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Civilian Safety Top Afghan Priority, Warn Agencies
NATO must put protection of civilians at the heart of Afghanistan ‘transition strategy', warn aid agencies
2010 is already the deadliest year in a decade for civilians, but risks could increase unless NATO takes immediate action
International military forces must take urgent steps to protect civilians caught up in the escalating conflict as they plan for the handover of responsibility for security to the Afghan government, warned leading aid agencies today (Friday 19 November 2010).
The call comes as NATO leaders gather for a major summit in Lisbon on November 19-20 where they are expected to discuss the transition plan drawn up by US General Petraeus, the top NATO commander in Afghanistan.
Twenty nine international and national aid agencies including Oxfam, Afghanaid and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, have released a new report - Nowhere to Turn - which urges NATO to do more to improve the training and monitoring of Afghan national security forces during the transition period.
Ashley Jackson, head of policy for Oxfam in Afghanistan, said:
"Transition of security responsibilities to Afghan forces faces enormous obstacles. There is a grave risk of widespread abuses by the national security forces, which can range from theft and extortion to torture and indiscriminate killing of civilians. NATO member states, who train, advise, fund, and arm those forces, share responsibility for making sure this does not happen, but so far we have seen little action on the ground."
The report notes that Afghan soldiers and police are poorly trained and command systems are weak. It says that there are no effective mechanisms for registering community complaints and that civilian deaths caused by Afghan forces are not adequately investigated or tracked. The report calls on NATO to rectify this as a key part of its transition strategy.
Nader Nadery, Commissioner for the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, said:
"Recent revelations of abuses by Iraqi security forces and militia - and the fact that we are already seeing abusive behaviour by militias in Afghanistan - should be sounding a warning bell. There is still time to get the right controls in place in Afghanistan. But NATO must act now."
The agencies argue NATO should abandon dangerous schemes such as the so-called "community defense initiatives", which involve supporting local militia groups to fight the Taliban.
They say that the international forces must immediately stop arming these community militias. Recruits are barely vetted, receive little training and are often accountable only to the local commanders. Far from helping to stabilise the country, they are likely to contribute to the growing instability.
2010 is already the deadliest year for Afghan civilians since 2001, with civilian casualties up 31 percent in the first six months alone. Security is rapidly deteriorating across the country with even the previously stable north reporting a 136 percent rise in civilian deaths.
Anti-government groups cause most Afghan civilian casualties. However, the report warns that while NATO forces have taken steps to reduce the direct harm their operations cause to civilians, their military tactics are continuing to put Afghan lives at risk. A key factor behind NATO's reduction in direct civilian casualties is the decrease in the use of airstrikes since 2009. However, the agencies warn that there is a risk that such casualties may now increase as there has been a dramatic rise in airstrikes in recent months.
"More civilians are being killed and injured than ever before and Afghanistan is more insecure than at any time in the past nine years. We are concerned that unless urgent steps are taken now, the violence will continue to escalate in 2011 and civilian suffering will only increase," said Farhana Faruqi-Stocker of Afghanaid.
26 Comments so far
Show AllFor the first time U.S. tanks are shipped to Afghanistan. Tanks are almost useless in mountainous terrain and small villages. They are intended to intimidate the populations of larger towns. This is a measure of the desperation of the Pentagon to come up with positive proof of "pacification".
"Let them eat tanks."
--Joe Biden
These attacks are mostly about reprisals and counter reprisals between the Afghans who sold out to the invader for peanuts, and those who fought for their country with bravery.
Pakistan and Iran should help the Afghan people to give speedy trials to Afghans who cooperated with the invader, and execute them in a single day accross Afghanistan, so that everyone can see what happens to traitors.
After that, Afghanistan can look for markets for its oil and other resources and move forward.
I like this. It would actually send a message that we would understand. Forever.
Actually, I wrote that post, and many others, out of frustration. I'll try to be more analytical and accurate, and less emotional in future posts. Please read my post below for clarification.
My conviction is that violence is bullshit.
"International military forces must take urgent steps to protect civilians caught up in the escalating conflict as they plan for the handover of responsibility for security to the Afghan government, warned leading aid agencies today."
