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DATE=9/4/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238162
TITLE=AMNESTY / AFGHAN (L ONLY)
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  THE HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HAS CHARGED 
THAT TALEBAN FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN SLAUGHTERED THOUSANDS OF 
ETHNIC HAZARAS IN MAZAR-I-SHARIF AFTER CAPTURING THE CITY LAST 
MONTH.  AMNESTY SAYS TEN IRANIAN DIPLOMATS AND AN IRANIAN 
JOURNALIST ALSO WERE REPORTED KILLED.  AND, IT SAYS THE CITY HAS 
BEEN SEALED OFF TO FOREIGN MEDIA AND INDEPENDENT OBSERVERS.  
V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN HAS MORE FROM LONDON.
TEXT:  THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT SAYS THE MASSACRE  IN 
MAZAR-I-SHARIF TOOK PLACE ON AUGUST EIGHTH.  THE TALEBAN HAS 
DENIED THE ACCUSATION BUT AMNESTY SAYS ITS REPORT IS BASED ON 
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS.  MOST OF THE VICTIMS WERE HAZARA SHIITE 
MUSLIMS -- A MINORITY COMMUNITY IN MOSTLY SUNNI AFGHANISTAN.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHER ABBAS FAIZ SAYS THE TALEBAN 
ORDERED A CURFEW AFTER TAKING CONTROL OF MAZAR-I-SHARIF AND LATER
SEPARATED MEMBERS OF THE SHIITE HAZARA COMMUNITY.  MOST OF THE 
MEN WERE KILLED.  YOUNG WOMEN WERE TAKEN AWAY TO BE MARRIED OFF 
TO TALEBAN MILITIA. 
                       ///  FAIZ ACT  ///
         THEY VERY METICULOUSLY ESTABLISHED THE ETHNIC IDENTITY 
         THAT THEY ARRESTED.  THOSE WHO WERE  NOT  HAZARAS WERE 
         RELEASED AFTER TWO TO THREE DAYS.  THOSE WHO WERE 
         HAZARAS, SOME OF THEM WERE TRANSFERRED TO OTHER 
         DETENTION CENTERS, AND A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF THEM WERE 
         TAKEN OUT IN THE NIGHT IN THE FIELDS IN THE SURROUNDING 
         AREAS.  AND THEY WERE EXECUTED.
                        ///  END ACT  ///
/// OPT /// MR. FAIZ SAYS IT IS THE LARGEST ATTACK SO FAR ON THE 
HAZARA MINORITY. 
                       ///  FAIZ ACT  ///
         THIS IS BY  NO  MEANS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE ETHNIC 
         HAZARA HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES.  BUT 
         THE SCALE OF THIS ONE IS JUST COLOSSAL COMPARED TO 
         PREVIOUS ONES.
               ///  END ACT  ///   /// END OPT ///
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ACCUSES THE TALEBAN OF VIOLATING 
INTERNATIONALLY-RECONIZED HUMANITARIAN LAWS ON THE TREATMENT OF 
CIVILIANS IN ARMED CONFLICT.
MR. FAIZ SAYS EYE WITNESSES ALSO REPORTED THE KILLING OF TEN 
IRANIAN DIPLOMATS AND AN IRANIAN JOURNALIST WHO WERE AT THE 
IRANIAN CONSULATE IN THE TOWN WHEN THE TALEBAN FORCES ATTACKED.
                       ///  FAIZ ACT  ///
         A LOT OF PEOPLE WHOM WE HAVE INTERVIEWED HAVE ACTUALLY 
         WITNESSED THE BURIAL OF THE IRANIAN DIPLOMATS AND THE 
         JOURNALIST.
                        ///  END ACT  ///
REPORTS OF THE DEATH OF THE IRANIAN DIPLOMATS COINCIDE WITH 
MASSIVE IRANIAN MILITARY EXERCISES ALONG ITS BORDER WITH 
AFGHANISTAN.  IRAN'S SHIITE LEADERSHIP HAS  NOT  HIDDEN ITS 
OPPOSITION TO THE TALEBAN AND HAS OFTEN WARNED THAT THE CONFLICT 
IN AFHGANISTAN THREATENS NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.  (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/JWH
04-Sep-98 8:35 AM EDT (1235 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.