| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"stoney" |
| Date: |
18 Dec 2006 12:05:12 PM |
| Object: |
Afghanistan: The Taliban's Book of Rules |
Newsweek.com
Afghanistan: The Taliban's Book of Rules
A nine-page pamphlet offers some chilling—and revealing—insights about
Afghanistan’s former rulers
WEB-EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY
By Christopher Dickey
Updated: 7:08 a.m. PT Dec 12, 2006
Dec. 12, 2006 - An extraordinary little document is making the rounds
among the Taliban of Afghanistan. As first reported in NEWSWEEK by Ron
Moreau and Sami Yousafzai on Dec. 3, the stapled pamphlet called simply
“Layeha,” or “Rule Book,” is only nine pages long. But it speaks volumes
about the Taliban: their strategy, their following, their potential
virtues and their persistent vices, and the full text is well worth
reading.
At a moment when the Kabul government of Hamid Karzai is under
increasing threat and NATO troops are engaged in ever fiercer combat,
the rule book suggests what an elusive and mercenary concept loyalty is
on the Afghan battlefield. Just as American power and money helped pull
warlords and fighters away from the Taliban in 2001 to bring down their
regime, the surviving followers of Mullah Omar are now hoping they have
the momentum to win back defectors to their side. But the leadership
clearly worries that Taliban recruits will start freelancing: the rule
book cautions against ransoming captives without approval, forbids
selling equipment, discourages changing units without permission.
Terror and intimidation is part of the strategy, with foreign aid
organizations, modern schools and teachers a special target. They are
supposed to be warned, and if they don’t listen, eliminated. (In Kunar
province, a village elder and four women—two of them teachers—were
murdered on Friday night.)
But there is more to it than that. Many rules explicitly forbid killing
those who work with the “infidel” Americans and Europeans if they’re
willing to change sides, and one rule even prohibits killing infidels
themselves if they come over to the ranks of the mujahideen or holy
warriors.
The pamphlet is very clear about the need to preserve popular support in
a lawless land. Not only is a mujahid, a soldier in the jihad, not
supposed to steal from the people, he’s meant to set a positive example.
Thus, no cigarettes. Also, no boys. In a society where pederasty is
commonplace, the rule book tells the Taliban fighters they “are not
allowed to take young boys without beards to the battlefield or to their
homes.”
In addition to the translation below, the photographs show the original
Pashto text of the document.
From the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [Mullah
Omar]
Layeha (rulebook) to the Mujahideen.
Rules for mujahideen. Each mujahid is obliged to obey the following
rules:
1. A person with responsibility (only commanders) is allowed to give
an invitation to those Afghans who are supporting infidels to join the
way of the true Islam.
2. To those who leave the infidels we will grant security for him and
his property. But if he has some personal dispute, or somebody has some
claim against him, he has to face our judiciary system.
3. Each mujahideen who is in contact with supporters of the current
regime and who invites them to join the true Islam has to inform his
commander.
4. Those who accept the invitation to join the true Islam but aren't
loyal and become traitors will lose their contract with us and will not
be protected by us. There is no way to give them another chance.
5. A mujahid who kills an infidel who has joined the mujahideen's
side will lose our support. Islamic law should punish him.
6. If a group leader (or any ordinary Talib) wants to leave his
district to join a unit in another district he is allowed, but he should
get permission from his senior leader.
7. If a mujahid captures any foreign invader without the permission
of the movement leader he mustn't exchange the prisoner with another
prisoner or for money.
8. The provincial, district or regional commander in charge is not
allowed to sign an individual contract with an NGO [non-governmental
organization] or make a deal for money with the NGO. This matter has to
be decided by the shura.
9. No person in a position of responsibility is allowed to use jihadi
equipment and property for his personal interest.
10. Each mujahid is responsible to his commander for the money he
spends and the equipment he uses.
11. Mujahideen are not allowed to sell any kind of equipment without
the permission of the provincial leader in charge.
12. One group of mujahideen is not allowed to invite mujahideen of
another group to join it in order to increase the group's membership.
But if there is good reason (lack of personnel) this might be allowed.
But a written permission is necessary and the mujahideen who join a new
group should leave their weapons with their old group.
13. Weapons or equipment confiscated from the infidels, or allies of
the infidels, should be evenly distributed among the mujahideen.
14. If someone who is working with the infidels wants to cooperate
with the mujahideen, nobody is allowed to kill him. If somebody kills
him he will face the Islamic sharia court.
15. If any mujahideen or commander is disturbing innocent people he
should be warned by his leader. If he doesn't change his behavior he
should be expelled from movement.
16. It is strictly forbidden for mujahideen to raid houses and take
weapons by force from civilians without the permission of the district
or provincial commander.
17. Mujahideen have no rights to take the money or personal
belongings of the people.
18. As under the earlier [Mullah Omar] regime, mujahideen should
avoid smoking cigarettes.
19. Mujahideen are not allowed to take young boys without beards to
the battlefield or to their homes.
20. If a member of the opposition, or the government, wants to
surrender to the Taliban we can consider their conditions but the final
decision has to be made by the military council.
21. People with a bad reputation or who have killed civilians during
the Jihad must not be permitted to join the Taliban movement. But if the
Supreme Leader [Mullah Omar] forgives such a person he should stay at
home.
22. If a mujahid is found guilty of a crime and his group leader
discharges him, then other Taliban groups are not allowed to accept that
person. If he wants to join the Taliban again he should come back to his
own group and ask for forgiveness first.
23. If a Mujahid faces an issue not described in this book, the
regional commander should find a solution in consultation with the
group.
24. Working for the current puppet regime is not permitted, either in
a madrassa [religious school] or as a schoolteacher, because that
provides strength to the infidel system. In order to strengthen the new
Islamic regime, Muslims should hire a religious teacher and study in
mosque or another suitable place and the textbooks used should be from
the mujahid [anti-Soviet war] time or the Taliban time.
25. Those who are working in the current puppet regime as a madrassa
teacher or schoolteacher should be warned. If he doesn't stop he should
be beaten. But if a teacher is teaching against the true Islam he should
be killed by the district commander or a group leader.
26. The NGOs that came in the country under the infidel's government
are just like of the government. They came here under the slogan of
helping the people but in fact they are part of this regime. That's why
their every activity will be banned, whether it is building a road,
bridge, clinic, school or madrassa or anything else. If a school matches
these conditions it should be burned. If it is told to close but doesn't
it should be burned. But before burning it all religious books should be
taken out.
27. Before someone is found guilty of being a spy, and can be
punished, no commander or person of responsibility is allowed to
interfere. Only the district general commander is allowed to do so. In
court evidence has to be brought forward that might prove the accused
person to be a spy. The persons who bring forward the evidence should be
a mentally well and have a good religious reputation. They must not have
committed a big crime. The accused should be punished only after the
whole case is closed and he is found guilty.
28. No lower commander is allowed to interfere in the civil, common
disputes of the people. If people insist [on intervention] the case
should be brought in front of a district or regional commander. But he
should present the case to the religious scholars or the jirga
[council]. If they can't find a solution the case should be taken to
very well known scholars.
29. Every mujahid group is committed to keep watchful guards on duty
day and night.
30. The above 29 rules are compulsory. Whoever violates any of them
should be treated according the Islamic prince’s rules.
This layeha is for the mujahideen who are sacrificing their lives for
Islam and Almighty Allah. These are complete guidelines for the progress
of the Jihad, and mujahideen should follow these rules. This is the
responsibility of Jihadis and the faithful.
From the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [Mullah
Omar]
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16169421/site/newsweek/
© 2006 MSNBC.com
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
.
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