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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 3 June 2022
Afghan Taliban launch campaign to eradicate poppy crop

By ABDUL KHALIQ Helmand is the heartland
WASHIR, Afghanistan (AP) of poppy cultivation in Af-
— Afghanistan’s Taliban ghanistan. It appeared
rulers have begun a cam- the new eradication cam-
paign to eradicate poppy paign was targeting mainly
cultivation, aiming to wipe those who planted their
out the country’s massive crops after the ban was
production of opium and announced. Many others
heroin, even as farmers who had planted earlier
fear their livelihoods will be succeeded in harvesting,
ruined at a time of growing going from plant to plant,
poverty. slicing the poppy’s bulb,
On a recent day in Washir then scooping up the sap
district in southern Helmand that oozes out, the raw ma-
province, armed Taliban terial for opium.
fighters stood guard as a Akhund, the deputy interior
tractor tore up a field of minister, said the Taliban
poppies. The field’s owner were in touch with other
stood nearby, watching. governments and non-gov-
The Taliban, who took pow- ernmental organizations to
er in Afghanistan more than work out alternative crops
nine months ago, issued an for farmers.
edict in early April banning Interior Ministry spokes-
poppy cultivation through- man Abdul Nafi Takor said
out the country. Taliban eradicate a poppy field in Washir, district of Helmand province, Afghanistan, Sunday, May the eradication campaign
29, 2022.
Those violating the ban Associated Press will take place across the
“will be arrested and tried country. “We are commit-
according to Sharia laws past 20 years despite bil- Taliban takeover. Most of “If we are not allowed to ted to bringing poppy culti-
in relevant courts,” the Tal- lions of dollars spent by the the population struggles to cultivate this crop, we will vation to zero,” he told the
iban deputy interior min- U.S. trying to stop poppy afford food, and the coun- not earn anything,” he said AP.
ister for counternarcotics, cultivation. But the ban will try has been suffering under of his poppies. It’s not known how many
Mullah Abdul Haq Akhund, likely strike a heavy blow its worst drought in years. Day laborers can earn up- poppies were planted this
told The Associated Press in to millions of impoverished Noor Mohammed, who wards of $300 a month season, how much was
Helmand’s provincial capi- farmers and day laborers owns one poppy field in harvesting opium from the harvested and how many
tal, Lashkar Gah. who rely on proceeds from Washir that was torn apart poppies. Villagers often rely fields the Taliban have
Afghanistan is the world’s the crop to survive. The ban by Taliban tractors, said on the promise of the up- eradicated so far.
biggest opium producer comes as Afghanistan’s his plot of land is small and coming poppy harvest to But Afghanistan’s pro-
and a major source for her- economy has collapsed, lacks water, so he can’t sur- borrow money for staples duction has steadily risen,
oin in Europe and Asia. Pro- cut off from international vive by growing less profit- such as flour, sugar, cook- reaching new heights ev-
duction spiraled over the funding in the wake of the able crops. ing oil and heating oil. ery year in recent years. q

Jerusalem holds annual Pride Parade

despite threats

By ISAAC SCHARF lice said. threats to an organizer of
JERUSALEM (AP) — Thou- Police could be seen de- the parade and to several
sands of people attended ployed on nearby rooftops members of parliament
the annual Jerusalem Pride and a police helicopter who support LGBTQ rights.
Parade on Thursday amid hovered overhead. The po- The police provided no fur-
heavy protection by Is- lice said they arrested two ther details.
raeli police, who arrested suspects with batons, tear “We will not allow the Pride
three people suspected of gas and gloves in their car Parade to take place in Je-
threatening the event. who were heading to the rusalem, the holy city. Shira
Past years have seen reli- parade area. Banki’s fate awaits you,”
gious radicals attack par- In 2015, an Israeli man read the threat sent to lib- Thousands of people march under heavy security in the annual
ticipants. stabbed 16-year-old Shira eral Labor party lawmaker Pride Parade, in Jerusalem, Thursday, June 2, 2022.
Jerusalem is home to a Banki to death and wound- and longtime LGBTQ-rights Associated Press
large ultra-Orthodox Jewish ed several others at the supporter Gilad Kariv.
community and other con- Jerusalem Pride Parade; Some members of Israel’s government would con- and even killed. Members
servative religious groups, he had recently been re- ultra-religious community sider designating Lehava a of the LGBTQ community
and many residents op- leased for a similar attack oppose the parade, homo- terrorist organization for af- serve openly in Israel’s mili-
pose the event. on parade participants in sexuality, and LGBTQ rights, filiation with the late Rabbi tary and parliament, and
The Jerusalem parade is 2005. The attack was wide- and say the event should Meir Kahane and his vio- many popular artists and
much smaller than the ly condemned across Isra- not take place in the holy lent, anti-Arab ideology. entertainers as well as the
yearly festivities in the more el’s political spectrum. city. A far-right anti-LGBTQ Israel has emerged as a country’s current health
liberal Tel Aviv, Israel’s com- Earlier Thursday, police said group, Lehava, usually major gay-friendly travel minister are openly gay.
mercial hub on the Medi- they had apprehended a stages a counter-protest destination in recent years, But leaders of the LGBTQ
terranean Sea. Up to 7,000 21-year-old European citi- nearby. in sharp contrast with the community say Israel has a
people attended the Jeru- zen residing in Jerusalem Earlier this week, Israel’s rest of the region, where long way to go to promote
salem march this year, po- on suspicion of sending defense minister said the gays are often persecuted equality.q