In Afghanistan, a ‘holy army’ of well-armed, religious men known as the Taliban now control three-quarters of the country, having emerged as a military organisation barely two years ago.
They took the capital Kabul in September and imposed strict Islamic law; even forbidding women from working. Violent, public punishments have been handed out to law-breakers, including many women.
Fighting continues between three factions as the UN calls for a negotiated settlement.
On 4 November, Benazir Bhutto, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, was dismissed by the President along with her Cabinet amid allegations of corruption. Bhutto’s government was relatively liberal in its attitude towards non-Muslims; the election called for February 3 may lead to more persecution.
In Turkey, in July, Necmettin Erbakan, the leader of Turkey’s Islamist Welfare party, Refah, became Prime Minister in a coalition goverment with Tansu Ciller’s True Path party. Christians fear that discrimination may worsen under the new regime, in this country where 99% of the population are Muslims.
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