Trafficking of Afghan Women from Kabul

By Willi Germund Frankfurter Rundschau Jan.7,1999   "What we decide about the fundamentals of Islam is our internal religious affair. No one may interfere, and no one can dictate to us how we treat our women," Mullah Hassan warned.

Within the terrirory it controls the Taleban forces all women to wear a burqa, which begins as a veil and covers the entire body in heavy, bulky material; the woman wearing one can only see the outside world through a narrow gap surrounding the eyes, which is covered with a thin lace-like material. They are not allowed to accept paid employment. Girls may not attend school, let alone university.

But the mullahs like commerce - so even if women are not free, the trade in them is to some considerable extent.

Miaz Mohammad is a merchant dealing in everything from radios to refrigerators in Chaman, a city on the Pakistani border. When the other customers had left the shop, he was prepared to speak in confidence.

"There are too many women in Kabul," he explained. "Pakistanis come here to pay 90,000 rupees (about 1,800 dollars) for women from Kabul. The women think they are getting a husband, but the Pakistanis only want them for a few months' worth of fun."
 

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