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Afghanistan/South Asia

Afghan Ulema Council Seeks US Apologies

2005-06-15

The main body of Afghan Muslim clerics called on the United States yesterday to apologize and punish those responsible for desecrating the Qur'an at its Guantanamo Bay prison, an issue that sparked bloody riots in Afghanistan. The US military released details this month about five cases in which the holy book was kicked, stepped on, soaked in water, and in one instance, splashed with a guard's urine falling through an air vent at the military prison in Cuba. America's top general, Richard Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said the military is unlikely to hold court-martial proceedings in the two or three cases of deliberate mishandling of the Qur'an at Guantanamo Bay. Afghan Chief Justice Fazl Hadi Shinwari, head of the influential national clerics' body, the Ulema Council, said it had passed a two-point resolution on the issue yesterday. "The Ulema Council resolved that the United States and those who have done this should apologize to the whole Muslim community, and the ones who have done this should be punished so that others don't do this again," he told Reuters.

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Afghanistan/South Asia

Taleban Leader Denies Reports of Talks With Govt

2005-04-17

A leader of Afghanistan's ousted Taleban movement has rejected as baseless reports that he held reconciliation talks with President Hamid Karzai's government. Maulavi Abdul Kabir, thought now to be No. 2 in the Taleban hierarchy after its fugitive leader Mulla Mohamad Omar, also dismissed reports of rifts among remnants of the hard-line Islamic movement overthrown by US-led forces in late 2001. Afghan Chief Justice Fazl Hadi Shinwari said recently that senior Taleban figures, including Kabir, were in touch with him about giving up the insurgency they have waged for the past 3-1/2 years since being driven from power. In an audio message played to Reuters by satellite phone by Taleban spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi, Kabir rejected this. "There have been no talks with the Americans or the current government and whoever has said this, it has no basis," he said. "As before, the Taleban are under one leadership," Kabir said, referring to Omar. Hakimi said the message was recorded on Friday somewhere in Afghanistan. Hakimi said Kabir was now head of the Taleban's political commission, which would make him Omar's deputy. Hakimi also said the Taleban were working on a plan to change their tactics away from guerrilla warfare. He said the focus was now on the training suicide bombers to target government officials, foreign forces and aid workers in major cities and to infiltrate agents into security organs to carry out sabotage. "The change of tactics is an easy way for us to have a longer-term war of attrition and would also not cost many lives for us," he said, while denying that the Taleban would be copying the tactics of insurgents in Iraq. US-led troops toppled the Taleban after they refused to hand over Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, architect of Sept. 11.

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Afghanistan/South Asia

US releases 81 suspected Taliban fighters from military jails

2005-01-16

From PakTribune US forces in Afghanistan freed 81 suspected Taliban fighters from military jails across the country Sunday and some of the released men said they had been mistreated and tortured in custody. Aged between 19 and 64, looking pale and exhausted, the bearded men smiled and waved as they left the Afghan Supreme Court to begin their journeys home. "They have been released from Bagram," Chief Justice Fazl Hadi Shinwari told reporters, referring to the main American base in Afghanistan, north of the capital Kabul. .... At a brief hearing before their release, Shinwari warned the men not to talk about their imprisonment, saying it could harm the prospects of those still held, but some still spoke out. "I was picked up on the basis of wrong information," Shah Alim, a 19-year-old from the eastern province of Kunar, told Reuters. "They poured water on me, deprived me of sleep and beat me during detention as part of their torture." .... "I have very bad memories of the interrogation because they were torturing us," said Abdul Manan, 35, also from Kunar. "But after the interrogation period was over, everything was all right," he told reporters outside the Supreme Court. .... Shinwari said U.S. authorities had also pledged to free all their remaining Afghan prisoners. "There are another 400 Taliban in Bagram and they (the U.S. military) have promised to release all Taliban from Bagram and Guantanamo Bay," he said. The release of the Afghan prisoners and pledge to free more comes amid reports that U.S.-backed Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government is in peace talks with mid-level Taliban commanders to persuade them and their foot-soldiers to give up their fight and return to normal life. ..... Shinwari warned the released prisoners not to take up arms against the Afghan government. Local media reports say some previously freed Guantanamo prisoners have rejoined the Taliban and some of those have since been killed in clashes or recaptured by U.S. forces. ..... American officials in Afghanistan say they don't have any information about a prisoner release. But Afghan officials say about 80 people detained by the U-S military in Afghanistan will be released today. ....The court spokesman said that the about 80 prisoners would be brought from Bagram Air Base, the main U-S base in Afghanistan, to Kabul and then allowed to return to their homes. .....

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Afghanistan/South Asia

Afghan Council of Clerics Petitions Against Alcohol, Prostitution, and Remarks Critical of Islam

2004-04-08

A delegation of Afghan Muslim clerics met with Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Hamid Karzai on 5 April and requested curbs on "moral corruption," Peshawar-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported. Why be a mullah if you can't tell people what to do? The delegation, numbering about 60 clerics and headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Mawlawi Fazl Hadi Shinwari, presented Karzai with a resolution from Afghanistan’s Council of Clerics, an influential group of religious scholars and clerics. That's why they call it a Council of Clerics, rather than something else... An unidentified source told AIP that Karzai gave the delegation his full assurance that their concerns will be addressed. In March, the Council of Clerics issued a resolution condemning having a few cold ones the consumption of alcohol, hookers prostitution, and having a senzayuma remarks critical of Islam in the press. It has also demanded that the Afghan leader address these issues. It was unclear from the report whether the delegation delivered the same resolution to Karzai or a different one.