Uh, yeah, of course. And that "handover" is scheduled for when exactly?
Obviously, those "leading aid agencies" haven't been keeping in touch with their sponsoring establishments back home. British Defense Chief Gen. Sir David Richards, for example, has stated that "Nato now needs to plan for a 30 or 40 year role to help the Afghan armed forces hold their country against the militants." (http://www.thenewamerican.com/)
It's gonna be a long, long occupation, folks. Those damned "militants" seem determined to keep on resisting the gift of "freedom and democracy" for the foreseeable future.
" Afghanistan is more insecure than at any time in the last nine years ". If you were selling munitions and a war profiteer, wouldn't you love a statement like this? What Farhana Faruqi Stocker fails to realize, is this war has nothing to do with making Afghanistan more secure and that is nothing but a red herring. The only security that our war mongers and profiteers cares about is the security of the poppy fields; the oil pipeline; and control of Afghanistan resources.
And soon we will have overstayed even longer than the Russians did.
Ooops - I forgot we are inviting the Russians back in to 'help'.
On a related note, Swedish prosecutors have issued an international arrest warrent for Julian Assange.
I thought it should get a mention somewhere on CD.
Indeed.
I heard about it on DemocracyNow.Org
"ALLIANCE :
"Alliance | Define Alliance at Dictionary.com
the act of allying or state of being allied. 2. a formal agreement or treaty between two or more nations to cooperate for specific purposes. ...
dictionary.reference.com/browse/alliance - Cached - Similar
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/alliance
CONSPIRACY :
"plot, secret plan, game - a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal); "they concocted a plot to discredit the Governor." or :
" They concocted a plot to discredit Iraq (for example)."
Cool...
"Pakistan and Iran should help the Afghan people to give speedy trials to Afghans who cooperated with the invader, and execute them in a single day across Afghanistan, so that everyone can see what happens to traitors."
Power corrupts. And Pakistanis and Iranians are the same as any other people of the world.
As for finding out just WHO cooperated with the invader, of perhaps many, many thousands (and perhaps many of those from fear), I think that would be impossible job....
Perhaps we should look to the cause of the civil war in Iraq (Iraqis fighting against other Iraqis in their own country - which is the case). At least we KNOW who caused that war and who sells weapons to all stirred up sides... not just the strirred up people of Iraq but all around the world.
Just like any others with the power would do. And have done.
(The Taliban are being invited to become joint rulers - or have some part in - Afghanistan's government)I think that the best thing we could do for The Middle East.. is make illegal (penalty : Life in solitary confinement) any people engaged in selling armaments to any other country. We have a chance of finding those people. Well, we just about know their names already.
The Iraqis didn't start their civil war until Saddam was deposed. Not one suicide bomber in Iraq up to that time.
The poor Afghanis were making a living, feeding self and children from the poppies WE want. As mentioned by someone above.
'WE would not sell the poppies' produce on the world market'? Huh?
~sc
"Power corrupts. And Pakistanis and Iranians are the same as any other people of the world... As for finding out just WHO cooperated with the invader... I think that would be impossible job...."
______________*
I wrote that post, and many others, out of frustration. I'll try to be more analytical and accurate, and less emotional in future posts. I'm just sick of innocent people being caught up in unsollicited violence initiated by war for profit.
I agree that it would be impossible to determine who cooperated with the invader. Furthermore, as is always the case, many, possibly most, of those accused of cooperating might turn out to be ordinary people attacked to settle community scores or even for profit.
Thanks for the pull-up.
I can't comprehend why all the premeditated, institutional, stubborn violence. I say we concentrate on developing a humane world society.
Strange, how "humane" is supposed to mean compassionate. "Bestial" might be a better word for compassionate, since no other animal treats their own kind the way we do ours. People often point out that many other animals use violence for survival. Seldom is it mentioned that it almost never is against their own kind.
Violence is bullshit.
ready 'On a related note, Swedish prosecutors have issued an international arrest warrent for Julian Assange.
I thought it should get a mention somewhere on CD.'
Yes, its worth a mention.. Like it was worth a mention when Kelly of England said he would be found one day in the woods, where he used to take an evening walk, with his wrists slit... And lo! so he was... another whistle-blower!
