By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BAGRAM, Afghanistan – U.S. military officials in Afghanistan recently afforded international journalists the opportunity to inspect the newly refurbished Bagram Air-Base.  The air-base currently serves as the largest U.S. hub in Afghanistan, holding over 24,000 U.S. military personnel and private, contracted personnel working within the facility.  Although the air-base was already almost inundated with the immense forces of U.S. troops, the base, utilized as a make-shift prison by the U.S. army, had been undergoing significant refurbishment to accommodate for an increase in armed forces occupying the area. As the base stood before the adjustments, approximately 65,000 American troops and 45,000 allied troops held station at the Bagram Air-Base.  The new Bagram is supposed to be able to hold an estimated 80,000 troops in addition to those already there.  The new prison facilities cost about $60,000,000 to construct.  The U.S. military suggested that the new Bagram will represent a progressive step towards more transparent practices in the treatment of detainees.

Human rights and activist groups have long chastised the U.S. military for its history of subjecting Bagram detainees to harsh mistreatment.  Numerous allegations of torture and violent interrogation methods have arisen since the U.S. military’s utilization of the Bagram Air-Base in 2003.  Bagram Air-Base has even earned the infamous title of “Guantanamo II”, or the “evil twin of Guantanamo.” Numerous investigative reports have released throughout the U.S. military’s years of using Bagram Air-Base have revealed consistent information suggesting that the mistreatment of Bagram prisoners far superseded the abuse Guantanamo detainees endured.  

Additionally, Bagram Air-Base detainees apparently received less process rights than Guantanamo prisoners, raising human rights issues besides torture and abuse.  Many Bagram inmates were apparently denied legal representation altogether and held without knowledge as to why or for how long.

Ex-employees of Bagram have expressed skepticism towards the purported purposes and policies of the refurbished facility.  Many believe that the new developments will do nothing to alter the practices of Bagram personnel.  Ex-guards described situations in which inmates lived every moment in continual fear of being abused or even killed, as gunmen stationed themselves at high points within the confines of Bagram walls.      

Reporters were not allowed to correspond with the inmates in the new Bagram facility to ascertain their perspective on the supposedly new, more rights-based policies.  Without these first-hand accounts, the truth of that matter remains to be seen.

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – US unveils extended Bagram prison – 16 November 2009

Yahoo! News – Already the main Afghan war hub, Bagram is growing – 1 November 2009  

Zimbio – Bagram Air Base To Under $60 Million Expansion – 2 November 2009 

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

Kabul, AFGHANISTAN –  A recent report has released information culled from numerous surveys and comprehensive studies stating that the Afghan civilian population recognizes poverty and government corruption as the most significant causes of the perpetual conflict in the war-torn nation.  Considering the information in the report, by British charity group Oxfam, many Western governments have urged Afghanistan’s re-elected President Karzai utilize his second term mitigate and corruption within the government and develop measures to quell popular discontent.

Despite the influence and violence of insurgency organizations prevalent in Afghanistan, the Oxfam survey demonstrates that the civilian population considers their regime one of the lesser issues contributing to the overall despondency in the nation.  Among the 704 Afghan men and women who participated in the Oxfam study, approximately 19% blame the al-Qaeda terrorist network for the state of seemingly constant conflict in the nation.  This statistic, though perhaps shocking upon first glance, reinforces the popular belief among the Afghan population that corrupt officials in the government are responsible for their poor mode of living.  

Further exemplifying this notion is the result showing that only about 35% of the Afghan population believes that the Taliban regime is the most critical factor for war in Afghanistan.  Juxtaposed with the finding that about 70% of the 704 surveyed subjects believe the Afghan government is the cause of the crises in the nation, it seems clear where the discontent of the people lies.   

An even smaller percentage of the Afghan population believes that external and less powerful factors are the cause of turmoil in Afghanistan.  About 15% of the interviewed subjects believed crime organizations and warlords are Afghanistan’s largest problem.  The disproportionate amount of Afghan nationals believing that corruption in the government is the most detrimental factor to the nation’s chance for peace further suggests that the main aim of the re-elected president should be to investigate his own officials.  

The Oxfam study also highlights numerous human rights violations perpetrated against Afghan citizens.  Of the 704 survey subjects, 75% have been forced to vacate their homes at least once since 1979.  10% have been imprisoned at least once, and one in six are considering leaving the country due to the untrustworthy government and the inability to live peacefully in Afghanistan.

Outside of the Oxfam study, drug traffic has also been cited as a reason for the broken state of Afghanistan.  The prevalent drug-trade in Afghanistan creates a higher-crime environment in the nation, perpetuating the killings and government corruption already plaguing Afghan nationals.  

It remains to be seen what measures President Karzai, whose own brother was once implicated in drug-related investigations, will take to regain the trust of the Afghanistan government.   

 

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Poverty and graft ‘fuel Afghan war’ – 18 November 2009

BBC – Afghans Blame Poverty for War – 18 November 2009

Radio Netherlands Worldwide – Afghans say unemployment and poverty is fueling war -18 November 2009

By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

 

Despite the influence and violence of insurgency organizations prevalent in Afghanistan, the Oxfam survey demonstrates that the civilian population considers their regime one of the lesser issues contributing to the overall despondency in the nation.  Among the 704 Afghan men and women who participated in the Oxfam study, approximately 19% blame the al-Qaeda terrorist network for the state of seemingly constant conflict in the nation.  This statistic, though perhaps shocking upon first glance, reinforces the popular belief among the Afghan population that corrupt officials in the government are responsible for their poor mode of living.  

