One of the performing bands at
the Afghanastan rock benefit sets up on stage at the Zen Center of Denver.
Rocking for Afghanistan
By Rajani Thapa, Staff Writer
January 23, 2002
Media Credit: Danny Odum/UCD Advocate
One of the performing bands at
the Afghanastan rock benefit sets up on stage at the Zen Center of Denver.
If proof were needed of Americans' growing awareness about other countries since Sept. 11, the "Rock for Afghanistan" benefit concert organized by the Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace (CCMEP) has provided it.The concert, held at the Zen Center of Denver last Saturday, brought together local Denver bands in an event which raised $2,800, which in part will go to the reopening of a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan.
The Malalai Hospital, which treats Afghan victims of landmines, was initially under the auspices of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA), an organization that's been pushed into the limelight in the past four months.
While RAWA has been an active force advocating basic human rights — particularly for the more vulnerable members of society such as women and children — since 1977, it was forced to shut down the hospital 10 years later due to insufficient funds.
"Over one million Afghan refugees live in 203 officially recognized 'villages' in Pakistan, where there is a chronic lack of medical care and other basic necessities," says Anne Hines of the CCMEP.
But raising funds for the hospital wasn't the only reason for the concert.
Damon Haley, one of the "Rock for Afghanistan" organizers, says it is important to make the community aware of events in other parts of the world. "When the community is aware that innocent people are getting hurt in other parts of the world, there is pressure from the community itself" to do something about it, he said.
The concert was this "something" for CCMEP as well as several local bands — The Reals, The Shackdaddys, the Speedholes, and Sin Desires Marie — none of which are particularly politically oriented.
"There was a very diverse turnout," said Haley, "Including volunteers there were about 450 people. We had a strong showing of muslim women, many of whom had probably never seen an all-girl punk band before."
While music is a medium for "personal release," says Speedholes bass
guitarist Kelly, she participated in the benefit concert because "it is important to help impoverished people, especially women and children," and to learn something herself, she said. "I am open to having my mind opened."
Haley says that though the musical lineup included both male and female performers, the concert was geared toward women because Afghan women are one of the groups who have long suffered in the region. Some of these hardships, including women wounded and executed and those who have turned to prostitution as a last resort, are documented on RAWA's Web site, www.rawa.org.
Lindsey Trout of CCMEP says it is essential for the privileged women of the world to be aware of what Afghans endure. "As a woman who has many freedoms as a U.S. citizen, I am deeply concerned about the plight of women and children in this war-torn country," she said.
Part of the concert's proceeds will benefit CCMEP for future outreach efforts