Page 268 - Mass Media, Mass Propoganda Examining American News in the War on Terror

258 Chapter 10

emment either-as governing power was decentralized amongst regional war-
lords who are responsible for "a rise in rural lawlessness," according to reports
from the American press.27 Meanwhile, Hamid Karzai, the U.S. favored candi-
date who was victorious in the 2004 Presidential election, retains only limited
power in the central govemment. Mitchell Prothero of Salon magazine reported
that Karzai "has lost credibility, not just because of the perception that he is a
pawn of the West, but because of his reluctance to confront warlords," many of
which gained representation in the central government after the 2005 e~ection.~'
As one of the poorest countries in the world, the Afghan standard of living
is exceptionally low. Basic human rights such as access to clean water, electric-
ity, health care, and other services are systematically neglected. As of late 2004,
less than 20 percent of Afghans had access to clean water; only 6 percent had
electricity; and half of the population suffered under chronic ma~nutrition.~~
Af-
ghanistan ranks close to the bottom of the list of all states when looking at life
expectancy and infant mortality; its education system is described as "the worst
in the world," and a third of its people "suffer from anxiety, depression, or post-
traumatic stre~s."~ Despite these statistics, Afghanistan is still thought of as
something of a success story in mainstream reports.

What Happened to Women's Liberation?
As a young woman living in Kabul, Farishta's experiences with sexual abuse
and violence are by no means unique, making them all the more tragic. In a war-
plagued society where women often fear for their lives, Farishta displayed re-
markable courage by sharing her story. On October 9, 2003, she was assaulted
by a local militia leader near her village and raped. Her family was powerless to
do anything, forced to watch as the terror unfolded. But Farishta is not the only
woman in her neighborhood who has suffered under warlord rule. A number of
other witnesses stepped forward to charge the same commander who attacked
Farishta with kidnapping other women and girls and committing acts of sexual
aggression and violence against them. As a local government administrator,
Farishta's perpetrator, like so many others throughout Afghanistan, seems to
enjoy immunity from punishment. Amnesty International elaborates upon this
problem of impunity, as the family members of the abused are themselves
threatened, beaten and sometimes even killed for asking too many questions and
for challenging warlord violence.
Farishta provides a glimpse into her experiences with the nightmare of sex-
ual violence:

I'm suffering from what happened to me. I was washing dishes in the spring
well close to my home. I felt a touch on my shoulder, turned around and saw it
was the local commander of the village. He grabbed me, threw me on the
ground and raped me. The whole village could hear my screams, saw what was
happening to me but would not help me. My father-in-law and three brothers-
in-law came running to help me and were beaten and threatened by the com-
mander and his men. They were released but the commander told them he