Blog 5: Afghan Police Killed

Afghan Police Killed
    In Kabul, Afghanistan there were two attacks on Wednesday that ended up killing twenty Afghan police officers. There was also a report that there was a mass poisoning in southeaster Afghanistan. In the Ghazni Province 17 policemen (who were just trained by Americans) were drugged by their comrades and went into comatose stupors while they were on duty. After, they were all shot to death. In the Kandahar Province three police officers were killed by an attack carried out by a supporter. Two police officers were arrested by Afghan officials because they were thought to be Taliban infiltrators and the ones who did the attack. These attackers poisoned the officers dinners then shot them (close range) to ensure that they were dead. They proceeded to take their weapons and ran away after they set the police car on fire. Ten of these officers had just finished their training, and the other seven were recruits who were still in training. There have been problems of attacks from the inside as well as accusations towards officers for violating human rights. The unit that was murdered was trained by Americans. A week earlier another attack was made on drug policemen in the same district. The drug was not strong enough and they escaped. Fiazanullah stated, "we have repeatedly warned the A.L.P. recruiters and trainers to conduct proper and accurate vetting processes for people who want to join the A.L.P ranks." They were also advised not to admit unknown people or people who "are not vouched by tribal elders." They try to meet the recruiting deadline to get credit rather than taking precautions that Fiazanullah recommends. Zabiullah Majuahid emailed journalists saying that Taliban was responsible for the attack. The authorities in an episode in Kandahar Province said that three National policemen had been found dead (shot) outside of their posts. Ghorzang, a spokesman for the police, claimed that the attacker was a heroin addict and was a relative to one of the victims. Ghorzand said that the victim had taken his relative for treatment and once the police had fallen asleep the relative took a gun and killed the Commander (his relative) as well as two officers. The gunman was not identified and ran away. There have been series of attacks on the inside against these officers. Poison or drugs have been used often against these policemen and once they are unconscious they have been shot. A local police officer killed his commander and some colleagues in the same way. These different attacks have totaled up to seventeen deaths.
    This is a huge violation of human rights. The most sacred and personal right one has is the right to live. These policemen are being targeted and murdered by their own people. Taking a persons life is one of the worse violations of human rights and this is a right that should be protected. It also destroys the trust these officers have for each other and shatters confidence in one another. This can result in inadequate work from these officers because of the inability to rely on their fellow officers. With their own people killing them and no protection being put in place to keep them safe these people have to live in fear.


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/world/asia/afghan-police-officers-drugged-and-killed.html

Molly Winfree
3/01/13
3:02 am