AFGHANISTAN: WESTERN DIPLOMATS LEAVE AFGHANISTAN WITHOUT SEEING THEIR EIGHT JAILED NATIONALS

Record ID: 292458

  • Title: AFGHANISTAN: WESTERN DIPLOMATS LEAVE AFGHANISTAN WITHOUT SEEING THEIR EIGHT JAILED NATIONALS
  • Date: 21st August 2001
  • Summary: (W4) KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AUGUST 21, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/SV CARS DRIVE UP WITH DIPLOMATS AND TALIBAN OFFICIALS, THEY EXIT AND ESCORT DIPLOMATS INTO AIRPORT BUILDING (2 SHOTS) 0.12 2. SV OF NEWS CONFERENCE 0.17 3. MCU (English) ALISTAIR ADAMS, FIRST SECRETARY OF THE AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY ISLAMABAD, SAYING: "We're very pleased to announce that we've just received news this morning from our protocol friends in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs we have written confirmation that the comfort packages that we brought with us from Islamabad have been passed on to the detainees and we have acknowledgment from each one of those eight detainees and we are very very grateful and very pleased with that development." 0.41 4. SLV EXTERIOR AIRPORT BUILDING 0.46 5. MCU (English) ADAMS, SAYING: "We haven't had recent talks with the ministry about those issues, before we came to Kabul it was conditional on the issue of the visas that we would not get to see the detainees until after the investigation has been completed. We are hopeful that once the investigation is completed that we will be able to see the detainees. We don't have an assurance at this time, but that is something that we will continue in our discussions and negotiations." 1.13 6. SV DIPLOMATS GETTING INTO PLANE (3 SHOTS) 1.28 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th September 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Reuters ID: LVA9LL79Z9NQ7ABKYB591V8959JO
  • Story Text: Escorted to the airport by Taliban officials, three
    Western diplomats have left Afghanistan without seeing their
    eight jailed nationals, but assured that "comfort packages"
    they had brought for them were delivered.



    The U.S., German and Australian diplomats had been
    refused an extension to their visas and told they could not
    see the detained aid workers until the ruling Taliban's
    investigation of their activities was concluded.

    Speaking to reporters inside the airport building on
    Tuesday (August 21), the First Secretary of the Australian
    High Commission in Pakistan Alistair Adams said they had
    received word that the comfort packages had been delivered.

    "We received written confirmation that the comfort
    packages were received and we feel very good about that,"
    Adams said.

    The foreign aid workers have been in jail for more than
    two weeks accused by the Taliban of preaching Christianity in
    this deeply Muslim nation.

    The three diplomats from the United states, Germany and
    Australia left the beleaguered capital vowing to press their
    demand for access to the imprisoned aid workers from Pakistan,
    one of only three countries where the Taliban have a
    diplomatic presence.

    The three diplomats left for Islamabad, where they are
    based, aboard a regular U.N. flight from the Afghan capital.

    The aid workers -- two American women, four Germans and
    two Australians -- have not been seen since their arrest more
    than two weeks ago.

    They were arrested along with 16 employees of Shelter Now
    International, run by the German-based Christian group Vision
    for Asia.

    The Taliban originally identified the two American women
    as Dana Curry and Nicole Barnardhollon, but the Pakistan-based
    spokesman for Shelter Now International, Esteban Witzemann,
    identified the Americans as Dana Curry and Heather Mercer.

    Barnardhollon had left Afghanistan and was in Pakistan. The
    other six foreign aid workers being held have been identified
    by the Taliban as Germans, George Taubmann, Margrit Stebnar,
    Kati Jelinek and Silke Duerrkopf; and Australians, Peter Bunch
    and Diana Thomas.

    The Taliban have occupied the homes and offices of the aid
    organizations, displayed computer disks and Christian
    literature translated into local languages, which they
    confiscated. The Taliban say they also have acquired
    confessions from the eight foreign aid workers admitting to
    teaching Christianity to Muslim families.

    The penalty for proselytizing under Taliban law is
    expulsion and jail for a foreigner and death for a Muslim
    Afghan.

    The Taliban who rule in 95 percent of Afghanistan espouse
    a harsh brand of Islamic law. They refuse to let women work or
    girls to attend school beyond 8 years old. Men have to wear
    beards, pray in the mosque and most forms of light
    entertainment have been banned.


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