AAFIA MOVEMENT

Who is Dr. Aafia?

Aafia Siddiqui was once simply the daughter of an educated Muslim family, the little sister, the student, the young wife and mother, the MIT and Brandeis educated and idealistic woman who wanted to help her nation through educational reform.

By 2003 she had become the victim of an abusive and vindictive ex-husband and the victim of craven and greedy generals when she, her six year old son Ahmad, her four year old daughter Maryam, and the infant Suleman were kidnapped by agents of the military government and turned over to representatives of the United States.

In 2008 she had become the "Gray Lady of Bagram" and "Prisoner 650". Witnesses from Bagram Prison told of seeing this haunting symbol of a war on terror gone mad. Her children had disappeared as completely as if they had never existed.

After she "reappeared" in 2008 the new democratic government of Pakistan led by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and opposition leader Nawaz Sharif named her the Daughter of the Nation. The people of Pakistan embrace her and millions march the streets for her release.

By 2010 the Muslim world embraced Aafia as daughter of the Ummah when she forgave her torturers and the tyrant judge. People around the world adopted her and demonstrated against her unjust incarceration.

She has become a symbol of humanity in the midst of a war based on fear, hatred, discrimination, injustice, torture, rendition, and all that is evil.

To her mother she is ''my daughter", to her brother and sister she is "our sister", and to her children she is "Mommy".

This is Dr. Aafia Siddiqui.