Reuters. 11 January 2002. Some Afghans Say Wouldn't Give Up Omar or Bin Laden.
KANDAHAR -- "He's of our blood. He's a Muslim. He's an Afghan," says 13-year-old Ahmadalluh. Sitting in a teahouse on a busy Kandahar street, the schoolboy is discussing the fate of Mullah Mohammad Omar, the elusive cleric and leader of the vanquished Taliban, now the target of a massive hunt by U.S. and anti-Taliban forces loyal to Afghanistan's new, interim government. Ahmadullah seems to speak for the several dozen men drinking green tea in the onetime royal capital and the country's second city after Kabul. Certainly no one disagrees. "I have learned from my elders how the British and the Russians came to Afghanistan. Now it's the Americans. It's the third time," Ahmadullah said. "Even if we disagree with Mullah Omar and what the Taliban did during their rule, we cannot hand him over," said Mir Hamza, who cares for war disabled. "We owe him respect for stepping down, for quitting and thereby preventing much greater loss of life in our city." And what of the world's most wanted man with a $25 million reward on his head? Would they hand over Osama bin Laden? "He was our guest, and whatever he might have done, we cannot hand him over to foreigners," says Mir Hamza. What about the reward? "How would simple people like us ever claim it? And whoever did so, he would disgrace his name and reputation for betraying a fellow-Muslim and a guest in his own house," Mir Hamza said. ------------------------------------------- Macdonald Stainsby Rad-Green List: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green Leninist-International list: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international ---- In the contradiction lies the hope. --Bertholt Brecht _______________________________________________ Leninist-International mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international
