TALIBAN CONDEMN PINK BALLOONS PROJECT

Kabul, 18 Rajab 1434/28 May 2013 (MINA) – The Taliban group in Afghanistan following a statement condemned the art project for distribution of 10,000 pink balloons and called it an act to break culture of hijab in Afghanistan.

The article written by Qari Habib and publish Monday in Taliban group website added that the event encouraged un-Islamic behaviour and criticized the art project in which 10,000 pink balloons were given away for free in Kabul.

Taliban titled the article “Was it a ballon show or a mini-skirts show?” and called it another trick to promote Western values among the young Afghan generation.

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Qari Habib in his article accused the West for using different techniques to promote their culture in Afghanistan.

He said that both boys and girls were in western-style outfit while distributing the balloons, and some girls were without headscarves, tight jeans and tops and even mini-skirts, Khaama Press quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

“We Believe In Balloons” project

The event Saturday was organized by Yazmany Arboleda, the New York based Colombian-American artist. Similar balloon projects in Nairobi in Kenya, Bangalore in India and Yamaguchi in Japan, The Express Tribune in Pakistan reports.

More than 100 young Afghan artists—filmmakers, painters, musicians, photographers and crafters of traditional arts— are participated in the event to workers, shoppers and families living in the dusty capital. Each balloon contains a written message of peace from volunteers around the world.

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The timing of the event, which had been kept secret, came just hours after Taliban militants had launched a major suicide and gun attack on a compound of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in central Kabul.

At distribution points in the city centre beginning at 07:00 am, adults were given one balloon each and encouraged to keep them until the end of the day.

But Haji Mohammad Khan, 62, selling bananas on the street, dismissed the idea, saying: “What’s the benefit of this? It is not going to help bring peace here.”

Called “We Believe In Balloons”, the event was paid for by individuals and groups around the world sponsoring each balloon for $1. (T/P09/E1).

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).