Taliban's rule

May 14, 1997
Issue 

Taliban's rule

@box text intro = A woman has been stoned to death by a Taliban court, after being found guilty of being outside in the company of a man who was not her husband or a relative. The man she was with was shot dead when he tried to escape arrest.

At least five taxi drivers have been beaten with sticks over the past few weeks as punishment for carrying female passengers. A new law forces people to paint the windows in their houses black, so that women can not be seen from the outside. A large number of women have been beaten for wearing white socks, or showing part of their body, like their ankles.

The Red Crescent has accused the UN of failing to provide enough food and other humanitarian aid to the poor of the country. The same day, the Taliban petitioned the UN and other western nations to provide it with money to rebuild international sporting teams.

Aside from the plea for sporting aid and the signing of the Unocal pipeline agreement, there has only been a string of petty laws, mostly aimed at restricting women. No action has been taken by the Taliban to de-mine the country, or to feed and house the poor and refugees. — Asger Strodl

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