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| Niloofar Rahmani, the first female Afghan pilot, is at the heart of a heated debate in her country. - CHINA NEWS / SIPA |
She is nicknamed the "Afghan Top Gun". Niloofar Rahmani, 25, is the first woman pilot of Afghanistan . In training for 15 months in the American Air Force, the young woman refuses to return to her country, as planned.
A symbol for women
Niloofar Rahmani fears for his safety and plans to apply for political asylum in the United States. In Afghanistan, his decision earned him a flood of criticism, some accusing him of "treason," as spokesman of the Ministry of Defense, Mohammad Radmanesh. "What she said in the United States was irresponsible and unexpected. She was to be a role model for other Afghans. (...) It is a shame, "he insisted.
Her journey became a symbol of hope for millions of Afghan women when she became Afghanistan's first female pilot, integrating an exclusively male universe into an extremely conservative country. She received for this reason the international price of "courage of women," the US State Department .
But this celebrity had also earned him many death threats from the insurgents. As for her male colleagues, many of them showed disdain for her, considering that the place of women is at home.
A gun to protect itself
Critics also come from women, as photojournalist Maryam Khamosh who devoted a forum on Facebook. "Sometimes I would like to be Niloofar and throw myself into heaven to bombard the enemies of my people. But you, Niloofar, who touched the sky from the ashes of the earth, you shamed our flag. "
The young woman explains fleeing the insecurity experienced as a woman. In a one-year interview, she said she constantly had a gun on her for her protection, and never wear her uniform outside the military base to avoid attracting attention.
Making the decision to seek asylum in the United States was "extremely difficult" for her, said lawyer Kimberly Motley. "The real betrayal of Afghanistan comes from those who threaten its life and that of its family, as well as those who continue to oppress women. "Niloofar Rahmani is not the only one who wants to escape from Afghanistan. In the country, Afghan youth continue to flee in numbers to escape the endless conflict between the state and insurgents. | 20minutes
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