On Sunday 27 year old Farkhunda was buried after being killed by a mob of men in Kabul. Farkhunda, who like most Afghans only go by one name, was beaten by sticks and stone and then set on fire this past Thursday. There hasn’t been any reason found as to why she was so viciously attacked in the streets. There were allegations that she had set a Qur’an on fire, but there has not been any evidence that this had taken place. The Guardian quoted Gen Mohammad Zahir saying that “We have reviewed all the evidence and have been unable to find any single iota of evidence to support claims that she had burned a Qur’an,” and goes on to say “She is completely innocent.”
Her body after being beaten and set on fire was thrown in the river, and reports say that the police didn’t do anything to try and stop the attack on Farkhunda. President Ashraf Ghani has called Farkhunda’s cause of death “heinous attack.” There are investigations still going on but 13 people have been arrested who may have been involved with Farkhunda’s death eight of which were police officers. Ghani has also said that this reveals “a fundamental issue” since the police did not do anything to stop the attack.
For Farkhunda’s funeral her coffin was carried by women’s rights activists, with the permission from Farhunda’s father. They carried her coffin to the mosque for prayers and then from the mosque to the grave. This is extremely uncommon for Afghanistan for women to carry the coffin for the entire services since it is normally men who do this, but this is a sign of women coming together fight against violence against women. This is an act of sisterhood for Farkhunda and all women who have suffered the same fate as she did. Hundreds came to Fuarhunda’s funeral services that took place in Khair Khana, near Farkhunda’s home. And now Farkhunda’s family is remaining in protective care. Farkhunda was studying to become a teacher before she died and she was about to graduate.
Afghanistan has been called one of the worst places for women, but with campaign of Ghani from last year he has guaranteed constitutional women’s rights and his wife has been outspoken about women’s equality in the country. even though Ghani wishes to have equality in Afghanistan there will be opposition, like this. The women are stilled considered inferior and being attacked still. Maybe with Ghani’s reaction to what happened to Farkhunda will be a push to further enforce that women also have rights as well.
Hopefully, Farkhunda’s attackers will be brought to justice for this random act of violence. Also the police officers who just stood by while she was being beaten are brought to justice. The women’s rights activists demand for this justice since this isn’t the only time that women have been attacked for no reason. Now there is a dark spot by the river where Farkhunda’s body was set on fire to remember what happened to her.
Photo: Massoud Hossaini AP
