"The Taliban has said it will ban music in public in Afghanistan because it is forbidden in Islam, despite the assurances given by the insurgent group that it will be more tolerant than it was two decades ago.
"The restriction on public playing of music acts as a return to one of the harshest policies of the Taliban in the 1990s.
"The previous emirate only allowed religious chants, with nearly all other forms of music forbidden because it was viewed as a distraction that could encourage evil thoughts.
"In an interview with The New York Times, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid laid out the group's plans to rule Afghanistan. From 1996 to 2001, music in public in the country was taboo, while the Taliban ruled the country.
" 'Music is forbidden in Islam... the only exception to the ban during the Taliban's original governance in Afghanistan was for some vocal religious pieces with no musical accompaniment," Mujahid said in quotes by the Times.
"The Taliban have long considered music a dangerous and deceitful influence. And with the insurgents in control of Afghanistan again, musicians are in hiding, afraid the Taliban will hunt them down.
" 'But we're just promoting arts and music and freedom of expression and we're not trying to harm anyone's culture," a local musician said.
"In reaction to reports the Islamic militants are already extracting vengeance against those who resisted them, Mujahid said the group wants to "build the future and forget what happened in the past.' " . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment