The UNESCO chief denounced the plunder of the Bamiyan Buddhas: “It is abominable to witness the cold and calculated destruction ofcultural properties which were the heritage of the Afghan people, and, indeed, of the whole of humanity.” Meanwhile, the people ofAfghanistan are facing unprecedented upheaval. Decades of war have brought widespread death and economic devastation. The Taliban haveimposed an extreme interpretation of militant Islamic law that including severe restrictions on women. And this year, a major drought hasadded to the country’s woes and the flow of refugees.

Tape:

• Sahar Saba, from the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA). E-mail: rawa@rawa.org