On the celebration of International Human rights Day, the misery-stricken people of Afghanistan continue to be suffocated by guns, threats, and force, being deprived of their most basic human rights. Following the collapse of the medieval Taliban regime three years ago, our people were cherishing their hopes to be rid of the blood thirsty fundamentalists once and for all. But the afflictions of these years made it clear that the sword of crime and warlordism constantly rules the country, and Mr. Karzai - signaled by the US government - found it more beneficial to join hands with the most notorious and filthy faces. This compromising policy with the criminals and traitors has been the reason that no fundamental change has come about in the situation of the country. The warlords relentlessly abuse human rights, creating disaster after disaster.

RAWA raises and places emphasis on following critical issues during today's rally:

1. Our people said no to fundamentalists in the recent election by casting a vote for Karzai despite all his shortcomings. If he considers himself committed to the will of the people, his cabinet, unlike the past, must be free from the germ of heroin-warlord criminals. If he continues to appoint terrorists such as Fahim, Qanoni, Hussain Mangal, Dostum, Bashir Baghlani, Ismael Khan, Mullah Hadi Shinwari, Atta and alike to high posts, it is counted as a worse treason to the vote of the people, and an endorsement of the continuation of a human rights tragedy. Choosing criminals like Karim Khalili and the well-known thief of the blue lapis, Zia Masuod as Vice Presidents raises a red alarm and signifies that Mr. Karzai and his foreign advisors have not learned necessary lessons from the past three years.

2- The damaging and anti-people role of the fundamentalists' blue-eyed-boy intellectuals in the misery and destruction of our country has not been less serious than that of their bosses. Allowing them to take positions in the new administration would be contemptuous and an insult to our people. Some of these slave intellectuals who have spent an age in the US and Europe, served the Jehadies and the Taliban, are as equally treacherous as Mullah Omer, Rabbani, Sayyaf, Gulbaddin and other leaders of the "Northern Alliance". If the new government is dominated by elements like Latif Pedram, Rawan Farhadi, Omer Samad, Mastan and other worshipers of Shura-e-Nezar or a single mouthpiece of Gulbaddin, then we need to say farewell to the new government. All sorts of dealings of convenience with traitors must be put aside in the selection of a new cabinet and instead it should be occupied by the most competent, honest, non-puppet and non-warlord people.

3- Preventing traitors and butchers to lay hold of the government is only a small part of the measures needed to acquire human rights and democracy in the country. The upcoming government must undertake practical steps to put on trial and punish all those who have committed crimes and treason against the people. Until the perpetrators of the past horrific disasters are not summoned to court, and in particular, the billions of dollars looted by them are not confiscated from them and their families, our agonized people will treat the government as an enemy and suppressive organization.

4- Criminals of the "Northern Alliance", who faced fierce rejection by the people in the presidential election, now stare toward the parliamentary elections to use their money, guns, threats and force to grab as many seats as they need to sustain their heinous rule. Therefore parliamentary elections must be postponed until there is full disarmament of the warlords to make sure that they cannot invade through the force of guns. There will be disastrous consequences if this election is held in the current situation.

5- No radical changes have so far been made over the past three years to improving women's condition. Creating a Ministry of Women and Independent Commission for Human Rights and installing apolitical and pro-fundamentalist women to a few high positions heals no wounds. It would bear no significant value unless there is a reliance on the true representation of women.

Basically, it is an elusive dream to expect even a minor positive change in the condition of women until the warlords who continue to suppress people in their dominated territories by using guns, force and dollars are no more. The whole country should not be judged on the basis of a few changes seen in Kabul. And nor it be concluded - as is being simplistically viewed by the Western media - that "Afghan women have acquired freedom" while a mile away ill-fated girls like Muska burn themselves from destitution.

6- As a result of the government's compromising policies, Afghanistan is on its way to becoming the headquarters of a drug mafia. This is a shame for the Karzai government. Since heroin drug-lords have key positions in the government, fighting against this evil means deceiving people. Furthermore, it is an act of oppression to exert the pressure on peasants to control drugs. It is necessary to undermine the "Northern Alliance" traitors, who are the root cause of drug trafficking. The New York Times disclosed the names of only three of them. And the Interior Minister announced that he has a list of heroin drug-lords who have acquired influence and attain key posts in government. People ask why are the names of these criminals not being revealed to the public? Mr. Minister will prove himself a cheater and coward if he stop unveiling his list.

It will be a painful joke to discuss human rights and democracy in a country that is dominated by drug mafia.

7- While the nation's mortal wounds, caused by the criminal and puppet bandits of Taliban and Gulbaddin are still fresh, the Karzai government is busy dealing with a fraction of them that are being portrayed as "moderates". This is an attempt to impose the most filthy hirelings of Gulbaddin and Taliban such as Wakil Ahmed Mutawakil, who tries to act as moderate through changing his outlook. Mutawakil was the so-called Taliban foreign minister, who in answer to a question about why the sports stadium was being used as slaughtering ground, said: "this is a form of entertainment when the slaughtering order is implemented, if the foreign countries don't want this stadium to be used for this purpose then please come forward and build a new place for it."

Is Karzai willing to grant human rights and democracy to our nation by allaying himself with such impudent and beast-natured players?

8- Freedom of press and civil rights are integral parts of democracy. If people are deprived of this right, building a civil society that respects human rights is unpredictable. But, here in this country these rights are being treated as ironic that can barely flourish under the shadow of guns and terrorism.

Independent media are unable to openly reflect their point of view in the reign of terror and threats. Especially those media in Kabul can continue their work only if they applaud the warlord governors.

Rallies by the youth of Kabul University are horrifically being suppressed when they demand their basic rights. They showed their anger against Jaehon and other henchmen of Qannoni and Fahim, who have made the University a ground to show off their bullying and shameless acts. Gen. Baba Jan of Interior Ministry, with the abusive style of a warlord, called them "rebels" and "misusers". While expressing our support to the students' demands, we urge them to stay in their firm struggle along with the masses.

9- To lay down a foundation for human rights and democracy, action must be taken to root out illiteracy and ignorance. But education in our ill-fated nation is being undermined by corruption, ignorance and warlordism. Girls are still deprived of schooling in most provinces and the standards of education in boys' schools are ridiculous.

In most of the institutions established by Arabs and their Afghan hirelings, flabby thoughts of fundamentalism are being taught to students instead of science and they are actually Ikhwan-making factories rather than educational centers.

10- Freedom loving people of the world, particularly in Western countries, should pressure their governments to bring to justice some of the Afghan war criminals who have fled their country. Zardad's trial in the UK is a good start and the same approach must be taken against other Zardads. When Pinochet and Serbian criminals are can be put on trial after the passing of many years, then why should the similar alike cruel Afghans be exempted?

Afghanistan is still far behind in democracy and human rights. The most sworn enemies of human rights, democracy and secularism have gripped their claws over its injured body and attempted to restore their religious fascism. But our people, who crave so deeply for freedom and liberation, have realized the inhumane nature of fundamentalism and will never be deceived by the religion's betrayer and murderers such as the Taliban or "Northern Alliance". They would support freedom loving and democratic forces.

It is the obligation of democratic forces in Afghanistan to set aside reconciliation and fear and align the anger of the people to a massive uprising against fundamentalism and free Afghanistan from the evil of blood thirsty elements. History does not remember any country that has been liberated by an outsider. It is the duty of our own people to stand firm and break the chains of oppression. Only the intensification of the mass movements brings democracy and human rights to our ill nation.