Date: Sun, 04 Oct 1998 11:33:23 -0400
From: Enrica Garzilli <garzilli-AT-shore.net>
Subject: Re: Taslima Nasreen and her head


iview-AT-technologist.com wrote:
> 
> Partha,
> 
> I oppose Ms. Nasreen's tactics...anyone who leaves out her sisters is
> suspect in my eyes.  Secondly, she has my support if in fact she speaks
> also for her sisters who have equally opposed fundamentalists.  I didn't
> find that evident in her letter to the world's myriad and complex
> Governments to save her.  I pray they can.  She seems mightily
> self-righteous about visiting her ailing mother in Bangladesh.  Such
> dramatics don't impress me.
> 
> I really don't see your point about international support for her and
> her being exempt...I never suggested she is exexmpt from receiving world
> support to save her.  I simply don't support her sensationalist tactics
> that seem to catapult her to center stage.  Of course I oppose
> fundamentalists, fanatics, fascists yadda, yadda, yadda...and if as you
> say we don't get "befooled...by...bigots," that's news to me!
> 
> -Manjusree
> 
> Partha Banerjee wrote:
> >
> > I have my own reservations about Taslima, her sensationalism (and bad
> > writing), and all. However, that does not exempt her from getting our
> > support from an international arena. This is all we can do to support her
> > voice of dissent and oppose barbarism practised by fundamentalists and
> > fanatics and fascists. We do it in Bangladesh, we do it in India, we do it
> > in USA. And we don't get befooled by double standards and
> > confusion-creating tactics of the bigots.
> > __________
> >
> > >Partha,
> > ...
> > >I feel that Taslima Nasreen should not have left her bangladeshi
> > >sister writers in the dust in her own climb towards international fame
> > >and acclaim...she seems to have a tendency to turn to those who support
> > >sensationalism vs those who support universal human rights.
> > >
> > >Lest anyone misundertand me and think me cold-blooded and heartless, I'm
> > >actually moved by Ms. Nasreen's plea to other Governments, and I hope
> > >the outrageous death threat against her cannot be carried out.  The
> > >thought occurs to me, nevertheless, that perhaps she might also turn to
> > >her sister writers who have not only made greater contributions to
> > >bangla literature, but have struggled even harder in protesting
> > >oppression and abuse of Islamic women without leaving Bangladesh.  I
> > >don't presume to know statistics but base my comments on recollections
> > >of my readings by literary analysts and exchanges with other writers.  I
> > >pray for her life and her mother's good health.
> > >
> > >Best regards,
> > >
> > >-Manjusree

I have interviewd her and had the opportunity to talk to her for quite
some time informally.
I asked her about her relationship with feminist groups in Bangladesh
and India. She told me that many of them wanted to use her name to have
publicity, to become famous. That's very possible.
However, I also had the impression of a certain ambiguity from her and a
certain will to be "the first", to be the heroine of the situation (I
have written all that in the report of the JSAWS, and her lecture, and
reported the recorded  reaction of people present.)
Like a hero, she wants to be isolated and alone. She wants to fight by
herself. For sure she is very childish... (besides the opportunity to be
alone in terms of results)
However, she is a symbol. That is important, not HER private figure and
personality. Sho cares of her in person?
The importance is in people who fights not in her name but taking her
name as a symbol of funfamentalists' oppression and prevarication.
WHat do you think about it?

Enrica
-- 
Dr. Enrica Garzilli                 University of Perugia (ITALY)
Istituto di Linguistica                      Piazza Morlacchi, 11
06123 Perugia                  Tel./Fax: +39-75-585 3755 (office)
Editor-in-Chief, 
Intl. Journ. of Tantric Studies, Journal of S. Asia Women Studies
htpp://www.asiatica.org/
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