Karzai says anger at Afghan Shi'ite law "inappropriate"

By Golnar Motevalli

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday concerns expressed by the United States and the United Nations toward a new law for Afghanistan's Shi'ite minority and its impact on women's rights were inappropriate.

Shi'ite Muslims account for some 15 percent of mainly Sunni Muslim Afghanistan and the Shi'ite Personal Status Law has been attacked by Afghan lawmakers for diminishing women's rights.

Karzai has signed the law, but it has not yet come into force as it has not been promulgated in the official gazette.

The United States, NATO, Canada and the United Nations have voiced concern about the law, after some Afghan lawmakers said it legalizes marital rape, but Karzai said their criticisms were based on a wrong translation or misinterpretation of the law.

"We understand the concerns of our allies in the international community. Those concerns may be out of an inappropriate or not so good translation of the law or a misinterpretation of this," Karzai told reporters.

Karzai said a copy of the law he had seen did not reflect the criticisms and concerns of Afghanistan's Western backers.

He said the justice minister would speak in detail about the law on Sunday after studying it "very, very carefully."

"If there is anything that is of concern to us then we will definitely take action in consultation with our ulema (senior clerics) and send it back to the parliament ... This is something we are serious about," Karzai said.

Britain, which is the second largest troop contributor to the NATO-led military operation in Afghanistan, also weighed-in on concerns about the law and said it must be addressed by the Afghan government "at the very highest level."

"The government of Afghanistan must abide by international agreements that it has entered into willingly," British Defense Secretary John Hutton said in an interview with the BBC.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS

In a copy of the law obtained by Reuters, Article 132 states "a wife is obliged to fulfill the sexual desires of her husband."

It also states that a husband should spend one night in every four with his wife, have sexual contact with her at least once every four months and that a woman has to wear make-up if her husband demanded it.

Article 137 also says a woman cannot inherit any of her husband's wealth when he dies.

Amendments made to the law show that the age of marriage for women was raised to 16 from nine and that a woman would be allowed to leave her home unaccompanied for medical treatment, to go to work or for her education.