AFGHANISTAN - May 22 - Taliban Plans Identity Tags For Hindus.

The Taliban's Minister of Religious Police Mohammed Wali says Hindus will be required to wear an identity label on their clothing to distinguish them from Muslims. He says: "The decision is in line with Islam. Religious minorities living in an Islamic state must be identified". The law will also make it mandatory for Hindu women to veil themselves, just like Muslim women of Afghanistan. The edict prompted an angry statement from Hindu-dominated India. An Indian Foreign Ministry official said: "We absolutely deplore such orders, which patently discriminate against minorities. It is further evidence of the backward and unacceptable ideological underpinning of the Taliban". It is unclear whether foreigners living in Afghanistan would be required to wear the identity label. There are at least 5,000 Hindus in Kabul. Thousands of Hindus live in other Afghan cities. The decision can further isolate the orthodox Islamic militia, already under fire from the West over accusations of discriminatory policies towards ethnic and religious minorities, human rights abuses and poor treatment of women. But Wali says criticism would not make the Taliban withdraw the edict. He adds the new law will be meant only for Hindus because there are no Christians or Jews in Afghanistan. Sikhs can be easily recognised by their turbans, so there is no need for them to wear an identity mark. Sec.-Gen. of Islamic Party Munawaar Hasan says the move seems aimed to give protection to Hindus. He says: "The Taliban should win praise for this step. Providing protection to religious minorities is a must in any Islamic country and this step seems in line with this concept". But Anar, an Afghan Hindu in Kabul, said he did not want to wear a label identifying him. "It will make us vulnerable and degrade our position in the society". (The Taliban follow a harsh version of Islam that bars women from most jobs and education, and makes it mandatory for men to wear beards and to pray five times a day. All light entertainment, including television and music, is outlawed. The Taliban drew worldwide criticism in March when they destroyed two ancient statues of Buddha in central Bamiyan. Most of the Islamic world, including pro-Taliban Pakistan, differ with the Taliban's narrow interpretation of Islam and say it is tarnishing the faith's image. The Taliban face UN sanctions for giving protection to a Saudi billionaire expatriate, Osama Bin Laden, wanted by Washington for allegedly running a global terrorist network. The Taliban say the US has no evidence linking him to terrorism).