6 Friday 1st September, 2006 Our freedom and liberties have been reduced in Britain and America – Yvonne Ridley by Shyamalee Murugesu moved from an academic exercise racy but a US puppet in Kabul who America. British people are sick leaders belly dance in front of to a spiritual journey. is jokingly known as a man of of this special friendship which is America delivering Iraq on a enior British journalist Q: How did the Taliban treat Kabul. Hamid Khrzahi has no a one way street in which Tony plate. They closed their eyes and Yvonne Ridley made head- you? power outside of the capital. He is Blair is on his knees to George ears and looked the other way lines when she was captured S A: They treated me with kind- permanently guarded by Bush. Tony Blair has humiliated when Lebanon was bombed. They by Taliban in Afghanistan. At that ness and I treated them with con- Americans, you know, lawlessness Britain and the British people. are a load of self serving gutless time she was a senior war corre- tempt. There is still a fixed idea is back; in the south east the The world is not safe with these individuals who need to get off spondent for the Sunday Express. about the Taliban and a refusal to Taliban is very much in power. twins of Evil. After their inva- their hips from Bushes backside An outspoken critique of the accept that they are anything Now they have got a war. What sions and occupations there are and start getting some respect and Bush and Blair governments on other than a brutal evil regime. they very much wanted unlike in more suicide bombings. I hate dignity back. Hezbollah has put a their propaganda war in Iraq When I came out they treated me the beginning of the war where when George Bush says ‘they in Afghanistan and their stance on spring in the speck of the Arab with respect and courtesy imme- they used B52 bombers. These are the Islamic world, hate our free- world, they have taken on the the Middle East, Yvonne Ridley diately everybody started saying the fighters who thrice humiliated dom and liberty. Our freedom and who converted to Islam is also a fourth largest army in the world oh this is a piece of Stockholm the British army and nobody have liberty have been reduced in and repulsed it. You know I can fearless anti war campaigner. syndrome. learned from history. The prob- Britain and America all the time Currently she is the chief editor almost smell revolution in the air. Q: Can you explain what a lems in Afghanistan are still our telephones are being tapped, e Q: How is it possible with of Islam Channel in Britain .She Stockholm syndrome is? there, women can no longer walk mails scanned, the freedom of the Sunni Shiite divide? was in Sri Lanka last week on a A: Stockholm syndrome is a around safe. What America and speech is gone. Even in Britain A: The divide is very much series of lecture tour organised by bond with the jailor and it usually Britain brought to Afghanistan, I you cannot demonstrate in front promoted by the west and encour- the Centre for Islamic Studies. happens over a long period of have seen it with my own eyes - of the parliament building tradi- aged by the west. In Iraq the Speaking with The Island Ms. time. The name derives from a western pornography culture. The Yvonne Ridley tionally we could march and resistance is made up of Sunnis Ridley mentioned that the Taliban 1973 hostage incident in city of Jalalahbad sells hardcore the laws and rules in Islam from protest. and Shiites. It was never an issue treated her with kindness while Stockholm, Sweden. I wasn’t in porn, the likes of which you don’t day one the women are allowed to Q: There is a growing divide before and you know the Arab she treated them with contempt prison for a long time and I treat- see even in Bangkok or any other inherit, continue with her father’s between the western world and Shiites are making up a lot of the and in fact when she crossed the ed them with contempt. I swore at city. The poppy crops are back. name, trade, etc. In Britain it’s the Muslim world and this border back in to Pakistan she resistance. What is interesting is them, I spat at them, I refused to Afghanistan is now world’s num- only in the last 100 years that keeps continuing. was not too sure who was more the growth of the Iranian backed eat their food, I threw things at ber one heroin producer. women were allowed to own prop- A: The divide is really with the relieved. She also asserted the Shiites. If Bush and Blair do go to them and I went on hunger Q: The western world sees erty and married women were government controlled media, not demise of women’s role in the war with Iran there are 8,000 strikes. In fact I don’t know who Islam as a religion that owned by their husbands. They the people. We no longer have a Muslim world actually coincided British soldiers left in southern was more relieved when I crossed oppresses women. With that had no rights. Unfortunately jour- free press. The western govern- with the introduction of the Iraq that means they are sur- the border back in to Pakistan, kind of publicity how did you nalists are in conflict between cul- ments have gone to war with the British colonialism rounded by 12 million Shiites and them or me. The accusation of get convinced? ture and Islam. There is no such Muslim world. The anti war move- Here are the Excerpts: it would be a massacre. The Stockholm syndrome comes from A: The Quran makes it perfect- thing as forced marriages, child ment all across the world consists Q: From a War correspon- British soldiers know this and journalists and columnists and ly clear that women are equal in brides, honour killings in Islam. of many nationalities. While dent to a practicing Muslim they are fearful. In the anti war observers who fear Islam. They spirituality, work and education. These are cultural issues that British people are sending their what made you change? movement we believe that the don’t understand it and what they At a time when the Christian have come into the Muslim world. sons to Iraq, he is sending his to A: The trigger was my arrest troops should come out. We don’t understand they attack. world was debating this Islam was That is why a huge number of Washington. Politically he is and detention by the Taliban. Q: So this is the propaganda spreading in the Middle East with caused the problem how can we converts to Islam are educated spent and out. The anti war move- Partly also as a fulfilment of a in the mainstream western a clear message. The demise of solve it by remaining there. and professional western women ment slogan is now taken bushes promise I made to the Taliban that media that we see now? women’s role in the Muslim world Iraq was the cradle of civilisa- who see a blue print. I am an go Blair and replaced it with Go I will read the Quran. So when I A: Not all of the western actually coincided with the intro- Islamic feminist contrary to what tion when George Bushes ances- Blair. A massive protest is planned got home I started reading. It was media usually it’s the columnists duction of the British and feminists say about Islam. tors were running around in sack shocking that I knew so little of a on the 23rd of September in who make a living out of writing European colonialism which Q: People are really getting clothes painting there faces these faith that was clearly a way of life. Manchester. bile on other people. encouraged the oppression of tired of US and the British gov- people were then developing read- As a journalist how could I write Q: Do you think the Muslim Q: Do you think the US and women. Furthermore in ernments stand on ing and writing, Now they have authoritatively when there is a leaders are doing enough to put the British governments were Christianity women are demo- Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, been bombed by a man who cant huge gap in my knowledge? I pressure on these govern- able to bring in democracy to nized from day one because you Lebanon .What is your view? even find them on the map. The began reading the Quran and sup- ments. Afghanistan? are told that Eve was the A: Tony Blair has turned president with the lowest IQ ever porting literature and very soon it A: Unfortunately the Arab A: Afghanistan has no democ- temptress who seduced Adam. In Britain in to the 51st state of to sit in the white House. by Durand Appuhamy the government has, to date, not ver since the new President done anything on the propaganda was elected to office last front and left this vacuum to the ENovember, the LTTE had LTTE to ply their lies everyday all been brazenly baiting him and his The fragile invincibility of the LTTE the year. government to engage them in bat- An all out military campaign is tle to settle the question of sepa- the best course to take.