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Taliban Defend Yellow Stickers For Afghan Hindus
ISLAMABAD, May 25 (News Agencies) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban Friday defended imposition of a dress code for Hindus, saying the yellow stickers advised to be worn by the community should not be compared to the detested badge for Jews in Nazi Germany.
The step was taken after Hindus "complained" to the Taliban's Department for the Promotion of Virtues and Suppression of Vice that they were being subjected to harassment by the Islamic religious police, Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef said.
"The aim is to protect the Hindu community from any harassment," he told reporters.
"This is not something new. In fact this tradition has been in place since the times of the Prophet Mohammad for non-Muslims for their safety and immunity," Zaeef said.
He said the Taliban had enforced complete Islamic law in the country under which Muslims have to congregate for prayers at proper times in mosques.
The regime has told the Department for Promotion of Virtues and Suppression of Vices, also known as religious police, to "make sure that people observe this rule," Zaeef said.
But he said, "sometimes the Hindu Afghan nationals, who in most cases resemble the Muslim Afghans, were also stopped for questioning as the religious police had the impression that they were Muslims."
The Hindu community expressed its "annoyance and repeatedly complained" to the Taliban over such incidents, he said, adding that "in order to facilitate things for them" the ruling militia decided they should carry a piece of yellow cloth to identify them easily.
The order was yet to be approved by the Taliban's supreme leader Mulla Mohammad Omar, he added.
The yellow sticker announcement has drawn strong condemnation from several countries, including the United States and India, as well as United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Zaeef denied the order was in any way related to the yellow Star of David that Jewish people were forced to wear in Adolf Hitler's Germany.
"I think they are wrong. It has no resemblance to the Star of David."
Zaeef said some countries reacted due to "ignorance", while some criticized for "political reasons." But he said an understanding of the situation was "quite necessary."
He said there was no religious discrimination in Taliban-held areas of Afghanistan.
"Minorities in Afghanistan enjoy equal rights, and if a Muslim robs the property of any Hindu, and if he is a mature person, then his hand is chopped off, and, if a Muslim kills a Hindu, then he will be executed."
The rights of non-Muslim minorities are preserved in Islam and "if others misunderstand such right doings it is their own affair," he said.
"We condemn religious discrimination but our decision is not a discrimination," the envoy said.
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