So what's the logic behind this sort of petition anyway? It seems to me the intention is to somehow deliver to the Taliban leaders a paper document that has written on it a pleading message with the names of thousands of people below. The theory I guess is that this may pull on the heart strings of the Taliban leaders, stimulating their conscience?I thought you would like to know about this urgent campaign to free the remaining South Korean aid workers who have been taken hostage by Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. The Taliban have already executed 1 hostage and are threatening to execute the rest this week, an action that could trigger a mass evacuation of life-giving humanitarian aid from all of Afghanistan.
The situation is desperate, but there is hope. The Taliban are all from the 'Pashtun' ethnic group, and observe a strict code called Pashtunwali. This code demands, above all else: "hospitality to all, especially guests and strangers". There are rumours of infighting among the Taliban over these kidnappings, because they clearly violate the code.
A global outcry for the Taliban to follow their own code would certainly be covered by media in Afghanistan and Pakistan where the Taliban are based – creating massive local pressure on them to free their prisoners. But these hostages are living under a 24 hour death sentence. We have seconds not minutes to act. Sign the petition below and then forward this email:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/honour_the_afghan_code/tf.php
Aside from being a bit doubtful that the Taliban leaders would do anything but scorn and mock the petition, my biggest doubt is in regards to how the document is going to be delivered. Has anyone considered the difficulty involved in sending a UPS delivery guy to the welcome mat of a group of Taliban in the midst of their hostage holding and executing?
This isn't the first time I've gotten one of these petitions. I've always found their purpose a bit vague.
