Taliban must be condemned: Laura Bush

WASHINGTON, NOV. 18. Ms. Laura Bush sought on Saturday to summon worldwide condemnation of the Taliban regime and the Al-Qaeda terrorist network for what she called the cruel and joyless existence they impose on the women and children of Afghanistan.

``Afghan women know, through hard experience, what the rest of the world is discovering: The brutal oppression of women is a central goal of the terrorists,'' Ms. Bush said from Crawford, Texas, where she and the President, Mr. George Bush are spending the Thanksgiving holiday.

``Seventy per cent of the Afghan people are malnourished,'' Ms. Bush said, filling in for the President in the weekly radio address to the nation. ``One in every four children won't live past the age of five because health care is not available. Women have been denied access to doctors when they're sick.'' In no way can the repression and brutality of children unable to fly kites, women subject to beatings if they laughed out loud and unable to leave their homes by themselves be justified by any religious principles, Ms. Bush said.

``Muslims around the world have condemned the brutal degradation of women and children by the Taliban regime,'' she said. ``Only the terrorists and the Taliban forbid education to women. Only the terrorists and the Taliban threaten to pull out women's fingernails for wearing nail polish.'' While the plight of women and children in Afghanistan is appalling enough, it is ominous for other peoples as well, Ms. Bush said, ``because in Afghanistan, we see the world the terrorists would like to impose on the rest of us.''

People of all backgrounds and faiths are obliged to speak out, the First Lady said. ``Fighting brutality against women and children is not the expression of a specific culture; it is the acceptance of our common humanity - a commitment shared by people of good will on every continent.'' Despite the military gains in Afghanistan, the threat of violence is still widespread as terrorists plot in other countries, Ms. Bush said. She urged Americans to commit themselves to securing ``dignity and opportunity'' for the women and children of Afghanistan, as they celebrate Thanksgiving.

- New York Times

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Section  : International
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