Bad Moon Rising in Afghanistan and Pakistan

by Michael Bear

category: Humanitarian Relief

Published April 19, 2009 @ 11:53AM PT

Yet another not-so-good week - more attacks against aid workers, and threats of more to come:

- On April 15th, an aid worker was killed in Charsadda district, Pakistan.  According to a report from the European Interagency Security Forum (EISF):

"The individual was traveling yesterday evening in his private vehicle with family members and were stopped at a police check point that was targeted by a suicide bomber. Though not the target of the attack, the death our colleague’s death highlights the extreme risks that exist for civilians and aid workers in Pakistan."

- So far this year, seven aid workers have been killed in Pakistan, and five in Afghanistan.  Overall, 41 aid workers have been killed in 2009.

For more complete statistics, see here.

- The Taliban operating in Pakistan also recently released a statement, threatening more attacks against NGOs.  The announcement includes the following demands:

4. Closure of the organizations and offices of the NGOs or they will be put on fire.
5. Individuals working with the organizations of the NGOs should use their sense and adopt alternate income sources otherwise we are not responsible for anyone...

(Full text of the announcement is available after the jump.)

InterAction has issued the following warning to NGOs operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan:

"Each NGO operating in Afg and Pak is known by the Taliban. The Taliban has people designated to survey targets of the NGO’s.

Post incident analysis of kidnapped NGO’s (both national and international staff) has shown that over ninety percent of the time, the victim was preselected and presented the easiest and most vulnerable target."

1. Announcement Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

Respected Muslim brothers, we every day and night see and hear and even every Muslim brother knows that the infidels especially the Jews have made the existence of Muslims upon this Earth not just difficult but rather impossible such as in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Palestine and the tribal areas of our country Pakistan; what have they not done ? Has any Muslim thought that what is the crime and fault of our these brothers? That they have been subjected to this hell of cruelty and brutality. Till when will we wait?  And till when will we rest? And when will we rise. After all, which Salahudin Ayubi or Muhammad Bin Qasim are we waiting for? But the reality is that we don’t have the guts, moral character and don’t trust the teachings of Allah. Come

Lets create courage in ourselves and trust the teachings of Allah. Stand besides the Mujhahideen and if this is not possible, at least let’s be their supporters financially, physically or verbally or in written form. Even if this is not possible so at least leave helping the Jews and working with their organizations. If not then per the Shariah we will not be responsible for any action against an individual or organization.

Our demands:

1. Immediate closure of Liquor stores or else...
2. Closure of brothels or else...
3. Beware of robbery or heads will be chopped off.
4. Closure of the organizations and offices of the NGOs or they will be put on fire.
5. Individuals working with the organizations of the NGOs should use their sense and adopt alternate income sources otherwise we are not responsible for anyone...

2. Threat letter sent to a Pakistani working for the UN

In the name of Allah, the most merciful and gracious.

Allah – o – Akbar (Allah is Great)

I in the name of Tehreek-e-Taliban declare that you have received this letter from our Organization. We confirm that whatever is written in it is true.

“Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny”

You as the head of your house are known by the name of [name redacted]. You in [name of town redacted] work for the United Nations meaning American NGO. You might have heard that this American policy is our strong enemy and to end this we are ready to do anything. You being a Muslim belonging to the followers of Mohammad are a normal person but your ways of earning livelihood are Haraam not Halaal. Day and night continuously you stay out of your house and work for our enemy organization.

You eat Haraam and even you have turned your family into a Hindu by feeding them with Haraam and to finish the Hindus is our first most responsibility.

‘There is no God but Allah and Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is his messenger ’

You are a bastard and by eating Haraam you have become a Hindu. We in each city of Islamic country of Pakistan have planned to end this mission meaning NGO and even that United Nations meaning our enemy. And this cannot end till the time we end people working for it. In this saying we are openly targeting you.

You have attached Allah to the name of [redacted] but work for the enemies of Allah. You eat Haraam, you take interest, you don’t offer prayers and you don’t fast. If this thing keeps on going like this, we will surely chop your head off. Kidnap your son or will blow up your entire house with a bomb (Allah – 0 –Akbar). We have given you this last chance that you resign from your Haraam Job. Exactly after one month meaning next 17^th if you did not end your job so will have to suffer great loss. Even that of death. If you did not do like this so you go to the next city for earning Haraam anyway, we will murder you on your way ( Allah –o- Akbar). We even know your father, you never ate Haraam then why have you become a bastard. This is the last chance, for you and your housemates or else we will have to take some other step helplessly. (Allah-o-Akbar).

Bastard…enemy of Allah….our enemy.

Tehreek-e-Taliban                                                                Be ready for death

Vice (Maulvi Abdullah)                                                          Last chance

[Pakistani Taliban prepare to execute two men accused of spying for US forces - Photo from AP / Anwarullah Khan]