Write to condemn these acts of violence!
The following letters can be addressed to: Ms Rashida Manjoo, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, OHCHR-UNO, 8-14 Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva 10, SwitzerlandMadame,
I would like to alert you to serious incidents taking place in the oil city of Hassi Messaoud, in southern Algeria.
For more than 2 months, women who had come from the 4 corners of the country to care for their family members, and who work in the oil base, have been attacked regularly at night. They are raped, tortured, burned alive. Their houses are destroyed and looted by men armed with clubs, axes, knives. Most of the time, the women can only scream as much as they want, no neighbours help them. When they go to the police, they only have to ask to have their complaints registered by scornful police. These crimes are never investigated.
We also know that several murders have taken place. A dozen days ago, a woman was burned alive and is currently in a coma in the Ouargla hospital.
On the night of Sunday 12 April, the attacks intensified. The women we have spoken to on the phone talk about an imam who has incited people to action.
These crimes are a direct result of the 13 June 2001 tragedy and it is important to remember the facts: More than a hundred women were raped, tortured and buried alive by 400 to 500 men. Of this crowd that carried out the pogrom, only 29 men were charged. Of these, only 3 men have been sentenced to prison. The others were convicted in absentia or declared innocent!
Today, in this atmosphere where impunity is the rule, the brutally assaulted women do not know where to turn. In the absence of public support, we urge you to call on the Algerian government to provide safety and help to all these women.
Yours sincerely
SIGNATURE
—
to be sent to this address:
vaw@ohchr.org
Source:
Appel à l’aide aux femmes d’Hassi Messaoud
http://osezlefeminisme.fr/article/urgent-appel-a-laide-des-femmes-dhassi-messaoud
http://www.humanite.fr/2010-04-17_International_Algerie-Hassi-Messaoud-la-chasse-aux-femmes-seules
Kan man skrive på norsk da?Burde det ikke være på engelsk?Men hun forstår kanskje norsk?
Hei Barbro
Du vet at den norske regjeringen har fredet de arabo muslimske regimer. Så det er ikke gjennom Gahr Støre at FN skal få vite at den norske folk er forferdet av å høre om slik barbari. Desto viktigere er det at FN mottar disse brevene på norsk. Norge er en FN medlem og en god bidragsyter til FN. Du kan være trygg på at de har mange norske oversettere. Send protest til FN, og viderefør budskapet til andre nettsider! På vegne av disse kvinnene; Takk!