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monkspider
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banned
Aug 2001
time: 23:25
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A former chairman of Amnesty International yesterday called for an independent investigation into claims that US troops tortured Taliban prisoners and assisted in the disappearance of thousands of others in the war in Afghanistan.
Andrew McEntee said that "very credible evidence" in a British documentary film needed to be investigated. He was speaking after the first showing in Berlin of the film, Massacre at Mazar.
"This film raises questions that will not go away," said Mr McEntee, who led Amnesty International UK in the 1990s and is now an international human rights lawyer.
The documentary describes how thousands of Taliban troops were rounded up after the battle of Kunduz in late November and transported in sealed shipping containers to Sheberghan prison, a jail then under US control in northwestern Afghanistan.
The film alleges that large numbers of the prisoners died during the journey. US troops suggested the drivers take the bodies out into the desert at Dasht-i-Leili for burial. Two men said they were forced to drive hundreds of Taliban, many of whom were still alive, into the desert, and said that the living were shot. Footage showed large areas of compact red sand dotted with the traces of bones, including jaw bones, and pieces of clothing.
The filmmakers claim that thousands of Afghans, Pakistanis, Uzbeks, Chechens and Tajiks may now be buried at the mass grave. UN and human rights officials have found the grave but have not estimated the number it contains. Only 15 bodies have been excavated.
A Pentagon spokesman last night denied the allegations: "US Central Command looked into it a few months ago, when allegations first surfaced when there were graves discovered in the area of Sherberghan prison. They looked into it and did not substantiate any knowledge, presence or participation of US service members."
The film's six witnesses have agreed to give evidence at any international war crimes tribunal.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanist...,736324,00.html
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Could this spell the end of the last few drops of American sympathy across the world? What if American soldiers are indicted to stand trial in the Hague? How will Bush respond?
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Timexwatch
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Columbia Heights, Washington D.C.
Jul 1999
time: 00:25
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quote:
The documentary describes how thousands of Taliban troops were rounded up after the battle of Kunduz in late November and transported in sealed shipping containers to Sheberghan prison, a jail then under US control in northwestern Afghanistan.
The film alleges that large numbers of the prisoners died during the journey. US troops suggested the drivers take the bodies out into the desert at Dasht-i-Leili for burial. Two men said they were forced to drive hundreds of Taliban, many of whom were still alive, into the desert, and said that the living were shot. Footage showed large areas of compact red sand dotted with the traces of bones, including jaw bones, and pieces of clothing.
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I'd like to know who:
a) Did the rounding up
b) Who had custody of the prisoners and who decided how to transport them
c) Who actually transported the prisoners
d) Did any Americans kill those who were still alive
If those that transported the prisoners were Afghan militiamen, then I fail to see how Americans committed the crime if they were not involved in mistreathing these particular prisoners.
I'd like to hear from MtG or another military man as to what would be SOP if a truck full of enemy bodies showed up at your base. If the troops thought they were all dead, then I again fail to see how America committed a crime if they told them to just dump them. It would be callous and a bit reckless, p.r. wise, but not a crime.
Unfortuneatly there are what-ifs. If the Americans aquiesed and knew that the prisoners were going to die and looked the other way, then I'm sure that there is some crime that they could be charged with under the UCMJ.
As a side note, would looking the other way while captives are slaughtered be a crime applicable to units like the Dutch protecting Srbernica?
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Jon Miller
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if US troops did the shooting of prisoners I would be extremely disturbed (probably more than disturbed, I would demand action)
if this was allowing our afgan allies to shoot taliban prisoners, than I would be disturbed, but would not consider it a war crime
Jon Miller
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Dr Strangelove
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Uhhhh...... Wasn't it said above that the UN already investigated this and didn't find any mass graves?
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Tripledoc
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quote:
Originally posted by Timexwatch
As a side note, would looking the other way while captives are slaughtered be a crime applicable to units like the Dutch protecting Srbernica? |
The Dutch launched an investigation to clarify responsibility. When the results of the investigation were published the Dutch government promtly resigned.
There is currently a worldwide attempt by journalists, lawyers and others to make the American government recognize its lack of legitimacy. In my opinion this a good and civilized way to rid democracies of bad leadership.
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15-01-2003 12:38
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