You seem to have missed part of my post.
If the workers in question were in fact evangelizing, despite knowing perfectly well what the potential consequences would be, I don't see any reason why anyone should intervene to rescue them
You do see the word "if", do you not?
I'm not saying that they should be allowed to rot there. I'm saying that if they were in fact evangelizing illegally, they deserve what they get. They presumably were briefed on the law when they went there, unless somebody was wildly remiss in their duties.
Whether or not I approve of that law is utterly immaterial; in point of fact I do not approve of it. Neither do I approve of people who use the cloak of relief work to disguise religious evangelism. I do not know that this was happening in this case; I do know from personal experience that it does happen, and I'm willing to at least consider the possibility that a violation of host country law did occur.
It should be noted that relief and aid workers bear a special responsibility in this regard, simply because if they deliberately and consciously violate laws and get caught at it, they can jeopardize entire relief and aid operations.
I am willing to admit that I am in some degree biased. I have some experience in dealing with the westerners who carry the banners of Christian evangelism in the third world, and what I have seen is not very nice. I do not assume that they are representative of all Christians; I hope for your sake that they are not.
So this is what I think: first, if it is in any way possible, get to the bottom of what is really going on here. If they were not evangelizing illegally, by all means get them out. If they were, drop them, pour decourager les autres.
If there is doubt - and I suspect there always will be; I'm not inclined to take the stories told by either side at face value - I suppose we shall have to assume innocence, regardless of sneaking suspicions, and do all possible to get them out.
I do hope that the aid community comes to its senses, though. For purely practical reasons, sending evangelical Christian relief groups to do work in Afghanistan under the Taleban ranks pretty high on the stupidity meter: it's an invitation to trouble that nobody needs, least of all the people who need help. Much better to course resources through groups with scrupulously non-sectarian images, and to use Muslim personnel wherever possible.
That is not a statement of bias. It is a matter of practical efficiency. The purpose of the exercise is to quickly and economically deliver needed services. This means that relief workers have to deal with the existing Government, no matter how lousy that Government is. Sending workers that are likely to arouse the least possible degree of suspicion and hostility is purely a matter of common sense.
I do not hate Christians, though I don't care much for Christianity. I do not think that Christians should be exempted from the consequences of their actions. |
