World

Kandahar School Girls Disfigured by Acid Attack

by Blue Crush | November 12, 2008 at 03:09 pm

715 views | 49 Recommendations | 15 comments

Kandahar: This morning, two men sprayed a group of female students outside their school with acid, blinding at least two of them. The attackers used toy guns and quickly fled the scene.

Doctors say the six girls were wearing Islamic burkas or veils which provided them with some protection.

Correspondents say the attack is likely to have been carried out by those opposed to the education of women.

A spokesman for the Taliban denied involvement in the attack.

The former Taliban government - ousted from power in 2001 - banned girls from attending school.

'Not safe'

"We were going to school on foot when two unknown people on a motorcycle came close to us and threw acid in our faces," 16-year-old Atifa told the BBC.

Latefeh, one of the injured students, says that this attack will not prevent her from pursuing her education or stop her from learning.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Amy Judd

at 15:29 on November 12th, 2008

This is seriously sick

kamal amin (not verified)

at 05:01 on December 15th, 2008

Listen, who cares, thank god theres a glass ceiling on woman in society. im a looser that cant do better thats why

poor oligarch (not verified)

at 05:28 on December 15th, 2008

certainly agree that you're a looser. words such as misogynist come to mind. and onanist!

Rhonda J Mangus

at 15:36 on November 12th, 2008

Blue Crush, thank you for this story. I am glad to know that "Latefeh, one of the injured students, says that this attack will not prevent her from pursuing her education or stop her from learning."

Blue Crush

at 20:34 on November 12th, 2008

Thanks for comments. Yes, definitely sick. Sure makes us appreciate our lifestyles a whole lot more. They've got 6 million kids trying to get an education in Afghanistan, and they've got their own people trying to suppress them. It's like two steps forward and three steps back.

Amitjha

at 21:02 on November 12th, 2008

This is really shocking, similar kind of Acid attack on girls is very common phenomena in India, recently several incidents of this kind have been reported from delhi.

Blue Crush

at 07:03 on November 13th, 2008

I remember reading that this was becoming more common in Asia. Must take some kind of awful, warped thinking to do this, especially to young girls whose only crime is wanting to learn beyond their doorstep.

Paschen

at 07:06 on November 13th, 2008

This is horrible, to even think of such act is be on me.

Sputnic

at 13:26 on November 13th, 2008

What a sick and evil thing to do

politisite

at 15:56 on November 13th, 2008

This is what some woman have to go through just to learn. It is a shame.

J. Dubé (not verified)

at 16:17 on November 13th, 2008

Watching the news, I could not stop crying for those poor girls. I can only pray that they will not lose their eyesite. I wish I could help more and that others would join together to offer support. If I could get the addresses for these girls I would send them things to help, if only I knew they would receive it.

René

at 10:16 on November 14th, 2008

Women in Afghanistan have a website. RAWA.org. Their photo gallery has some shocking images.

Ahmed Waheed Sarmed (not verified)

at 03:52 on November 16th, 2008

I was a bit far from the NEWS on weekend, but i was jolted for the horrific news of "Acid Squirting/attack" on school girls, I just read a news that no one had shown up to school the day after the incident, thus their strong zeal is appreciative.

I am an Afghan, and doing English poetry, I have gathered some words and lines about this incident,

Best
Ahmed Waheed Sarmed

Acid spray

The more you suppress

Our rights,

The stronger we get in

Achieving our plight

To fight

And em bright

The future ahead

Heading towards

The ruined school

And reading under the

Burned roofs

In the breezing morn

In search of the

Worthy cause

With no pause

You will find naught

But firm stand

And thought

To ignite

The bleak corridors

Of the

On sale mind

16th Nov 2008

www.wsarmed.blogfa.com

Blue Crush

at 10:46 on November 16th, 2008

Thank you Ahmed, for that great poem! Enjoyed the others on your blog as well. Yes, the future is bright because you are the new generation and it is you that matter the most! Remember, education is the answer, there as well as here in the west. So, yes, stand firm!

Take these words from Swami Vivekananda (he has some great quotes),

"We are ever free if we would only believe it, only have faith enough. You are the soul, free and eternal, ever free, ever blessed. Have faith enough and you will be free in a minute".