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Afghanistan

Afghan scholars body says must enforce Islamic law

2003-05-03

A new Afghan Islamic Council set up by the Supreme Court has called on the U.S.-backed government of President Hamid Karzai to enforce Islamic laws more strictly. Okay. I'm ready to leave. How 'bout you? Karzai's government has come under fire from some Islamic groups for failing to allow them to tell other people what do do maintain Islamic values and traditions. The council met for the first time this week and called for women to observe an Islamic dress code, and for the government to punish Muslims for the consumption and sale of alcohol and narcotics, as well as adultery and sodomy. But, unlike the hardline Taliban, the Council recommended women continue to have the right to education and to take part in government. Ain't that nice of them? "At the meeting the Ulema (scholars) issued a resolution stressing on the need for the implementation of Islamic orders," said Deputy Chief Justice Fazl Ahmad Manawi. "Fornicators, sodomists, alcohol and drugs consumers will have to be punished. These are not only the demands of the ulema, but also the Afghan Muslim nation." "And don't let us catch any of you bastards smiling, either!" The council, called by the country's Chief Justice Mawlavi Fazl Hadi Shinwari, consists of 70 elite scholars representing Afghanistan's 32 provinces and will meet once a month, Manawi told Reuters. He said the council had the backing of President Karzai and said he did not expect any opposition to its proposals. "If there is, we'll just cut their heads off!"

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Afghanistan

Cable TV returns to Kabul

2003-04-23

Cable television has been switched back on in the Afghan capital Kabul months after it was banned for being obscene and un-Islamic. Popular Western and Indian music, movie and sports channels have begun broadcasting again after President Hamid Karzai's cabinet passed a law allowing them to go back on air. They were forbidden from broadcasting in January by the country's Chief Justice Mawlavi Fazl Hadi Shinwari, who said there had been complaints about "half-naked singers and obscene scenes from movies". Yeah, baby! Let's get some MTV going — run a few Spring Break tapes. The new law is seen as a victory for President Karzai in the struggle between pro-Western and raving rabid nutjob conservative Islamic elements in the country. Mohammad Nasir Raastin, the owner of one cable firm, said he resumed broadcasting last week. "The information minister has assured us that the law has been passed and it will be announced through the media soon after technical clearance by the justice ministry," he said. Kabul cable TV proved popular following the fall of the Taleban, showing a dozen channels, mainly Western and Indian music, news and movies. "The programmes allow us to understand what is going on in the world. I like them," said a student, Habiba, 18. But her classmate, Kamila, said: "This is really Western influence. It should be stopped. It will damage our culture and religion." "Don't be such a stick in the mud, Kamila." "You're just jealous because my boyfriend can recite the entire Qu'ran!" "And you're jealous because my boyfriend knows all 57 positions in the Kama-Sutra!" "Why, I'd, I'd ... [faint]" In January, Shinwari explained the ban by saying: "We are Afghans, we are Muslims, we have Islamic laws and values in our country." "And ya can't have jihad without them, by Allah!" Cable TV is broadcast to about 7,000 mostly middle-class subscribers in Kabul. Services in the cities of Jalalabad and Herat were also banned. Television was completely banned by the former Taleban rulers, as were many other forms of entertainment. State television is now run by the Northern Alliance and does not show women singers. Time for a little hack, I think. Wonder if you can get the E network into their feed?

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Afghanistan

Afghanistan bans cable TV

2003-01-23

Daily Times (Pakistan) Afghanistan’s Supreme Court has closed down all cable television services in Kabul because of their un-Islamic programmes. Chief Justice Fazl Hadi Shinwari made the ruling while rejecting an appeal against a recent ban on cable in the eastern city of Jalalabad. He said he had issued the order after dozens of complaints. Mr Shinwari said: "People who filed complaints to the Supreme Court said they were airing half-naked singers and obscene scenes from movies. We are Afghans, we are Muslims, we have Islamic laws and values in our country." "Therefore we are obliged to do stoopid things..." Mr Shinwari added: "As a responsible official I cannot allow cable TV in any part of Afghanistan." It is not clear which other areas of the country have been affected by the ruling. Afghanistan insists on being properly Islamic, which guarantees it'll remain mired in ignorance and poverty. Shinwari's probably a symptom of the country feeling its Islamic oats as things get better. In a country governed by men who actually use their gray matter, he might have banned only the channels carrying the material that was so offensive to the easily offended...

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Afghanistan

Death penalty recommended for ''Zardad's Dog''

2002-09-28

Afghanistan's chief justice proposed on Thursday that one of the country's most notorious commanders should face public execution after being convicted on dozens of counts of murder. Fazl Hadi Shinwari told Reuters he had written to Afghan President Hamid Karzai recommending that Abdullah Shah — known as "Zardad's dog" after his even more notorious boss — should face the death penalty. If Karzai agrees, it would be the first execution since the fall of the fundamentalist Taliban last year. Shah, 43, has already been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a primary court for a series of murders, including of three of his wives and five of his children. "He was caught some months back when he tried to kill his fourth wife by throwing hot water on her," Shinwari told Reuters. "We have witnesses and petitions from a number of people against him," he added. "He himself has confessed to killing his family members and he should be punished severely." They call him a "commander," but his bio reads more like "bandit." Apparently the guy's a first-class psycho... Islamic laws propose execution and that is what I am saying should be done." Zardad, who is believed to hiding in Britain under a false name, is himself wanted for robbing and killing travellers passing through his stronghold at Sarobi, a notorious blackspot on the main road from Kabul to Pakistan.

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