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Documantaire VS oorlogsmisdaden shockeert EUR
j. III - 17.06.2002 06:03
Amerikaanse soldaten zijn betrokken geweest bij marteling en moord op gevangen genomen Taliban strijders, en zouden hulp verleend hebben bij de verdwijning van 3000 mannen in de regio Mazar-i-Sharif, aldus de laaste film van Jamie Doran die afgelopen woensdag is vertoond in het duitse parlements gebouw in Berlijn.
Andrew McEntee, een belangrijke internationale mensenrechten advocaat heeft Doran´s laaste film, -Massacre At Mazar- bekeken en het volledige transcripts gelezen, hij is van mening dat er sprake is van bewijsmateriaal betreffende ernstige oorlogsmisdaden gepleegd door amerikaanse troepen in Afganistan. Doran probeert door middel van de film de zaak onder de aandacht te brengen bij de EU politici om het niet in de doofpot te laten verdwijnen, en wil dat er een internationaal onderzoek komt naar de beschuldigingen die in de 22 minuten durende documantaire worden gemaakt. De film is nog niet aan het publiek vertoont om getuigen niet in gevaar te brengen, en te zorgen dat er geen bewijsmateriaal verdwijnt. Een voormalig bestuurder van Amnesty International heeft eveneens opgeroepen tot een onderzoek.
This story, if true, has the potential to be completely ignored on this side of the Atlantic...
I think we´ve heard the last of this one. X J.
KATE CONNOLLY, RORY MCCARTHY, GUARDIAN  http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0%2C1284%2C736324%2C00.html
A former chairman of Amnesty International 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 . . .
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 film´s six witnesses have agreed to give evidence at any international war crimes tribunal.
Were U.S. troops in Afghanistan complicit in a massacre?
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2002/06/15/massacre/index_np.html
Doran has yet to release the footage to the public because he says his eyewitnesses´ identities need to be obscured for their own protection. But Doran felt he had to get some of the information out immediately because the mass graves he secretly filmed are in danger of being tampered with, which would make an independent inquiry into his film´s allegations of Northern Alliance and American war crimes impossible.
According to Doran, of the approximately 8,000 Taliban prisoners taken after the fall of Kunduz in late November 2001 to Gen. Rashid Dostum, around 5,000 are unaccounted for. He says he´s filmed eyewitnesses testifying that many of those prisoners suffocated in the metal containers used to transport them between Qala-I-Zeini fortress and Sherberghan prison, and that Northern Alliance troops fired into the containers, killing and wounding other prisoners. One witness claims that an American officer ordered the bodies dumped in the desert of Dasht-I-Leili, and that living people were taken there as well and executed. Furthermore, Doran says he has witnesses claiming to have seen American special-forces soldiers torturing prisoners who made it to Sherberghan.
::Clive Freeman, Independent Online: June 12 2002 at 05:28PM
Documentary of US ´war crimes´ shocks Europe
Berlin - American soldiers have been involved in the torture and murder of captured Taliban prisoners, and may have aided in the "disappearance" of up to 3 000 men in the region of Mazar-i-Sharif, according to Jamie Doran, an Irish documentary film-maker.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=3&art_id=qw1023894901416B265&set_id=1
Pentagon denies ´war crimes´ accusation
June 14 2002 at 10:41AM
Washington - The Pentagon denied charges made in a documentary shown on Thursday to the European Parliament that Taliban prisoners in northern Afghanistan were massacred with the complicity of the United States.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=22&art_id=qw1024043222270B221&set_id=1
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| Lees meer over: Agenda | | aanvullingen | | | ´The Americans did whatever they wanted´ | j. III - 17.06.2002 06:35
***De twee laaste links naar Independant Online willen niet meewerken!?! Kopieren en plakken in de adresbalk a voila!
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=3&art_id=qw1023894901416B265&set_id=1
´The Americans did whatever they wanted´
McEntee, who was in Berlin for Wednesday´s special screening, said war crimes had been committed not just under international law but, also, "under the laws of the United States itself".
Much of the footage shown in Doran´s 20-minute documentary was taken secretly, and although witnesses were said to be living in fear of reprisal from within Afghanistan itself they had all agreed to appear at any future international war crimes tribunal to give evidence, it was claimed.
One witness in the film claimed he had seen an American soldier break an Afghan prisoner´s neck and pour acid on others. "The Americans did whatever they wanted. We had no power to stop them," he alleged.
Sometimes prisoners who were beaten up and taken outside had "disappeared", he said.
In other sequences witnesses, among them two men, claimed they had been forced to drive into the desert with hundreds of Taliban prisoners.
The living were then summarily shot while 30 to 40 American soldiers purportedly stood by, it was alleged. The prisoners had been taken there on the orders of the local American commander, according to the documentary.
In the film, an Afghan witness admitted to killing prisoners himself, and another officer, allegedly a senior officer in the army of deputy defence minister Dostum´s forces, was said to have gone into hiding following threats to his life.
The far-left Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) arranged for the special showing of Massacre At Mazar in the Reichstag. Party chairman Roland Claus was cautious regarding its content but did spoke of its attempt at "authenticity."
Andre Brie, a PDS member of the European Parliament, concerned by reports of ill treatment of Taliban prisoners, said he would be in favour of an international commission looking into "disturbing" questions raised by the film.
At a press conference Brie said he had known of Doran´s dangerous film activity in Afghanistan, and had helped to support him financially.
The PDS party faction had wanted to obtain authentic footage of the war in Afghanistan, he said.
