CODEPINK stages hunger strike at Aitzaz Ahsan's house

CODEPINK head Medea Benjamin is in Pakistan right now and has been meeting with some activists (incidentally, David Barsamian has also shown up and is giving a series of talks this week). Benjamin and her contingent staged a 24-hour hunger strike outside Aitzaz Ahsan's home in Lahore where he is under house arrest. From their press release:

Medea Benjamin and Tighe Barry, members of the U.S. human rights group Global Exchange and the women¹s peace group CODEPINK, came to Pakistan to learn about the political situation since emergency rule was declared on November 3. One of the people they are most anxious to meet with is prominent lawyer/politician Aitzaz Ahsan, who was jailed by the Musharraf government from November 3 to 25, when he was then placed under house arrest.

Pakistan government representatives in the US have said that the lawyers arrested under the emergency law have been released. But when the visiting human rights activists tried to meet with Aitzaz Ahsan on December 1, they discovered that his home is still designated a "sub jail" and he remains hostage in his own home, unable to go out or to receive visitors. For that reason the U.S. activists decided to stage a vigil outside his home.

"Pervez Musharraf is telling the world that he is committed to democracy. So it is outrageous that the head of the nation's Supreme Court Bar Association, Aitzaz Ahsan, remains under house arrest," said Tighe Barry.

"We have come a long way to meet this man who we have heard is one of the great heroes of the struggle for democracy in Pakistan," said Medea Benjamin. "We will sit patiently in front of his door and sleep overnight in front of his door, asking his jailers to allow us in."

I know, I know - Western activists poking their noses in Pakistani problems. But they can shine light on the situation in a way that no one else can. Actually, I have very high expectations of progressive activists in the U.S. I hope that they can finally come to their senses and pressure their government to stop supporting the military.