Further exemplifying this notion is the result showing that only about 35% of the Afghan population believes that the Taliban regime is the most critical factor for war in Afghanistan.  Juxtaposed with the finding that about 70% of the 704 surveyed subjects believe the Afghan government is the cause of the crises in the nation, it seems clear where the discontent of the people lies.   

An even smaller percentage of the Afghan population believes that external and less powerful factors are the cause of turmoil in Afghanistan.  About 15% of the interviewed subjects believed crime organizations and warlords are Afghanistan’s largest problem.  The disproportionate amount of Afghan nationals believing that corruption in the government is the most detrimental factor to the nation’s chance for peace further suggests that the main aim of the re-elected president should be to investigate his own officials.  

The Oxfam study also highlights numerous human rights violations perpetrated against Afghan citizens.  Of the 704 survey subjects, 75% have been forced to vacate their homes at least once since 1979.  10% have been imprisoned at least once, and one in six are considering leaving the country due to the untrustworthy government and the inability to live peacefully in Afghanistan.

Outside of the Oxfam study, drug traffic has also been cited as a reason for the broken state of Afghanistan.  The prevalent drug-trade in Afghanistan creates a higher-crime environment in the nation, perpetuating the killings and government corruption already plaguing Afghan nationals.  

It remains to be seen what measures President Karzai, whose own brother was once implicated in drug-related investigations, will take to regain the trust of the Afghanistan government.   

 

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Poverty and graft ‘fuel Afghan war’ – 18 November 2009

BBC – Afghans Blame Poverty for War – 18 November 2009

Radio Netherlands Worldwide – Afghans say unemployment and poverty is fueling war -18 November 2009

By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KABUL, Afghanistan –  In August, the presidential election was riddled with accusations of fraud and vote-rigging. As the end of the election neared, now president, Mr. Hamid Karzai’s main rival pulled out of a run-off vote.

Many in the country believe the election was tainted by fraud allegations. In addition to facing skepticism by citizens, the nation has also come under growing Western pressure to deal with corruption.

The American ambassador in Kabul, Ishaq Aluko, has warned against a US troop surge unless Mr. Karzai takes action against corruption. Mr. Karzai has refused to make public the names of people under suspicion for receiving money for government contracts until their files had been sent to the court. He does say, however, that there is a range of corruption, some of it involving huge amounts of money.

Bribes and corruption outside of money include the buying  of cars, computers. and furniture. Other forms exist as well, including contract awards for construction or road building. Mr. Aluko says his department is serious about tackling corruption in all areas, and that he had already asked some of the current and former ministers to answer the allegations.

When U.S. Secretary of State visited the country recently, she stated, “Now we believe that President Karzai and his government can do better.” Clinton also declared that Mr. Karzai must set up a “major crimes tribunal” and an anti-corruption commission. She went on to say that, the Afghan government needs to take action against people who have “taken advantage of the money that has poured into Afghanistan” in the past eight years. Clinton made clear, though that civilian aid would not be given unless the U.S. could track the funds if it went to government ministries.

American and British officials have been particularly vocal in recent weeks in calling for Karzai to institute reforms following a messy election that took 2 1/2 months to resolve and undermined the legitimacy of a government. This is unsurprising since, Transparency International, a non-governmental organization, last year ranked Afghanistan 176th out of 180 countries on its corruption perceptions index, a poll that assesses the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians. Only Haiti, Iraq, Myanmar and Somalia were worse.

This is the third formal launch of a crime-fighting unit promising to tackle corruption.

For more information, please see:

Wall Street Journal – Karzai, Under Pressure, Adopts Antigraft Measures – November 16, 2009 

BBC World News – US demands Afghan ‘bribery court’ – November 15, 2009 

ABC News – Afghan ministers accused of taking bribes – November 13, 2009

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SEOUL, South Korea– Despite North Korea’s threats of “merciless military measures” after a naval clash between the two Koreas earlier this week, South Korea said they remain committed to providing humanitarian aid to the North.

The North and South Korean navies clashed by the disputed maritime border on Tuesday, leaving a North Korean ship damaged.  Since then, the two countries have been accusing each other of illegally entering territorial waters and firing the first shot.

  South Korean ships patrolling their waters.  Courtesy of AP.

Both sides have been demanding an apology, and North Korea has threatened South Korea with military actions over this naval skirmish. 

Nevertheless, the South Korean Unification Ministry released a statement saying, “With regard to North Korea’s request for humanitarian aid…[t]here is no change in the government’s stance.”

The North had asked for 100,000 tons of food back in October.  Furthermore, farmers and leaders are pressuring the South Korean government to send rice to North Korea, especially because there is a chronic oversupply of rice in the South.

Choi Young-ok, an official from a South Korean NGO, said, “Rice is the most suitable item for resumption of humanitarian aid to North Korea as it is the main staple grain for Koreas.  The [South Korean] government’s offer of 10,000 tons of corn is not nearly enough.” 

The South had stopped sending rice aid to the North after a new administration took over earlier this year. 

South Korean Unification Ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo said, “The South had spent 200 30 300 billion won each year to send the rice under the previous administrations…Resumption of such massive aid will be determined after sufficient dialogue with the North, in consideration of inter-Korea relations.”

The U.S. has asked the North not to escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula, and the UN Secretary-General is urging the two Koreas to resolve this dispute through peaceful dialogue. 

UN spokesman said, “[Secretary-General] has called for maximum restraint by both parties.  The incident highlights the need to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue and in a peaceful manner.”

For more information, please see:

The Korea Herald – Protests spread to restart N.K. rice aid – 12 November 2009

The Korea Times – Seoul to Offer Aid to NK Despite Clash – 11 November 2009

NYT – North Korea Issues New Threat After Naval Clash – 13 November 2009