Hungry Afghans observe Islamic fasting month

KABUL, Dec 12 (AFP) - Afghans are observing the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan with empty stomachs, but firm beliefs.

This third pillar of Islam is strictly observed here, though most of the capital's 1.2 million impoverished population are either hungry or just live on bread and tea or piawa, a soup of onions and ghee.

"The people cannot even earn plain bread for their families. There is no business or income," said Sayed Sulaiman, a shopkeeper in the Zer Zamini area of downtown Kabul.

In this main grocery market of the city, shelves are full of a variety of goods, while pushcarts offer quality fruits, vegetables and nuts.

"There are plenty of goods around because the people have lost their purchasing power," he said.

During Ramadan, which began in Afghanistan last Thursday, Muslims are forbidden from eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset.

Qari Abdul Salam, a customer buying only 100 grams of sugar and 200 grams of ghee, said his family had not eaten meat for two years.

"During this holy month, you have to eat better food in order to save some energy for your daily activities," he said.

Mohammad Nazar, another shopkeeper, said the main problem faced by residents was in buying their staple wheat flour, which has recently doubled in price.

However, poverty and hardship have not shaken the residents' firm religious beliefs in Kabul, where mosques have started special prayers and holy Koran recitation prgrammes.

"Every thing is decided by God, the Almighty -- being poor, rich, hungry or well-fed," Salam said.

Mohammad Yusuf, an Afghan civil servant who goes out begging for bread every evening after it is dark is also fasting together with his family.

"We are fasting though we happen to sleep hungry for nights," he said.

A father of four, Yusuf covers his face with his shawl to protect his identity.

"First I go to the local mosque to collect the left overs from the mulla. Some nights, if the mulla has guests, nothing is left for me," he said with tears in his eyes.

Yusuf became handicapped seven years ago when a rocket hit near his house, sending shrapnel into his head and rendering his right hand and right leg half paralyzed.

Afghanistan's economic infrastructure has been razed to the ground by 20 years of conflict, which started with the ill-fated Soviet invasion of the country in December 1978.

The Taliban, which holds most of the country including Kabul, is now battling an opposition alliance led by former defence minister Ahmad Shah Masood, who is entrenched inside the Hindu Kush ranges in northeastern Afghanistan.

Last month, the United Nations imposed aviation and financial sanctions against the Taliban for refusing to hand over terrorist suspect Osama bin Laden.

Western humanitarian groups fear the sanctions will bring more poverty to the population of Afghanistan, which the UN has said is one of the most impoverished countries of the world.

In a city second-hand bazaar, Sajeda, a young girl, is selling her sweater to buy bread for her family.

Sajeda's father was killed in fighting eight years ago and her mother, once a teacher, had to look after the family of five.

In the war-torn capital a lucky labourer earns only a dollar a day, while a civil servant is only paid five dollars a month by the Taliban.

An average family needs at least three dollars every day just to survive.