21st Century Children in History: Malala Yousafzai (Pakistan, 1998- )


Figure 1.--A cowardly Taliban terrorist fired by Islamicist teaching boarded a Pakistani school bus, asked for Malala Yousafzai by name, and shot her in her head. Malala had spoken out about Tailaban attrocities and attacks on girls' education. This put her life in danger. The Taliban does not want girls educated, but does not like their attrocities publicized. The Army flew Malala to a military hospital in Peshawar where she is fighting for her life. Our thoughts and prayers are with Malala.

Malala was a brave little Muslim school girl living in Mingora. She spoke out against the Taliban in Afghanistan trying to stop girls from attending school. Mala gained international recognition when 11-years old and began writing a dairy describing Tailiban attrocities in Afghanistan. The subject is poorly covered in the Palistani media, but using the internet Malala carefully documented the barbarity of the Tailiban, all done in the name of Islam. She wrote under aen name for the BBC's Urdu service. She used a pen name, because it Pakistan it is dangerous to speak openly about such maters. Malala was a symbol of hope of hope in Pakistan. She also promoted literacy and peace. The Pakistani Government awarded her the Natuonal Peace Prize (2011). Mala was a finalist in the International Children's Peace Prize sponsored by a Dutch peace group. They were impressed by Malala's courage in speaking out for girls' education when few adults in Pakistan did out of fear of growing fundamentalist rhetoric and threats. Muingora is a city in scenic northwestern Swat valley adjoining the turbulent tribal belt. Malala knew what she was talking about because Tailban insurgents had seized control of the area and imposed harsh Sharia Law (2007). The Pakistani Army mounted a major military operation and drove out the Tailiban (May 2009). The Army began promoting Swat as a tourist attraction. It spomnsored a festival presenting Swat as the Switzerland of Palistan (July 2012). A Taliban loyalist boarded Malala's school bus, asked for her by name, aided a pistol at her head, and shot Malala in front of terrifued schoolmates. Malalaas at the time a 14-year old 9th grader. This was no isolated attack by aeranged gunman. The Tailaban claimed responsibility for the attavk. The brazen, cowardky attack resulted in no great response from the Pakisrani people. The same people who constantly say Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance riot over an obscure video, but tolerate attacks on little girls who want to be educared and dare to speak the truth. It does not surprise us thak Islamic fanatics did this. We know that tghey have thrown acid in the face of Afghan girls. What surprises us is that the Pakistani people tolerate this. Whatmore could defame Islam than commiting attrocities like this in the nane of Islam. What ever the Palistani people thought of this privately, there were no demonstrations in the street protesting this awful act. The Army flew Malala to a military hospital in Peshawar where she is fighting for her life. Our thoughts and prayers are with Malala. And thankfully Malala not only survived, but recovered. She was invited to speak at the United Nations. One would think that perhaps the person behind this cowardkly attack was a nind-adeked lone jihadist. But sadly there are large numbers of people in Pakistan who apprive of shooting little girls who dare to speak out. And they includec educated people and business people who wanht to do business with the West. One such person is Haris Ameer (Managing Director) of IBAH INTERNATIONAL in Sialkot. Incredibly, he tells us, "Malala Yousafzai? She is nothing but a puppet of US for attacking on our army & US used her to make a reason on bombing our tribal areas." How could a thinking person think such ugly thoughts about this brave little girl. But he actually wrote these words. It would be one thing is it was a deranged person who shot Malala or a crazed Jihadist, but for normal people to think like this is beyond comprehension. And then to turn around and expect people to do business with him as if he and his country were normal.

Sources

Ameer, Haris. (Managing Director) IBAH INTERNATIONAL, E-mail message (July 17, 2013).







CIH






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Created: 10:29 PM 10/11/2012
Last updated: 9:01 AM 7/17/2013