Fieldnotes on Humanity

------------- The Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) will complete thousands of small reconstruction projects across the country under the National Solidarity Programme. Minister for Rural Rehabilitation and Development Mohammad Hanif Atmar told Media on Thursday that as many as 8,300 projects costing $100 million and being executed in 33 different provinces would be completed soon. He added the National Solidarity Programme largely focused on potable water schemes, irrigation plans, building schools, upgrading the power system and road construction. In response to a query, the minister claimed locals had been consulted on which projects suited them best. The schemes under the National Solidarity Programme were initiated in line with suggestions floated by residents and in deference to their genuine requirements. In all, Atmar pointed out, 25,000 villages would benefit from the 18-month-old programme, which would run for another three years. But the reconstruction ...

--------- President Hamid Karzai inaugurated a military compound costing $70 millions in the southeastern city of Gardez, capital of the Paktia province. The huge compound for the Army Corps No 203 is spread over a 1.5 kilometer area can house as many as 4,500 soldiers. The president assured armed forces of all possible facilities, hoping they would measure up to the security challenge. Corps Commander Rahmatullah Raufi told to Media the project was financed with part of $250 million assistance pledged by the US for the provision of facilities to Afghan army around. Tribal elders and governors of Khost, Paktia and Paktika also met with President Karzai and briefed him on the situation prevailing in their provinces. Paktia Governor Hakim Taniwal informed this news agency that Karzai himself paid a visit to the newly-built army headquarters and joined soldiers for lunch.

A US soldier, believed to be dead, went missing when a military vehicle skidded off the road and fell into river in the eastern Kunar province on Monday. A statement released from US Bagram airbase on Tuesday said the incident occurred in the Paich Darra district. Other soldiers traveling in the Humvee remained unscathed. Search has been launched to recover the missing soldier but no clue has been found so far, says the statement. Snow has begun fast melting due to the recent rise in mercury causing overflow in rivers and their tributaries all over the country.

-------------------- Love your Kabul

---------- Freedom of _Expression in Afghanistan can be seen from two different points of view. If we consider the current realities of Afghanistan as a mega picture, freedom of _expression will have but only a niche in it. A closer look will prove that such a freedom is associated with a range of factors and parameters. Authorities' vision is quite dissimilar to the opinion of those liberals who have the experience of media undertaking. The State has formulated the rules of mass media in which freedom of _expression has significantly been safeguarded. But, the implementation of such rules would be highly difficult. The culture of tolerance of opponents has not become institutionalized. There have a number of instances in which the 'official' guardians of freedom of _expression have not tolerated criticism of their deeds. The most important evidence, showing lack of freedom of _expression and its representation in Afghanistan, is apparently unknown groups that can be terme...

---------- Congratulation to all Afghan Bloggers, I have a good news today. Yesterday, I heard an Afghan Blogger Sohrab Kabuli the owner of http://kabul2.blogsky.com (Notes from Kabul) among among 60 blogs from International selected the best blog for defending the Freedom Expression. This will be a good news for those Afghan who are defending the Freedom expression and censorships. This also would be a good news for encouraging Afghan youths to join in Blog world. The thing which is very new in Afghan society it gives an idea to move for their developments. Reporters Without Borders selected around 60 blogs that, each in their own way, defend freedom of expression. The organisation then asked Internet-users to vote for the prize-winners - one in each geographical category. More information about the Blog awards . After two months of voting, here are the results : ASIA Screenshots www.jeffooi.com Country: Malaysia Language: English AFRICA AND MIDDLE Shared Pains http://kabul2.blogsk...

------- “It is not a good idea” said Angelina Jolie, pretty Hollywood star and goodwill ambassador for the UNHCR. She was expressing her reaction over the idea of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to relocate the Afghan refugee camps out of Pakistan back into Afghanistan. Angelina, who was in Pakistan on a four day mission to focus world attention toward the hundred thousands of Afghan refugees, feared that moving of the refugees from Pakistan to Afghanistan would add the people’s suffering.Angelina Jolie is one of those female film stars who used to rule over the hearts of millions of the male spectators of Hollywood Movies. She is quite extraordinary as she made her first screen debut at the age of five, alongside her father in the Hal Ashby-directed comedy “Looking to Get Out”. She was 16 when she struck out on her own finding work as a professional model in London, New York and Los Angeles and appearing in music videos for the likes of Meatloaf, the Lemonheads, Lenny Kravitz and...

