Cease or get destroyed? The politics of a cause
Politics of Cause versus the need of the majority: which should be prioritized? The Taliban's war on mobile phones Civilians angered at insurgent attacks on the phone networks that provide them with a lifeline, writes IWPR. By Matiullah Minapal and Zainullah Stanekzai in Helmand, and Hafizullah Gardesh in Kabul for IWPR (10/03/08) The Taliban are flexing their muscles again in southern Afghanistan, attacking what is undoubtedly the most dynamic sector of the economy - mobile phone companies. Over the past week, four transmission masts belonging to different phone companies have been destroyed – two from the country's largest service provider, Roshan, one belonging to its close competitor the Afghan Wireless Communications Company (AWCC) and one owned by the relative newcomer Areeba. The attacks have taken place in Kandahar and Helmand provinces, where the Taliban have their stronghold and hold down large swathes of the countryside. But in targeting mobile networ...