Aafia Siddiqui and her three children were abducted around March 2003, because a man who was water boarded mentioned her name. Now lets just think about this, 2003 was a horrible time to be in Pakistan / Afghanistan, everyone had heard the horrific tales of abuse in captivity. As a women, can you just imagine her fear not only for herself but for her children. Throughout history, those in a position of power over alleged criminals have violated it - Zimbardo et al proved that! Now not only is she captive so are her young children, one is still a baby. (I refuse to comment on the fact that she was hunted down because a man mentioned her name while being drowned almost to death!)
No one actually knows where she was held, but Moazzam Begg has many times mentioned a lady he was forced to hear screaming in Bagram Prison, there was a female prisoner held there - prisoner 650 also known as the Grey Lady of Bagram. Many believe that female prisoner was Aafia Siddiqui. In that prison we have proof that mens dignity and honour was violated, what they did to women there doesn't bare thinking about. A picture tells a thousand stories, so I show you below a picture of Aafia before and after captivity - no one can deny it shows a broken women.
I'd like to highlight that Aafia Siddiquis' CHILDREN were abducted also. Where were the worlds chid protection laws for them? Was it because they were muslim the laws were no longer valid?? I'm not trying to insight hate, but this is how racial tensions arise because one universal rule is abandoned for certain types of people (this was also done to Omar Khadr, who is now carrying out a sentence in Guantanamo even though he was a child when taken captive). The true tragedy of this case is that FIVE years later Aafia Siddiquis son re-emerged, he has never spoken out about where he was or what happened. Aafias' daughter re-emerged SEVEN years later, she too has never spoken about where she was or what happened during those seven years. This may be selfish but I'm glad i have not been told...Aafias youngest child is still unaccounted for - presumed dead. Yet no one bats an eye lid...
From 2003 - 2008 what happened to Aafia Siddiqui? Her family claim that she was held in Bagram prison, routinely tortured and raped. If this is the case then a rational person can admit that this would have an effect on an individuals mental health. When her mental health was assessed, not ONE but TWO professionals came to the conclusion that she was unfit to stand trial. Another 'professional' was brought in and deemed her fit - the judge sided with this individual. Since Aafias story is entwined with injustice I doubt she was surprised by this verdict. In her own words "there's too many injustices", this just reinforced it. Eventually the trial came to an end, with its fair share of drama and outbursts - outbursts of an individual who had been through things we cant even imagine and lost all hope in justice. In Sept 2010 she was sentenced to 86 years. As she was sentenced she made an appeal urging forgiveness and asked the public not to take any action in retaliation - Are these really the words a terrorist?? If anything, now was her chance to insight hate and make the most of it since in the eyes of her supporters (and rational thinkers) this was a MASSIVE injustice.
Sadly her story does not end here, she is carrying out her sentence at the Federal Medical Center, Carswell. At this establishment, over a seven year period, seven members of staff have been convicted of sexual abuse. A 2007 government report in England says "Estimates from research suggest that between 75 and 95 percent of rape crimes are never reported to the police', so yes seven were convicted but how many are still there?
I hope that Aafia finds some comfort in the knowledge that people are aware of her, they know her name and her story. I hope and pray she finds peace in her faith.
"I appeal to God and He hears me" - Aafia Siddiqui.
Indeed He does and I too pray for her, her children and her forgiveness because we should never have let it get this far....
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