Human rights group says hundreds of homes destroyed in Afghan conflict

[News_Editor]

Human rights group says hundreds of homes destroyed in Afghan conflict

2010-11-04 18:22:32 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- Hundreds of homes in southern Afghanistan have been destroyed or partially damaged as the result of ongoing fighting between pro-government Afghan and foreign forces and Taliban fighters, a human rights group said on Thursday.

The Afghanistan Rights Monitor (ARM), citing local sources, said fighting in Arghandab, Panjwaye, Zheray, Daman and other districts of Kandahar province in the past few months have heavily impacted the region.

The group claims US-led forces have allegedly used a blanket bombing tactic in a bid to eliminate all Taliban sanctuaries and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which are reportedly placed throughout the conflict areas and continue to cause heavy Afghan and coalition casualties in the south.

"US and allied forces have widely used air bombings apparently in order to destroy IEDs and booby traps which inflict heavy casualties on pro-government forces," one local source, who could not be named for security reasons, told ARM.

One farmer accused U.S. troops of destroying property. "The Americans destroyed our pomegranate gardens and grape orchards in order to establish military stations and create new roads for their vehicles," the farmer, from Arghandab District said.

Elders from Zheray District, meanwhile, complained about what they called abusive intrusions into their houses by foreign forces. They said in such raids their strong cultural norms, particularly the protection of females, were being violated.

"Why are they intruding into our houses without prior notice and search our women?" said Malik Aminullah, an elder from Zheray District. "Security and the Taliban have nothing to do with women and children."

ARM further reported that several provincial government officials promised that after the completion of military operations - although no definite date has been set for the end of operation - affected people will be assisted to rebuild their destroyed properties and resume a normal life.

In October, 26 shopkeepers in Panjwaye District's Mushan village reportedly received condolence payments to rebuild their damaged shops. However, residents claim that the Afghan government and NATO always give them empty promises on rebuilding, development and improvement in their living conditions.

Moreover, ARM claims that little or no protection and assistance services have been offered to hundreds of families that have been forced out of their homes and villages by the conflict. In the absence of UN agencies and other international aid organizations, the internally displaced people suffer from hunger, lack of shelter, diseases and other problems.

ARM further raised concerns about the human cost of the conflict in Kandahar Province, in which a significant rise of conflict-related patients has been reported.

"The Taliban have unleashed an extensive terror campaign in Kandahar by targeted assassinations, intimidation and improvised explosions," ARM said in its report. "Figures collected and verified by ARM indicate that hundreds of civilian people have been killed and wounded by direct Taliban attacks or a result of their armed activities."

"The real situation in Kandahar is not as promising as described by the commander of all foreign forces in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus," ARM added. "And, it is not as good as reported by the journalists embedded with foreign forces in Kandahar."

ARM said the situation for many of those living in Kandahar Province is similar to the situation in the 1980s when civilians were suffering as a result of internecine fighting between various militia groups and the then Soviet-backed government.

"The Taliban are like a shade whose body is in Pakistan but the Americans are only fighting the shade in Afghanistan," one local told ARM. "With the onset of winter when skies turn cloudy, the shade - the Taliban - disappears until next spring."

"Even if General Petraeus's assessment that the Taliban have been dismantled in Kandahar Province is to be believed, the question he and his civilian superiors need to answer is - who will do the unattractive post-operation rebuilding, rehabilitation and stabilization?" ARM asked.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) did not immediately comment on the report.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-11-04

[hobanse]

Why Afghanistan?

Accessing 11 to 12 TRILLION dollars

in Caspian Sea Basin Oil and Gas

http://www.brasschec...om/page/47.html

Forbidden truth:

U.S.-Taliban secret oil diplomacy and the failed hunt for Bin Laden

[Ulysses G.]

Why Afghanistan?

Accessing 11 to 12 TRILLION dollars

in Caspian Sea Basin Oil and Gas

Lets hope that it is true. 11 to 12 TRILLION dollars would come in handy about now.

[geriatrickid]

Moreover, ARM claims that little or no protection and assistance services have been offered to hundreds of families that have been forced out of their homes and villages by the conflict. In the absence of UN agencies and other international aid organizations, the internally displaced people suffer from hunger, lack of shelter, diseases and other problems.

Hmmm, seems to me that more aid and support is offered by the group condemned in the aforementioned than by ARM. One of the reasons there is not a large international aid agency presence in outlying regions is because the aid workers keep getting murdered. The Taliban doesn't want them there. Maybe if the aid workers were not killed or held for ransom, there would be a bigger presence.

[hobanse]

two flies with one stone

Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, Obama and the war in Afghanistan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq_Y64RvN-M