On Monday, a suicide car bombing in the city of Kandahar killed five US soldiers. This was the second of such attacks in as many weeks. Although Afghanistani and US officials insisted that only five soldiers were injured in the latest in a string of assaults in the former Taliban stronghold, independent sources claimed five American soldiers were killed in the bombing of the convoy on the Kandahar – Heart Highway. Mohammad Ayub Salangi, the chief of police for the province, said the attack, which involved a taxi driven and crashed into the coalition forces. He added it was a suicide bombing that left the attacker’s body blown to pieces. But the US-led coalition force’s spokesperson in Kabul, Cindy Moore, said only four soldiers had been wounded in the attack. The Taliban, on the other hand, claimed that at least 10 people were killed in the blast. Their spokesman spoke to the Media News Agency and claimed responsibility for the attack. Wherever the casualty figure, the result is more k...

------------ Four US troops were killed when a suicide bomber drove an explosive-packed car into an American military convoy in the troubled southern Kandahar province on Monday. Afghan and US officials insisted only five soldiers were injured in the latest in a string of assaults in the former Taliban stronghold, but independent sources claimed five American soldiers were killed in the bombing of the convoy on the Kandahar-Herat Highway. Provincial police chief Mohammad Ayub Salangi said to Media the attack - involving a taxi car crashed into the coalition forces' convoy - took place near the mausoleum of Mir Wais Baba. He added it was a suicide bombing that left the attacker's body blown to pieces. Salangi continued the injured were shifted to hospital before his arrival on the spot. "I have unconfirmed reports that five soldiers have been killed," he informed. But coalition forces' spokeswoman in Kabul Cindy Moore said only four soldiers had been wounded in the...

------ Archeologists have discovered an ancient town in the Nirk district of the central Wardak province. The town, as old as 200 AD, has been unearthed in Alghata Hill at Dadil village, 50 kilometres west of here. The town is spread over about one and half kilometre area, provincial authorities informed. Zalmai Mayar, head of the provincial Information and Culture Department, has mentioned to media that the historical site was unearthed on May 24 as a result of a joint survey launched by the UNICSO, Afghanistan Archeology Institute and French Embassy in 2003. "Forty-five workers took part in the excavation following the discovery of the town," Mayar said, adding walls were engraved with different kinds of paintings. He reckoned it would take about six months to fully unearth the site. He said 19 of the 40 surveys carried out in different parts of the country had proved successful thus far while chances of discovery of more archeological sites were bright

----- Italian aid worker Clementina Cantoni was set free by her kidnapper late Thursday night and handed over to Italian Embassy officials in Kabul. Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalali told a clutch of hard-nosed journalists at 10.10pm: "We are glad announcing that her release has finally been secured after long-drawn-out negotiations." He thanked the Afghan people including religious scholars, widows and tribal elders for their support in realizing the objective. "Throughout the whole episode, we preferred peaceful means of resolving the crisis with a view to ensuring the hostage's safety." Cantoni also spoke to her parents, friends and family members following her release, the minister said, assuring the government was determined to stone-wall such incidents in future. "Clinging to our policy we have made no concessions at all, much less pay ransom, to criminals," Jalali asserted, reiterating all possible measures would be taken to block a repeat of s...

Female aid workers in Pul-e-Khumri city in Baghlan province have been advised to stay at home after three women were found hanged by the neck on Monday morning in the centre of the city. The bodies had a letter attached threatening women working for foreign aid organisations, according to local sources. One of the three was identified as being involved with the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) and the second was a local civil servant .The third remains unidentified according to Baghlan deputy governor, Daulat Mohammad Rafee, said to Media.

