On May 12, 2010, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)’s Jeffrey Imm protested the calls for “reintegration” and “reconcilation” of the Afghanistan Taliban at the White House meeting of President Obama and Afghanistan Karzai.  R.E.A.L. had women and men supporters, and people of diverse religious faiths join us there and during our picket of the White House.

R.E.A.L.’s Jeffrey Imm pointed to the history of human rights abuses and attacks on women’s rights by the Taliban, and urged President Obama and President Karzai to make human rights a priority as any part of peace in Afghanistan.  R.E.A.L supporters also picketed the White House sidewalk, spoke to the public, and helped to educate the public on the plight of the Afghanistan women.

While R.E.A.L. protested and picketed at the White House, President Obama and President Karzai held a joint news conference supporting calls for negotiations with the Taliban, with President Obama stating “the United States supports the efforts of the Afghan government to open the door to Taliban who cut their ties to Al-Qaeda, abandon violence, and accept the Afghan constitution, including respect for human rights.”  R.E.A.L. has elaborated on the challenges with getting the Taliban to accept human rights in our article “Afghan Constitution, Women’s Rights, and the Taliban.”

As President Karzai’s motorcade pulled away from the White House, R.E.A.L.’s Jeffrey Imm held up a sign for them to see “Human Rights Fight Terrorism,” chanting “No to the Taliban, Yes for Human Rights.”