duran, your eldest son?

I am happy that my son Big Duran is a college student and is studying.

Sadly, after the book about my life was published, I have had very little contact with my son.  I was told that my son’s father has forbidden him from contacting me.

This is very difficult for me, his mother.  I missed my son for so many years, and then found him, but my dreams of a close and good relationship with my son did not come true.

Thank you, Maryam, for your very thoughtful and well-informed responses.  Hopefully someone in power will read this interview and realize that you are very knowledgeable about your country and that your suggestions for solutions could help the women and children of Afghanistan.  I am also sad and sorry that your relationship with your son is not what you would like for it to be.  I know how much you love both your sons, and I hope that the future will bring a wonderful result with your older son.  Lastly, I am very proud that you are working hard to help others.  I wish you every success with your book writing project about the Afghan children beggars in Saudi Arabia.  I am sure that your interest in those children will do much to help them in their very tough lives.