Op-Ed: Taliban shoot girl who was advocating for education

Sydney - There’s “accepting another culture”, then there’s “tolerating atrocities”. They’re not the same thing. Malala Yousafzai spoke out about wanting to get her education, and this was the response. Pakistan is appalled, and so is the world.

Sydney Morning Herald: Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head and neck while she sat with classmates on a school bus as it prepared to drive students home after morning classes in Mingora, a city in the Swat Valley where major operations were conducted in 2009 to crush a Taliban insurgency. She was taken to hospital before being whisked by military helicopter to an intensive care ward in the city of Peshawar.

Police said a bearded man approached the bus and asked which of the girls was Malala. When one of the other girls pointed at her she denied who she was. The gunman then shot both girls, although police say a total of three people were wounded. It’s a pitiful example of how easily a few armed, self-righteous cowards can tyrannize a population. This is the usual deal everywhere the fanatics get their hands on weapons. Child murder isn’t uncommon among the Taliban. It’s a great example of the terror element in terrorism. It’s more than likely that the Taliban threaten Afghan citizens with family murder and force them to carry out attacks like the notorious Green on Blue episodes. Accepting another culture does not extend to any degree of tolerance for abuse of children or violation of human rights. Those claiming rights should respect the rights of others. The Taliban have claimed responsibility: Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan quickly claimed responsibility on behalf of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Pakistani offshoot of the Taliban movement which became notorious for its restrictions of women's freedom and female education during the five years before late 2001 when they were in power in Afghanistan.

"She was pro-West, she was speaking against Taliban and she was calling President Obama her ideal leader," Ehsan said. Put slightly differently- “Any excuse will do.” Any excuse to kill a kid with the guts to speak her mind. Are the jihadis afraid of a little girl? If not, why try to kill her? Is anyone in doubt why fighting terror is so important? Any question of tolerating or negotiating with the Taliban should now end. The world needs to clarify where it stands on terrorism in the most unambiguous way. They can talk to the drones, talk to the bullets and talk to the dust. This type of crime and those perpetrating it must be eradicated once and for all, if it takes a millennium or more. Forget 2014. Make it 3014.