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------------- Scores of people including the Kabul police chief were killed and wounded in a massive suicide bombing in the southern Kandahar city Wednesday morning, witnesses and security officials said. The bomb went off with a big bang inside the Abdul Rab Akhunzada Mosque at 9:00am when a large number of people including senior government officials were performing qul for the Kandahar Ulema Council leader Mullah Abdullah Fayyaz. Giving an eyewitness account, Mohammad Essa told Pajhwok Afghan News Kabul police chief Gen. Mohammad Akram Khakrezwal, widely respected for his commitment to boosting security in the Afghan capital city, was among the fatalities. Khakrezwal had gone to the Taliban stronghold to participate in the soyem for the pro-government religious scholar, who was gunned down by two unidentified motorcyclists in the increasingly shambolic city on Sunday. Although the killing of Khakrezwal is yet to be confirmed officially, a knowledgeable source in the Interior Ministr...

----- Police had arrested 19 people for allegedly bombing Baghlan-based Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), which left two Dutch soldiers injured on Thursday.

------- Yesterday on 26th May, two Dutch soldiers were wounded when a roadside bomb went off in the northern Baghlan province on Thursday. The bomb was planted on the Pul-i-Khumri -Kunduz Highway. The wounded soldiers were part of the Provincial Re-construction Team (PRT) working under the NATO-led international peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan. Still ther is now clear news from this incident but eyewitnesses said they heard a big bang and saw the soldiers' vehicle aflame. As far as Karzai had an speach to Afghan Official for forgiving the Taliban leaders Mullah Mohammad Omar + Gulbidin Hikamtiar ( a Islamic fundamentalist leader). Talian increased thier atacks in highways and remote areas even for innocent people, they call them guilty to have help with government.

-------------------- Vote for the first Afghan Blogger! -------------------- An Afghan blogger who blogs from inside Afghanistan is selected to International competition of Freedom Blog Awards in RSF. Reporters Without Borders is calling on Internet-users to vote online for award-winners from among 60 blogs defending freedom of expression. There are six categories: Africa and the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, Europe, Iran and International: http://www.globenet.org/rsf/voteblog.php?cat=&lang=en Blogs have become significant sources of news for millions of Internet-users. blogs can relay comments, articles and opinions that are not necessarily broadcasted by the major media. Although, weblogs are not a major medium of communication in Afghanistan but this demonstrates Afghans endeavor for freedom. Sohrab Kabuli (Pen name) http://kabuli.org has paid heavily for free expression . Please take a moment and register your vote here: To Vote: http://www.globenet.org/rsf/voteblog.ph...

----------- Six Afghan aid workers were shot dead by suspected Taliban militants Thursday on the Kabul- Kandahar highway in the southern province of Zabul, when they were transporting a body of a man who was killed in neighbouring Helmand a day before. Zabul governer said to media that this atack was from Taliban. Officials have not as yet released the identity of the people killed in either incidents or the aid group they were working for. The attack comes a day after three engineers, working for a US funded anti-drugs project in Nad Ali district of Helmand province, their driver and a policeman were ambushed and killed by suspected Taliban militia. Officials added that the workers were involved in providing agricultural incentives to poppy farmer’s in the highest poppy yielding region in Afghanistan. The bodies of the five people were transferred to hospital in Kalat city.

------ Still no sign of Italian relief worker kidnapped in Afghan capital KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Four armed men dragged an Italian woman working for CARE International from her car in the center of Afghanistan's capital on Monday in a bold kidnapping that reinforced fears that militants or criminals are copying tactics used in Iraq. The kidnapping followed warnings from security agencies that foreigners might be targeted in response to the arrest of a suspect in the kidnappings of three U.N. election workers last year. A group of "thieves" claimed responsibility for the abduction of aid worker Clementina Cantoni, 32, said Gen. Jamil Jumbesh, head of the Interior Ministry's anti-terror division. He declined to say whether the group had made demands or give other details. "Four men carrying Kalashnikovs bashed in the window of her car and took her away. They told the driver not to move or he would be shot," said CARE's director, Paul Barker. The driver ...

----------------- Hello! Finally i overcame to XML codes. I was trying to find out how to remove the Nave bar. I really did not like to observe the Nave bar although i respect for Blogger service and did not remove the Blogger sign in the right side of my blog. If anyone need help for teachniclly to remove this things i hope to help him. (:

------------- Twenty-three combatants and two American Marines were killed in a fierce gun-battle in the eastern province of Laghman, the US military said on Monday. The fatalities took place Sunday evening when the Marines - backed by warplanes - clashed with a group of 25 militants in a Laghman area, 50 kilometer northwest of Jalalabad, the military said in a press release issued here earlier. US spokesman Col. James Yonts, without revealing as to how many suffered injuries in the intense fighting, put the death toll for the fighters at a dozen and said two Marines were also shot dead in the five-hour fight. But a revised statement released to the media later in the day explained the Marines, after receiving intelligence, rushed to the area to flush out the rebels hiding there. As the soldiers maneuvered toward the insurgents, they came under attack with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. During the course of the fighting lasting five hours, the statement claimed, the fighters...