The film was due to be screened at the European Parliament in Strasbourg later on Wednesday evening. - Sapa-DPA
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=22&art_id=qw1024043222270B221&set_id=1
Pentagon denies ´war crimes´ accusation
June 14 2002 at 10:41AM
Washington - The Pentagon denied charges made in a documentary shown on Thursday to the European Parliament that Taliban prisoners in northern Afghanistan were massacred with the complicity of the United States.
In an initial reaction to the documentary, a spokesperson for the US Central Command in Florida, which leads US forces in Afghanistan, said that similar unfounded accusations emerged months ago.
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US soldiers asked the Afghans to get rid of the bodies to avoid the appearance of satellite photos showing them. The film claims that the bodies of between 1 500 and 4 000 prisoners may have been buried.
French Communist Party Euro deputy Francis Wurtz said the International Red Cross would be asked to carry out an investigation. - Sapa-AFP
| | | 17.06.2002 07:08
http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=648372002
In one sequence, a witness claims he saw a US soldier break an Afghan prisoner’s neck and pour acid on others.
"The Americans did whatever they wanted. We had no power to stop them." Some prisoners were beaten up, taken outside only to "disappear", the witness said.
Two other witnesses claim they were forced to drive into the desert with hundreds of Taleban prisoners who were in containers. The orders came from the local US commander, they alleged. Prisoners who had not suffocated to death were then shot dead while 30 to 40 US soldiers stood by watching.
In another sequence, a witness admits to having executed prisoners, while another Afghan, said to have been a senior officer under the Northern Alliance’s General Rashid Dostum, was said to have gone into hiding following threats to his life.
The screening of the film at the European Parliament in prompted calls for an international commission to investigate the charges.
Mr Doran told The Scotsman last night: "I took the footage to the European parliament because of a phone call I received from Afghanistan. I have a great fear that the graves may be tampered with. I had to take it to the highest level in Europe." He said that after the screening, MEPs had told him they would approach the Red Cross to ensure the graves were protected.
Mr Doran said his documentary followed closely the findings of a new report by the Boston-based Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), which had concluded that there was evidence of the disposal of human remains at two mass grave sites near Mazar-i-Sharif.
"Physicians for Human Rights tell me that the interviews we conducted for the documentary were the missing link they needed," Mr Doran said.
In the documentary, the witnesses says they believe the bodies at the site found near the village of Shebarghan included the Taleban prisoners who were transported to the site in the truck containers.
On its website, PHR calls on Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan’s new leader, and the international community to protect the grave sites. It says it recognises that the government of Afghanistan was not in a position to secure the sites but that the US, Britain and other countries had the capacity - and the responsibility - to ensure that they were protected.
"The examination of bodies and dignified burial of remains will contribute to the truth and accountability process, which is essential for future peace and stability in Afghanistan," PHR said.
Amnesty says responsibility for an inquiry lies with the United States and Britain as US and British special forces helped alliance troops put down the revolt.
Andre Brie, a member of the European Parliament for the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), said he would back any call for an international commission looking into the allegations. He said he had supported Mr Doran financially in what he described as the producer’s "dangerous film activity".
Excerpts of Mr Doran’s documentary are to be screened on television in Britain next week.
| | Volledig rapport PHR met foto´s massagraven | 17.06.2002 09:04
A Report by Physicians for Human Rights Boston • Washington DC
Preliminary Assessment of Alleged Mass Gravesites in the
Area of Mazar-I-Sharif, Afghanistan: January 16-21 and February 7-14
http://www.phrusa.org/research/afghanistan/report_graves.html
| | Amerika | 18.06.2002 09:45
pen, peng!
Pow Pow!
we have ways to make you do what we want you to do...
Tijd dat ze daar een een enorme neutronen bom op gooien.
| | Mazar | matches - 18.06.2002 15:30
Interview with Jamie Doran, director of Massacre at Mazar
By Stefan Steinberg
17 June 2002
WSWS: Regarding the US involvement in what took place, could I ask about the witnesses who appear in the film?
JD: Three members of the Afghan military appear in the film, two ordinary soldiers and one general. Then there is one taxi diver who witnessed three containers with blood pouring from them. He said his hair stood on end and that it was horrific. Then two of the truck drivers testify who were forced to take the containers into the desert. Based on the statements of the witnesses, the total number of those transported was at the very least 1,500, but more likely the total is up to 3,000.
WSWS: In your opinion, in such an operation involving the transportation and elimination of up to 3,000 people, is it possible that the American troops did not have knowledge or give their consent?
JD: You want my opinion? My answer is no. One hundred and fifty Americans soldiers were present at Sheberghan prison. That does not include CIA personnel. In my opinion, it would be highly unlikely that they could remain unaware of something taking place of such magnitude.
WSWS: In your opinion, how high up in the US army chain of command does complicity in these events extend?
JD: I repeat. When you have 150 American soldiers and a number of CIA personnel in the vicinity of Sheberghan prison, it would be extremely strange if they did not have knowledge of these atrocities taking place.
WSWS: In the film, witnesses say that American military personnel were involved in the torture and shooting of Afghan prisoners.
JD: In the film, accusations are made that torture was carried out by American soldiers, but the major accusation in terms of the numbers involved is that an American officer told one of the witnesses to get the containers out of the town of Sheberghan before satellite pictures could be taken. Also, one of the drivers talked of 30 to 40 American soldiers being present at the location of the murder and burial of survivors in the desert.
WSWS: What are your plans for showing the film to a wider audience?
JD: As you know, this is a short film that I have released in order to prevent the graves being damaged. The main film will be finished in about five to six weeks, and will carry greater implications against the people involved.
Het gehele interview is terug te lezen op:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/jun2002/dora-j17.shtml
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