Amnesty call for urgent inquiry into Afghanistan prison killings
Ron F | 27.11.2001 23:17
Following an alledged "uprising" by hundreds of Taliban prisoners, US air strikes and anti-Taliban forces killed them all. Amnesty call for an urgent inquiry.
AI Index: ASA 11/036/2001
Publish date: 27/11/2001
Following news reports of hundreds of killings during clashes within the Qala-i-Jhangi, a fort on the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif, Amnesty International is calling on the United Front, the United States and the United Kingdom to investigate these events.
After negotiating a surrender, hundreds of foreign troops fighting with the Taliban were escorted from Kunduz to the fort by the United Front last weekend. The circumstances surrounding the fighting that followed are still not clear, although initial reports indicate that some prisoners overpowered guards and seized firearms. British and US special forces are reported to have been involved in the fighting, including by directing US air strikes.
An urgent inquiry should look into what triggered this violent incident, including any shortcomings in the holding and processing of the prisoners, and into the proportionality of the response by United Front, US and UK forces. It should make urgent recommendations to ensure that other instances of surrender and holding of prisoners do not lead to similar disorders and loss of life, and that the key role of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in overseeing the processing and treatment of prisoners is facilitated. The outcome of this inquiry, and any disciplinary or other measures that may be taken against anyone found responsible for wrongdoing, should be made public.
For the latest information on the the 11 September Crisis visit:
http://web.amnesty.org/11september.htm
More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1680000/1680072.stm
Publish date: 27/11/2001
Following news reports of hundreds of killings during clashes within the Qala-i-Jhangi, a fort on the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif, Amnesty International is calling on the United Front, the United States and the United Kingdom to investigate these events.
After negotiating a surrender, hundreds of foreign troops fighting with the Taliban were escorted from Kunduz to the fort by the United Front last weekend. The circumstances surrounding the fighting that followed are still not clear, although initial reports indicate that some prisoners overpowered guards and seized firearms. British and US special forces are reported to have been involved in the fighting, including by directing US air strikes.
An urgent inquiry should look into what triggered this violent incident, including any shortcomings in the holding and processing of the prisoners, and into the proportionality of the response by United Front, US and UK forces. It should make urgent recommendations to ensure that other instances of surrender and holding of prisoners do not lead to similar disorders and loss of life, and that the key role of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in overseeing the processing and treatment of prisoners is facilitated. The outcome of this inquiry, and any disciplinary or other measures that may be taken against anyone found responsible for wrongdoing, should be made public.
For the latest information on the the 11 September Crisis visit:
http://web.amnesty.org/11september.htm More at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1680000/1680072.stm
Ron F
Comments
Hide the following 12 comments
A disgraceful slaughter
27.11.2001 23:48
And so it goes on
Ron Stramonium
What to believe
28.11.2001 00:43
Doubting Thomas
Just Some Comments
28.11.2001 00:59
It would clearly be in the US's best interest to totally eliminate any Taliban/al Qa'ida member. This may very well be a product of the newly completed Dept. of Counter-Propaganda. i.e. Bush propaganda.
Carlos Malvado
e-mail:
Carlos Malvado@hotmail.com
Impotent Amnesty.
28.11.2001 10:40
Onlooker
Censored media
28.11.2001 11:04
PBeck
blame the died
28.11.2001 11:38
just a throught, Japan use to be FULL of people who would "fight to the death", so that the US could justify dropping the A bombs.
rich
Blair worse than Hitler
28.11.2001 11:42
Daniel Brett
e-mail:
dan@danielbrett.co.uk
two birds with one stone
28.11.2001 13:01
but it certainly came at the right time for the U.S and world governments. The anti global movement was just taking off and the U. S ecomony was in the process of collapsing.
Now both of the above have been removed from the front pages of the world press and have been repleced by totally controlled press releases so 9.11 killed at least two birds.
This jail break has solved at least two problems for the U.S
one it's removed the problem of what to do with 800 prisoners from various countries, and two it means that all the 800 will never be able to testify about Bin Laden and his links with western intelligence ... or anything else that has been going on between the taleban and the west ect...
smells of large rodent dressed in stars and stripes including top hat ....
Luther blissett
small mercies
28.11.2001 17:00
But but but.. they have got a lot of folk out of jail in various countries over the years, and protected many more from torture or death, with their letter-writing etc. If I was banged up for my politics, I'd be glad of em.
internationalist
Homepage:
http://www.amnesty.org.uk
I agree with Onlooker here!
28.11.2001 20:59
What about what happened in Chile by the US backed junta and Greece as well? Numerous humanrights abuses were committed but you did not say a word!
You are nothing but CIA agents which is why you bailed your buddies out of prison! How much are they paying you pricks? Millions that's what! Keep the change you filthy animal!
Onlooker I salute you!
Pegasus
Owning the whole world
28.11.2001 23:35
Ron Stramonium
nice discussion
29.11.2001 05:51
I don't know much about amnesty. My mother mailed stuff for them in the past.. I guess it's helped out many people, but I never hear of it anymore.. I guess it's had organization problems, and probably marginalised.
I also guess the details of the uprising will never be found out, unless some soldier with a conscience speaks up when they come home
I reckon that they couldn't maintain the POW's well enough, and probably either told them that they were going to be killed, or inferred it.. The taliban probably expected to be executed anyway.
It's completely sad. Despite their being hated by the west, these guys fought against all odds, and suffered a complete massacre. The worst part is that their deaths will be forgotten for future atrocities no doubt.
U.S. armed forces will always be known by me to be the cowards of war, hiding behind their technology to despense impersonal bloodshed from the sky.
I can only assume that whatever new enemies arise in the future will facilitate the same type of warfare back at us, through whatever means necessary.
all and all, a lose-lose situation for humanity
anon