After 20 years the two sister finally got to meet in what was a heart-wrenching encounter Photo MMNews
Texas – In a heartwarming reunion which took place after two decades, Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui and her sister, Aafia Siddiqui, finally met. This long-awaited meeting brought together the two sisters who had been separated for 20 years. The encounter, however, proved to be both emotional and traumatising, as the devastating impact of Aafia’s imprisonment became apparent.
The meeting between Siddiqui and her sister, Aafia, can be best described as “emotional and traumatising”, expressed El-Hajj Mauri Saalakhan, Director of Operations for the Aafia Foundation Inc. After arriving in Texas, where the meeting occurred, Siddiqui found herself overwhelmed by the conditions in which her sister had been held. Aafia, once a vibrant and full-of-life individual, had been reduced to a mere shell of her former self.
“It was emotional and traumatising. Our sister Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui, when she came back to the hotel, she ended up in her room. She decided that she just needed to be alone in her room. I believe what was taking place was this recovery that she had to go through because it was traumatising. She sees the condition that her sister is in after 20 years. I mean, on one hand being ecstatic over the opportunity to finally meet her sister, to see her sister, but then having to meet her sister under these conditions, under these circumstances.”
The meeting did not allow physical contact between the sisters. Instead, they saw each other through plexiglass and communicated using a phone, said Saalakhan. This stark realisation of the toll Aafia’s imprisonment had taken on her was a profound shock for Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui. Witnessing her sister’s physical deterioration and the evidence of the torture she had endured for two decades proved to be a deeply traumatic experience.
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The impact of imprisonment on Aafiya and Fowzia Siddiqui
Aafia’s appearance spoke volumes about the torment she had endured during her long years of incarceration. Her sister noted that she had aged significantly and was a far cry from the vibrant individual she once was. The visible effects of torture were evident, with Aafia even missing several upper teeth due to a prison assault. Additionally, she had difficulty hearing due to a severe beating she had endured. Saalahkhan explained that while Siddiqui believed she was prepared to see her sister, the visible effects of 20 years of torture proved too much for her.
“What Fowzia said to me was that she wasn’t fully prepared to see the evidence of what Aafia has been through for the past 20 years. She has aged so much over the past 20 years because of what she has been through. Because of the living nightmare. Because of the bestial conditions. It’s hard to imagine that human beings, especially in the name of something called justice, could do what they have done. She just wasn’t prepared for it and when she got back to the hotel, she just needed to lock herself in her room.”
Siddiqui described Aafia to Saalakhan as a mere shell of her former self. The extraordinary woman she once knew had been broken down by the authorities who sought to crush her spirit. The emotional impact of seeing Aafia in this state was immense.
Siddiqui, Aafia’s sister, will have two more visits with her, similar to the initial meeting. Saalakhan believes the remaining visits will also be under the same conditions. The reunion between Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui and her sister Aafia Siddiqui after 20 years was a highly emotional and traumatising experience. The meeting highlighted the devastating impact of Aafia’s imprisonment and the lengths to which authorities had gone to break and serve as a poignant reminder of the injustices faced by countless individuals worldwide.
In a compelling conversation with Julie Alli, El-Hajj Mauri Saalakhan delved into a myriad of topics, ranging from his serendipitous encounter with Aafia’s story, the formidable challenges he has encountered in dealing with law enforcement, and the ever-elusive possibility of Aafia’s long-awaited release. Listen to that conversation here:
