Washington, DC, March 9, 2007 - As the European Union summit begins today, Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC) called on British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his NATO allies to recognize the human cost of conflict in Afghanistan by pledging funds to compensate and aid civilians caught in the crossfire.   

In meetings with EU leaders in Brussels today and Friday, Mr. Blair is reportedly urging NATO to contribute more troops to the fight in Afghanistan.  Britain pledged an additional 1,400 troops to that effort in February.  But according to CIVIC, neither Blair nor NATO is focusing sufficiently on the unintended damage to civilians that military operations so often leave in their wake.  Last weekend alone, nearly a dozen innocent Afghans were killed in combat crossfire according to press reports.
 
“Mr. Blair is pressing his NATO partners to ‘do even more’ in Afghanistan,” said Sarah Holewinski, executive director, CIVIC.  “But doing more in Afghanistan doesn’t mean more troops alone. It means more attention to and aid for innocent Afghans injured in the fighting.” CIVIC is urging the US and now ISAF countries to take responsibility for the impact of their military operations on civilians harmed while going about their daily lives.
 
On a recent trip to Kabul, CIVIC learned details of a new compensation fund set up to help injured civilians immediately following combat operations.   The organization notes only four of the thirty six NATO countries have contributed to the fund, not enough to appropriately and adequately address the magnitude of loss suffered by Afghan civilians.

“NATO countries have not yet solidly committed to helping the civilians hurt in the midst of bombs and bullets – a critical mistake if they want to quell the anger rising now among Afghan civilians over recent deadly incidents,” said Holewinski.
 
CIVIC is a Washington-based organization that believes civilians killed or injured in conflict should be counted and their families compensated by the warring parties involved, and is working in conflict zones to help the families of war victims.  In 2005, CIVIC's founder Marla Ruzicka was killed in Iraq by a suicide bomb.  CIVIC honors her legacy and strives to sustain her vision.

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