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April 22, 2004

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It was a day of mourning today in the southern Iraqi city of Basra following yesterday’s multiple bomb attacks that left at least 68 Iraqis dead. Among them nearly 20 children, whose schhol bus was blown up. Large crowds formed a procession as the coffins of some of the victims were carried through the streets of the city.

Meanwhile, fighting continues to rage in the western Iraqi city of Fallujah. The US military says it killed 36 resistance fighters over the past 24 hours, while Iraqi hospital officials in the city are reporting civilian casualties.

The growing popular uprising against the U.S occupation of Iraq is headline news across the world. But as much attention is focused on the Middle East, little attention is being paid to another country occupied by US forces. And that is Afghanistan.

The Bush administration has consistently labeled the invasion of Kabul a success. But reports from humanitarian organizations, United Nations officials and Afghans themselves paint a very different picture–warlords dominate much of the country, the Taliban is still a force in many parts, and the illegal drug trade is flourishing. A wave of violence has claimed more than 650 lives since last summer and general elections have been postponed from June until September because of security concerns and voter registration delays.

The liberation of Afghan women–one of the Bush administration’s stated reasons for overthrowing the Taliban — has failed. Insecurity, sexual violence and oppression continue to dominate life for women in Afghanistan.

We are joined in our studio today by Sonali Kolhatkar host of the popular Pacifica Radio Show, Uprising on KPFK. She is Vice President of the Afghan Women’s Mission, a group that works in solidarity with Afghans to help improve health and educational facilities for Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

Last week Sonali interviewed Sahar Saba, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA). She is one of the main spokespeople, travelling all over the world to raise awareness of Afghan’s women’s oppression and resistance.

• Sonali Kolhatkar, host of the popular Pacifica Radio Show, Uprising on KPFK. She is also Vice President of the Afghan Women’s Mission, a group that works in solidarity with Afghans to help improve health and educational facilities for Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
• Tape: Sahah Saba, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA)