NEWS RELEASES
MANLEY CONDEMNS TALIBAN IDENTIFICATION OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
May 24, 2001 (12:30 p.m. EDT) No. 67
MANLEY CONDEMNS TALIBAN IDENTIFICATION OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley today announced that Canada was deeply disturbed by reports of a Taliban proposal
that would force religious minorities in Afghanistan to wear special identification on their clothing.
"I am shocked by these reports -- discrimination on the basis of religion is abhorrent and is an affront to values held by all
Canadians," said Mr. Manley. "I hope that the Taliban will come to its senses and not implement this terrible edict."
Minister Manley underscored that Canada's High Commission in Islamabad was raising this issue with Taliban diplomats
in Pakistan, and with senior officials of the Pakistani Foreign Ministry who have regular contact with Taliban authorities.
The Taliban is a fundamentalist Islamic political movement, headquartered in Kandahar, Afghanistan, that exercises de
facto control over approximately 90 percent of the country's territory. It refers to its government as the "Islamic Emirate of
Afghanistan." Canada has not had diplomatic relations with Afghanistan since 1979.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Sanjeev Chowdhury
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
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