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Viewing cable 09KABUL3440, AFGHANISTAN: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON IRFR

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09KABUL3440 2009-10-27 12:51 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Kabul
VZCZCXRO1198
PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW RUEHSL
DE RUEHBUL #3440 3001251
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271251Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2514
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS KABUL 003440 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM KIRF KPAO PGOV PHUM OPCR
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON IRFR 
 
REF: SECSTATE 108536 
 
 1. (U) SUMMARY: Poloff delivered the Department of State's 
International Religious Freedom Report (IRFR) to the 
Afghanistan Ministry of Hajj and Islamic Affairs Director of 
External Relations and Director of Publications Mr. Qazi 
Habib Rahman Salehi. Salehi agreed in theory that religious 
tolerance was an admirable goal for his country, but argued 
that the mostly poorly-educated population could hardly be 
expected to hold such a broad-minded view. He raised issues 
of Shari'a law, corruption, and international influence in 
his country. End Summary. 
 
2. (U) Afghanistan Ministry of Hajj and Islamic Affairs 
Director of External Relations and Director of Publications 
Salehi met with Poloff October 27. In his role as Director of 
Publications, Salehi publishes a monthly magazine entitled 
"Payam-e-Haq," or "The Voice of Righteousness." When he 
receives the Dari-translated version of the IRFR, he said he 
will publish it in his magazine in order to broaden ideas and 
inform readers about international perspectives. He believes 
such documents provide useful leverage to promote new ideas 
and prepare his country for participation in the community of 
nations. 
 
3. (SBU) Despite his opening remarks in which he emphasized 
his own open-mindedness and high levels of education (he 
speaks fluent Arabic, and was a professor in nine countries, 
including Egypt, Indonesia, Libya, Malaysia, Malta, United 
Arab Emirates, and Vietnam), Salehi voiced fairly 
conservative views--views that are highly consistent with 
Afghan standards--and that bespeak the difficulties the U.S. 
will have in influencing Afghan views on religion. 
 
4. (SBU) Salehi argued that there are two key problems to 
expanding ideas of religious tolerance in Afghanistan. The 
first is an underdeveloped culture: he said 80 percent of the 
population is ill-educated, but the real problem is that 
Pashtuns are ill-educated and monolingual. Special television 
shows are needed to reach this population; no good shows 
exist. The second problem is the environment created by 
Afghanistan's neighbors. He said Iran uses radio to preach 
routinely against Christianity, and Pakistan's ISI also 
propagandizes, creating doubts in peoples' minds, taking 
advantage of their ignorance. Anyway, he said complaints by 
the Sikhs and Hindus are not true; that all groups are 
permitted to practice whatever beliefs they wish. (NOTE: The 
IRFR notes numerous complaints by these and other religious 
minorities. END NOTE.) 
 
5. (SBU) Salehi was especially passionate on the subject of 
punishment: he said that more punitive measures are needed, 
and that the U.S. should support Shari'a law, which is 
well-suited to an aggressive culture like Afghanistan. He 
said that people here don't respond to soft measures, but 
respond well to methods such as cutting off the hand of a 
thief: only 50 hands might need to be chopped off in order 
for crime to drop. In his view, the current system, based on 
our justice system, offers ineffective deterrents to crime. 
 
6. (SBU) Salehi then raised the issue of Afghans who are 
employed with international organizations: He believes most 
are losing their cultural values by exposure to western 
norms, have abandoned praying, and have taken up alcohol 
consumption. The exception, he believes, are local employees 
of the U.S. Embassy. He noted that the Embassy recently fired 
eight employees suspected of corruption; this action improved 
people's opinion of the U.S. government. 
 
7. (SBU) Poloff asked his view of the Zalmai and Mushtaq 
case. (NOTE: Ahmed Ghous Zalmai and Mullah Qari Mushtaq were 
sentenced to 20 years in prison for publishing a Dari 
translation of the Koran that allegedly contained errors and 
lacked an accompanying Arabic translation for comparison. The 
Supreme Court recently upheld the appeals court verdict. END 
NOTE.) Salehi feels that these men are of such poor character 
that it is a mistake to defend them, and cannot understand 
how the U.S. could support anyone who insults Islam and 
potentially brings harm to 40 million people. Further, he 
said it is his private view that even asking about this case 
constitutes interference with his government. 
 
8. (U) Comment: Despite the negative tone of much of the 
discussion, we parted on positive terms, and he welcomed 
additional meetings with the Americans. Poloff plans to 
follow-up with Salehi and will advise on reaction to the 
report. End Comment. 
EIKENBERRY