~sc
Afghan civilians have never been an enemy of the U.S. How can we justify the death or injury of even one Afghan civilian? The troops volunteered to be in harms way and they get paid, clothed,free medical care, good food, recreation, admiration and support from Americans.The dead and injured soldiers are honored and benefits are available for soldiers or families. However the Afghan civilians are struggling in poverty, lack adequate food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and have little or no recreation,They live in terror of loosing their lives or a loved ones life. Why? Bush said it is so we don't have to fight terrorist here in America. The poor Afghan civilians are being forced to substitute and sacrifice their lives and their loved ones lives on the pretax of saving affluent American lives. If this isn't an international crime then nothing is an international crime.
genie,
perfectly stated
genie - just as you say.
~sc
What does "winning" in Afghanistan look like?
10 more years of US/NATO coffins flying home to Heathrow in London and Dover AFB, Delaware.
November 19, 2010 "ANSWER" -- Borrowing a page from its infamous “pacification” effort in South Vietnam, where peasant villages were napalmed and burned to the ground to “save them from the communists,” the Obama-ordered surge in Afghanistan has been secretly blowing up thousands of homes and leveling portions of the Afghan countryside.
As tens of thousands of U.S. troops have surged into southern Afghanistan, villagers have fled. Then the Petraeus-led occupation forces have determined which homes will be destroyed.
“In Arghandab District, for instance, every one of the 40 homes in the village of Khosrow was flattened by a salvo of 25 missiles, according to the district governor, Shah Muhammed Ahmadi, who estimated that 120 to 130 houses had been demolished in his district,” reported the New York Times, Nov. 16, 2010.
The Pentagon asserts that they must destroy the homes because some of them may have explosive devices inside.
The Pentagon’s murderous rampage and terror campaign 40 years ago against South Vietnamese villages, in areas that were considered sympathetic to the resistance forces, used much of the same kind of explanation. In fact, the New York Times in a throw back to Vietnam quotes the Arghandab District Governor, who is working with the occupation forces: “We had to destroy them to make them safe.”...
The US is using white phosphorus, MK-77, DIME (tungsten based) anti-personnel and uranium based JDAM bombs on the civilians of AF/Pak.
It's sad to see the US/Israel 'genocide twins' murder and maim with impunity all over the world. If there were a time when WTC II & III were something the 'terrorist' Great Satan deserved - the time is NOW!
Sorry folks, one can only take so-much from these 'God Chosen' thugs and murders and then you barf and pray for their destruction in the hands of their victims.
Please read: Psalm 145:20 "The evil ones Jehovah will destroy."
TheAZCowBoy
Tombstone, AZ.
The US is using the same horrendous white phosphorus, MK-77, DIME (tungsten based) anti-personnel and uranium based JDAM bombs on the civilians of AF/Pak that Israel used on the people of gaza - winter of 2008.
It's sad to see the US/Israel 'genocide twins' murder and maim with impunity all over the world. If there were a time when WTC II & III were something the 'terrorist' Great Satan deserved - the time is NOW!
Sorry folks, one can only take so-much from these 'God Chosen' thugs and murders and then you barf and pray for their destruction in the hands of their victims.
Please read: Psalm 145:20 "The evil ones Jehovah will destroy."
TheAZCowBoy
Tombstone, AZ.
Gonna be tough winning the hearts and minds of those people whom American mercenary thugs (why else do you join the U.S. services other than money?) enjoy murdering, raping, and torturing.
Oh, well, you could join the service because you're vicious, stupid, or ignorant, I guess, but that still means you earn your pay through brutality.
Touche amigo!
We begin to pull for the Taliban who, poor as dirt, and with only AK-47 'pee shooters' and relic RPG-7 rocket launchers have made the high-tech armed US/NATO baby killers 'bleed like stuck pigs.'
Yassar, just a tiny primative 750 kg. nuke via North Korea a-top an al-Shahab III IRBM from Iran and the 'playing field will be level' for the Palestinian good guys against the war criminal Jews and give the world a Judenrein Middle East with some hopes of a lasting peace.
TheAZCowBoy
Tombstone, AZ.
Afghanistan:
Rise!