Afghan capital students protest over Koran report

[allemand]

Thu May 12, 2005 9:12 AM BST
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By Yousuf Azimy

KABUL (Reuters) - Students in the Afghan capital shouted "Death to America" and burned an American flag on Thursday in a protest over a report that U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had desecrated the Koran.

Several hundred students gathered in front of Kabul University, a day after a similar protest in an eastern city degenerated into rioting and four people were killed and dozens wounded.

Newsweek magazine said in a recent edition that investigators probing abuses at the U.S. military prison in Cuba had found interrogators "had placed Korans on toilets, and in at least one case flushed a holy book down the toilet". (...)

"We've heard from all the radio and newspapers, and also we've read on Internet sites, that the holy Koran has been insulted by American soldiers," said Kabul University student Manan Shiewa.

More:
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-05-12T081213Z_01_YUE229495_RTRUKOC_0_AFGHAN.xml

Juan Cole comments:
Muslims are not to touch a copy of the Koran when they have not performed their purifying ritual ablutions (washing in a special way with water), called wudu`.

In secular American society, I suppose the shock value here could only be hinted at if we imagined someone flushing a small American flag down the toilet. But probably we can't imagine it at all.

The technique of humiliating Muslims as a way of "breaking" them for interrogation has often veered toward torture at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, and it wasn't effective as a technique. The Israeli flag was also used at one point, apparently. The US military has a tradition of such humiliations, going back to treatment of the Filipino Muslim rebels in the early 20th century. But there is a difference between humiliating Muslim prisoners and humiliating Islam.

Whatever goddam military genius came up with the bright idea of flushing the Koran down the toilet at Guantanamo should be court-martialed, and Bush had better get out there apologizing before this thing spirals further out of control.

More:
http://www.juancole.com/2005/05/american-blasphemy-against-koran.html

[rodeodance]

1. well, we really blew it this time!! (AGAIN)

[Stockholm]

6. 3 more anti-U.S. protesters killed in clashes with Afghan police

KABUL (AP) - At least three more anti-U.S. protesters were killed Thursday in clashes with police, officials said, as rage over the reported abuse of Islam's holy book at the U.S. jail in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, spread across the country.

Police opened fire on hundreds of demonstrators in Khogyani, a town in eastern Nangarhar province, to prevent them from staging a demonstration, local police chief Maj. Gul Wali said.

more http://www.canada.com/news/world/story.html?id=2183da92-2a8d-420e-942c-476eb7b5675f

[allemand]

2. BBC: Anti-US protests spread to Kabul

(...) At least three demonstrations took place in Kabul.

There have also been protests the province of Logar south of the capital. On Wednesday, at least four people died in the city of Jalalabad. (...) Similar protests took place in other parts of the country. In the town of Mohammed Agha, 40 kms south of Kabul, protesters ransacked government offices and the compounds of two Western aid agencies. A mobile phone mast was toppled.

The BBC's Andrew North in Kabul says that the authorities are concerned that the demonstrations are being orchestrated. (...)

Although allegations of the Koran being desecrated appear to have been the trigger, some analysts say the protests are also a reflection of growing resentment towards the Americans in these areas of Afghanistan.

More:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4539477.stm

[NNN0LHI]

3. Anti-U.S. protests spread - Afghanistan

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050512.wafghan0512/BNStory/International/

Kabul — Afghan students burned an American flag and shouted slogans against the U.S. military on Thursday, as protests over reported abuse of Islam's holy book at the U.S. jail in Guantanamo Bay spread to the capital and into Pakistan. snip

A day after riots in an eastern city left four people dead, more than 200 young men marched from a dormitory block near Kabul University chanting “Death to America” and carrying banners including one stating: “Those who insult the Koran should be brought to justice.” snip

At the entrance to the university, a man with a clipped beard and spectacles read a resolution calling on U.S. President George W. Bush to apologize and opposing long-term U.S. military bases in Afghanistan. snip

“America is our enemy and we don't want them in Afghanistan,” Mr. Shah said as the students ended their protest and returned to classes on Thursday morning. “When they insult our holy book they have insulted us.” snip

more

[rodeodance]

4. i am confused-thought they loved the freedom bushco gave them with

the lives of our troops.

[meganmonkey]

5. They do! They're using that very freedom to march in the streets

...and chant for the death of America :crazy:

[Toots]

7. I seem to recall they have always had that freedom

We have been subjected to countless pictures of angry Muslims throught the Middle East burning American flags and chanting Death to America for several decades. Propaganda is only good for those who don 't pay attention. You need to take your post to freeperland where people go "duh ya okay if you say so"...

[meganmonkey]

8. Ummmm....

Okay, maybe I should have used the :sarcasm: instead of the :crazy:, I'll give you that much.

But if you'd rather pass snap judgements on me, go right ahead. No skin off my back.

Peace.

[Toots]

10. Sorry didn't mean to pass judgement

I've been having a lot of bad days lately and seem to take it out on everyone, whether they deserve it or not. IMHO you didn't deserve it. Sorry....... Peace.

[meganmonkey]

11. No worries

I appreciate that. I hope your days get better :hi:

[brooklynite]

9. Wow! Political repercussions from torturing people...

Who could have seen that coming?