200 march to plead for Lawal
2003-09-18 13:55
Cape Town - Braving wind and rain more than 200 African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) members marched to parliament on Thursday asking the government to intervene to save Nigerian Amina Lawal, sentenced to die by stoning for adultery.
In the driving rain and wind, the women and a spattering of men walked sombrely to the gates of parliament to hand in a memorandum and petitions pleading for Lawal's life.
According to her sentence, Lawal will be buried up to her neck and then stoned until she dies.
Lawal, 31, has appealed against her sentence. The sharia court of appeal in Katsina, Nigeria, is expected to announce its verdict on the case next week.
While waiting for Education Minister Kader Asmal and Health Minister Manto Tshabala-Msimang to arrive, ANCWL deputy president Mavivi Myakaya-Manzini said President Thabo Mbeki must ask the leaders of the African Union to intervene.
"We are asking comrade President Thabo Mbeki to be the one who contacts all the AU leaders to make a special representation to (Nigerian) President Olusegun Obasanjo to use his prerogative to save Amina Lawal."
Marchers thanked for taking a stand
She said the march was not against sharia Law.
"We are not here to condemn sharia law, but in every religion there is forgiveness. It is this forgiveness we appeal to."
Africa would never rise up if women were subjected to this kind of treatment, they said.
"We want the women of Africa to be heard. We cannot build this continent if women are not heard."
Asmal - thanking the demonstrators for taking a stand - said everything had to be done to prevent the "murder" of Lawal.
"We are friends with Nigeria and we are not attacking them, but this is murder," he said to applause.
He said it was unfair that women were punished in situations such as Lawal's while the men got off.
"I thank you for coming here on this miserable, cold and rainy Cape Town day. For taking a stand."
President for two days
Tshabala-Msimang and Asmal accepted the memorandum before the health minister led the women in song.
Before she could leave, Tshabala-Msimang was thronged by the women who wanted to shake her hand and express their pride in her.
"How long were you president for?," one woman was heard asking the minister.
Holding up her hands, she laughed and said: "Two days, only two days."
"Good, good you are doing a good job," the woman responded.
Speaker of parliament Frene Ginwala said the national assembly had passed a resolution asking Mbeki and Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano to intervene in Lawal's case.
- SAPA