23-year-old Dashni Murad has been dubbed the “Shakira of Kurdistan”.

Colombia’s pop star Shakira, left, shakes hands with Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe during the inauguration of the fifth school Shakira’s foundation “Barefeet” has built, in Barranquilla, Colombia, on February 4, 2009.We celebrate Shakira, not only for her musical talents, but her extraordinary efforts to improve the lives of millions around the world. (Read Shakira & Howard Buffett: Attached at the Phip Philanthropy Bedfellows.)

Dashni Murad is shaking Iraq’s conservative northern Kurdistan region.I admire Shakira a lot, I consider her my ideal. I’ve been following her and her songs since I was a kid,” said Murad, a fluent English and Dutch speaker who grew up in the Netherlands after her family left Kurdistan when she was eight, but now lives in the region. via AFP

In Kurdistan, where honour killings still happen to women who overstep their bounds, Dashni hips are gyrating and shaking up northern Kurdistan in the process.The AFP report continues:

Susan Aref, the head of Kurdistan’s Women’s Empowerment Organisation, said Murad’s suggestive moves were a step backwards for the status of local women.

“We are against these sexy movements and using women’s bodies to attract attention. It goes against our policy to defend the rights and liberation of women,” Aref said.

“We don’t want to free women in order to free their bodies.”

Susan Aref’s statements put her in total opposition to the views of Anne of Carversville and Shakira, who believe that the battle for women’s rights is lodged in women — not men — having control of their sexuality and bodies.

We embrace the idea that the female body deserves celebration, not condemnation. And of course, we advocate discretion and respect for other women and their cultures — as long as that culture does not oppress and control female sexuality.

Susan Aref, founder of the Erbil-based Women Empowerment Organization, explains her program to a visitor who is interested in attending the USAID’s Inma-sponsored agribusiness development training session held at her center. Susan Aref doesn’t appear to be a strong presence in the international women’s rights movement, based on our Google searches. I find her statement: “We don’t want to free women in order to free their bodies.” downright disturbing, given the state of women’s rights around the world.

Understanding the political nature of her funding, Susan Aref could have said “no comment” to the AFP writer, who queried her about Dashni Murad. Or she could have responded: “The issue of ‘sexy’ is complicated in Khurdistan. I don’t feel qualified to speak about the topic.”

Instead, her words ring in our ears, and I want examples from her of just what is acceptable and what not — to her, when it comes to women’s sexuality.

Should Lubna Ahmed Hussein be allowed to wear trousers in Sudan? Or does Aref support imperfect sharia laws governing women’s dress? Does she support flogging women who transgress laws governing the showing of an ankle? Is an ankle sexy and vulgar?

Dashni Murad - Kuri Le Xo Bayi

Both Shakira and Dashni Murad are inspired by ancient bellydancing rituals. Does Susan Aref support the current moves in Egypt to suppress bellydancing?

I want to better understand Susan Aref’s point of view on not supporting the freeing of women’s bodies. And I ask Susan Aref: what is it that you are freeing then, if women’s bodies are not part of your point of view? Anne

Read Anne’s: Controlling Women’s Bodies Is a Fight to the Finish