Hello to all. I am sorry for not updating this page. I was not in Kabul and did not have access to the Internet. I went to remote area to visit a few friends who are working for a local radio station. I just opened this page now and realized, through page meter which counts numbers of visitors, that I have to regularly post things here, will do it regularly from now on.

On Friday a father killed his 18-year old son in the northern province of Baghlan on when he was drunk. Ghulam Dastageer, a senior police official in told to Media that 18-year old Gul Hussain died after he was seriously wounded by his father who shot him in the stomach. Hussain died at home after being brought home from the hospital where he was treated for his injuries. "Evidence points to the fact that Shah Hussain, the father, a commander of the former armoured division no 20 was behind the killing." He didn’t elaborate but said they would investigate the case after traditional mourning ceremony was over. Neighbors and friends of the boy who all refused to be quoted insisted that the father had killed the boy. However hospital officials in the capital of Pul e Khumri city quoted the father as saying that his son was mistakenly shot when he was cleaning his gun. Shah Hussain still carries arms and is escorted by his personal body guards despite being disarmed by the Disarm...

The southeastern city of Gardiz, the capital of Paktia province will have its first airport for civilian and military flights within three months. This Funded by the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS), the airport will be constructed at a cost of $370,000. An airport terminal will be constructed and the road leading upto it will be widened from the current five meters to 10 metres to make space for the additional traffic So far, most of the people who wanted to fly to Arab countries preferred Pakistan than Kabul due to many problems relating to flights from Kabul.

A top military commander of US-led coalition forces, claiming several senior Taliban leaders were in talks with them, warned on Saturday of a surge in militant attacks. According to Barno, the moderate camp is willing to join the ongoing national reconciliation effort initiated by President Hamid Karzai - trying to map a route to stability in his country. "In coming six to nine months, the radical Taliban will increase their militant activity to make their presence felt in the media," said the commander, who voiced optimism the former ruling militia would lose much of its strength in a year. ------------------ Local police arrested an attacker who shot injured a man in this eastern provincial capital city yesterday. The assailant, Ghulam Ahmad, pumped four bullets into Gul Saeed from Kunar at an intersection in Jalalabad the people who were witnessing the incident said this to media. Dr. Almas Sherzad said Gul Saeed had been administered medical aid, and that he has received ...

Work on a three-way gas pipeline project, long delayed by security concerns, will get under way in December Construction work on the $3.2 billion project, carrying Turkmenistan's natural gas to Pakistan via Afghanistan, would begin by the close of the current year, Mines Minister Eng. Mir Mohammad said yesterday in a press conference. Completion of the project would take almost three years, he said, adding the meeting in Pakistan's capital city that concluded on Wednesday, discussed the security situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan's growing energy needs and Turkmenistan's willingness to export the gas. Ministry advisor, the pipeline will have a length of 1700 kilometer and a diameter of 56 inches. About a 750-km portion of the pipeline will run cross Afghanistan.

Yesterday local news confirmed that Taliban had killed a senior irrigation department official, who was kidnapped one day earlier. The person whom killed named Sirajuddin. He was kidnapped from his residence located outside of Mosa Qalal an area in the south. Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Latif Hakimi said he was unaware of the kidnapping. Recently Taliban moving around quickly to ignore the security in the region in one hand but In another hand Karzai and his Cabinet are trying to talk to Taliban to bring them back to government to give them rights and security. But, people among this deal are very scared and afraid to see the Taliban with their white turban in capital street. The Taliban who killed the innocent people and left an objectionable face to people. In the other side, groups and parties are getting movement to tackle the Karzai government. That is very silly when Yonous Qanoni an opposites Karzai government pointed yesterday in Afghan TV that "Karzai's government i...