Xinhua02/29/2004By [Printer Friendly Version]
KABUL - Four more ladies have immolated themselves in western Afghanistan over the last three days, a Kabul-based independent daily reported Sunday.
"Despite government and humanitarian agencies' efforts four more cases of self-immolation have been reported in Heart province," Erada reported.
All the victims, the daily said, were young girls and the reason behind the motivation has yet to be known.
However, the daily cited humanitarian aid workers who blamed the recently imposed restrictions on women by Heart's governor Ismael Khan for self-burning.
"Harsh restrictions against women are the main cause behind women's self-immolation," Erada quoted Mrs. Gulcharan as saying. No government official was available to comment on the issue.
Heart's strongman Ismael Khan has banned lady singers on television, closed beauty parlor as well as women tailoring in hisown administered areas.