Campaign For Innocent Victims In Conflict CIVIC: First-Ever Documents Released on Civilian Deaths Caused by US Forces
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2006
8:15 AM
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CONTACT: Campaign For Innocent Victims In Conflict CIVIC
Marla Bertagnolli
202.558.6958
marlab@civicworldwide.org
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First-Ever Documents Released on Civilian Deaths Caused by US Forces
Victims Advocacy Group Says Amends to War Victims Prove Lacking
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Washington - Newly released government documents outlining civilian harm caused by US forces offer the first detailed picture of what the United States does – and still fails to do – after bullets and bombs harm Iraqi and Afghan civilians, Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC) said today.
“After years of being denied information on civilian casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, we now have two thousand documents detailing the cost of war to ordinary civilians,” said CIVIC’s executive director Sarah Holewinski. “We are still in the dark about how many Iraqi and Afghan civilians have been killed and injured. But we now have tangible proof that America fails to provide adequate justice.”
The American Civil Liberties Union submitted a request on June 22, 2006 under the Freedom of Information Act for “all records relating to the killing of civilians by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan since January 1, 2005.” The military released nearly two thousand pages showing partial files of claims filed by civilians against Coalition Forces for death, injury or property damage.
After studying the documents, CIVIC noted several serious problems with the US military’s handling of the claims. They were filed under a statute called the Foreign Claims Act, which provides compensation to civilians harmed by US forces, but only in non-combat situations. Since the majority of claims obtained by the ACLU involved combat related incidents, they were denied.
According to CIVIC, the civilians in those denied cases should have been informed of another option. The US military has the ability to grant ‘condolence’ payments of up to $2500, which are intended as symbolic gestures of sympathy. Of the claims denied under the Foreign Claims Act, some received this condolence payment, but many never did. “These documents seem to show that the US military’s compassion is random,” said Holewinski. “All the civilians harmed in these cases deserve recognition and redress. While some received condolence payments, many received nothing at all.”
As an example, Holewinski sited the case of a grandfather whose unarmed 16-year old grandson was killed by a US sniper while walking home from school. The grandfather filed a claim for $7,000 and was denied because the military said the incident was within the context of combat. The documents say nothing further about the fate of the grandfather’s claim, but Holewinski said, “this case is a classic example of why the US military makes condolence payments to ease suffering and there’s no way to tell why some deserving claims are paid and some are not.”’
CIVIC is working with the office of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to standardize the options open to innocent civilians harmed by US forces and monitor their success in filing claims.
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 suicide bomb. CIVIC honors her legacy and strives to sustain her vision.
To speak to CIVIC executive director Sarah Holewinski or Jon Tracy, military and legal advisor, please call 202.558.6958.
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