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189 held after two soldiers' abduction
Suspected Taliban abducted two paramilitary soldiers from Inayat Kalay in Bajaur, and the local administration arrested 189 Mamoond tribesmen in retaliation, officials said on Saturday. Political Agent Shafirullah Khan warned the Mamoond tribe in a jirga against violating the deal it had made with the government three months ago. A TV channel said he gave them a three-day deadline to stop militant activities.
Lemme see, here: They're being given three days to stop the militant activities they agreed to stop three months ago. What's gonna happen if they don't cease and desist their turbandry? Do they get another three days? Or another three months? Who was arrested? The guys who made the agreement? The guys who didn't keep it? The slowest of the local residents? Innocent bystanders?
But wasn't that how the tribal areas were set up originally by Britain? Relative local autonomy, but the community is responsible for ensuring that relations with the outside world go as they ought, and the community accepting punishment when it doesn't. The government of the Land of the Pure are nothing if not slaves to bad traditions.


Posted by: Fred 2009-05-24
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=270362