Tag: Taliban

The Catholic Taliban

9th March 2009


Image source: cathnews.com

If you think the Taliban have a monopoly on medieval beliefs and archaic practices, Archbishop Jose Cardoso Sobrinho may have something to say about that. A nine-year old girl, who lives in the north-eastern state of Pernambuco in Brazil, was allegedly sexually assaulted over a number of years by her stepfather. When it was discovered she was four months’ pregnant with twins, she had an abortion which is legally permissible in Brazil in cases of rape or health risks to the mother, but illegal in the eyes of God according to the Archbishop, because “the law of God was above any human law”. As a result, the mother of the nine-year old child and the doctors who assisted with the abortion were excommunicated. Another maverick cleric one sandwich short of picnic, perhaps? (there do seem to be a few out there … holocaust deniers among them) Not so, according the Vatican. All this on International Women’s Day too.

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Diary of a Pakistani schoolgirl

28th January 2009

 
Maulana Fazlullah
Image source: worldblog.msnbc.msn.com

The news coming out of Pakistan about the expanding influence of the Taleban is a real worry. Sadly, given the focus on the economic downturn in the West, this is an issue that is not getting the air time that it warrants. Maulana Fazlullah (a.k.a “Radio Mullah”) and his followers are wreaking havoc in the Swat Valley in the Northwest Frontier Province and, among other things, include the burning of girls’ schools in their repertoire. Over 130 schools — mainly girls’ schools — have been destroyed in the past year and, not surprisingly, female enrolment in Swat area schools has fallen from about 120,000 to under 50,000 since 2007. This is set to get worse after it was announced by the Taleban that there would be a ban on education for girls from 15 January. The explanation for this is that sending girls to schools is against the teachings of Islam. The ongoing publication by the BBC of a Diary of a Pakistani schoolgirl makes interesting reading.

Taliban takeover

6th October 2008

taliban.jpg
Image source: easterncampaign.wordpress.com

Somehow I don’t think it will get too much airplay in the US presidential elections, but the Taliban are flexing their muscles in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan, and are no longer hiding in the hills. They are coming down from the tribal areas near the Afghan border all the way into Peshawar, terrorising everyone in their wake. I wonder what Sarah Palin’s view is on this.