Post by Bozur on Jan 13, 2006 2:54:36 GMT -5
What you can and cannot do in a strict Islamic society
Word for Word | When in Afghanistan
A Man Does Not Ask a Man About His Wife
By ERIC SCHMITT
Published: January 8, 2006
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan
Shah Marai/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
PLAYBOOK "Show kindness to children," soldiers are told.
FOR the United States military here, there is the daily fight against Taliban rebels and there is perhaps the even more challenging task of winning the trust and confidence of the Afghan people.
So when American soldiers burned the bodies of two dead Taliban fighters in a village near here in October and then used their charred and smoking corpses in an impromptu propaganda campaign against the insurgents and their sympathizers, senior commanders and Pentagon officials scrambled to head off a backlash against the United States in the Islamic world.
Two junior officers who had the bodies burned for what they said were hygienic reasons were reprimanded for showing a lack of cultural and religious understanding. The operational commander in Afghanistan, Maj. Gen. Jason K. Kamiya, said the officers had been unaware that Islamic tenets banned cremation and considered the burning of human bodies to be a desecration.
Two noncommissioned officers who used a loudspeaker to harangue nearby Taliban militants while standing over the bodies were also disciplined.
American forces receive some cultural sensitivity training before arriving here, but with new troops rotating through every 7 to 12 months, the instruction can be spotty and inconsistent.
In an effort to prevent incidents like the body burnings, the military command here has distributed cultural sensitivity cards to the 19,000 American troops in Afghanistan. Each wallet-size card is a laminated, fold-up guide of cultural dos and don'ts. The military distributed similar cards in Iraq last year. Excerpts from the Afghanistan version follow.
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Death and Burial
-A non-Muslim must not perform the burial rites for a dead Muslim.
-One should not allow the remains to be eaten by birds or animals.
-One should not remove the clothes of a Muslim including a Muslim fighter K.I.A. (killed in action).
-One should not allow the remains to be left unburied beyond 72 hours at a maximum.
-In the event that no one claims the remains after three days, consider what course of action would be most respectful of the dead and Muslim sensibilities. You may put the remains in a plastic body bag.
Islam and Prayer
-Treat the Koran as a sacred book by handling it with utmost respect. (The Koran is usually wrapped in an attractive cloth and put in a high, prominent position in the home.)
-Respect such religious objects as prayer rugs and prayer beads.
-Respect those at prayer by not playing music or making noise during prayer time.
-Do not walk in front of someone at prayer.
-Remove your shoes when visiting a mosque when on any official tour approved by military authorities and the host nation.
-Do not initiate religious discussions or judge the beliefs and practices of Muslims. Do not enter into debates about religion.
-Absolutely do not proselytize.
-Do not ask a Muslim if he is a Sunni or Shiite.
-Interest in Islam can best be shown by simply listening to any Muslim informant.
-Refrain from derogatory comments about any religion.
-Do not call an Afghan "Hajji," "Mullah," or "Akhund" unless it is a known honorific of the person in question.
Searching and Questioning
-Identify, show respect to and communicate with elders. Work with elders to accomplish your mission.
-When searching houses or compounds put at least one elder with the women of his household.
-Do not unnecessarily humiliate men by forcing them onto the ground in front of their families.
-Males must not touch or search women. Only female soldiers or police may search women.
-Males may never ask a man about his wife, daughters or sisters. Females can.
-Do not yell or use profanity. It is a sign of weakness, poor upbringing and lack of discipline.
Manners and Gestures
-Use common courtesy: say "please" (lutfan) and "thank you" (tushakor), address women as "mother" (mader) or "sister" (khwahar), and address elders as "sir" (agha sahib).
-When entering a room full of men shake hands and greet everyone. When you do not recognize a person, he will feel slighted.
-When offered a seat of honor, decline graciously and accept only when offered again.
-If someone brings you a chair to sit on, accept it even if you would rather stand. He is honoring you.
-Do not argue, but strive for consensus. Majority rule is not the norm for solving issues or problems.
-When a guest do not focus complimentary comments on your host's possessions as he/she will feel culturally obligated to give them to you. Do not, for example, over-compliment the quality of needlework, rugs, pictures, etc., in the host's home.
-Do not stare at women, touch them or try to shake a woman's hand (unless she extends her hand first).
-Do not react negatively if Afghan men kiss, embrace or hold hands. This is polite behavior in Afghan society.
-Show kindness to children. You may praise them by saying, "In the name of God. ..." (naam-i-Khuda. ...)
-Speak about your families. Afghans like to know you have them.
Food, Drink and Dress
-If you are eating something, offer to share.
-Eat with your right hand as much as possible.
-When visiting a home or office, if someone brings you hot tea and snacks, accept graciously.
-If a stranger offers you food, say "No, thank you" and only accept if he continues to offer the item.
-Do not offer Afghans/Muslims pork or shellfish products.
-Do not drink alcoholic beverages in front of Afghans/Muslims. General Order No. 1 prohibits alcohol.
-Dress modestly. Do not wear shorts. Men should not go shirtless.
-Do not show the soles of your shoes to Afghans. Tuck your feet under you legs. ...
Miscellany
-When purchasing items in the bazaar, bargain with the vendor. You lose respect when you pay exorbitant prices.
-Do not display sexually explicit pictures.