In 'Rushing for a result' (February 2010) Rahimullah Yusufzai mentions the London conference's decision to reach out to the moderate Taliban leaders in order to stabilise Afghanistan. This actually amounts to admitting defeat. There are no moderate Taliban in Afghanistan, or Pakistan for that matter. These people are hardened fundamentalists and religious bigots who have no tolerance for dissent, democracy or other faiths and ethnic groups.

Worst of all is Taliban's thinking on women. They treat women as cattle who have to be periodically caned. Taliban are against keeping birds and animals in cages but they will confine their women to the four walls of their homes. Women are not allowed to go out without being accompanied by a male relative. Girls are not allowed education. Girls' schools have been converted into religious seminaries. Female teachers are caned in public. Women are to be covered in a burqa from head to toe. They are not to use cosmetics. There have been instances where women with painted nails have had their fingers chopped off by these male chauvinists from the middle ages.

Are these the people President Obama wants to bring back to power? I think the U.S. administration, and Secretary Hillary Clinton included, should spare a thought for Afghan women and stop dealing with these dyed-in-the-wool elements. If Obama administration were to seek the opinion of Afghan women, Taliban would not be touched with a bargepole, and dealt only with a gun.

Miriam Ross
Mumbai

Chance for Rajapaksa

This refers to the article on Sri Lanka 'The mistrust deepens' (February 2010) by Inder Malhotra. It is true, as the writer notes, that the 'trust deficit between the Sinhalese and Tamils is not going to be easy to bridge.' But by defeating the Tigers and bringing an end to almost three-decade old problem, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has landed himself into a unique opportunity. He can create history now.

With Ltte out of the way, Rajapaksa can truly reach out to the Tamil minority and address their genuine grievances. He can set in motion a reconciliation process that will bring back Tamils into the mainstream. There is no denying the fact that in the 1970s and 1980s the Tamils had found themselves at the receiving hand of the Sinhalese and the minority was discriminated against. In as much as that, the cause that Prabhakaran had taken up was for real and justified. This is why the Ltte was able to garner widespread support so quickly. Ltte lost the battle when it turned into a brute force.

With Tigers out of the way, what remains is the moderate face of Tamils. Not only should they be embraced by the majority, but the Sinhalese must show benevolence in victory and go the extra mile in accommodating the wishes of Tamil moderates.

In this Rajapaksa will need to take the lead. With an overwhelming support at his command, he can put correctives in place to win the hearts and minds of Tamils. That way he will also earn the goodwill of Indian Tamils, helping a friendly Indian government in the process. The war against Ltte brought out the hard face of Rajapaksa. Now is the time to show the world his soft face.

Sattar Qureshi
New Delhi

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