Victim of Afghan war crimes that still expect justice

Family members Afghans, who were illegally killed by foreign armed forces during the 20th War in Afghanistan, have long been waiting for justice. Last week, two completely different approaches unveiled according to countries that should make it available.

Australia that has been the most widest when examining the alleged investigation War crimes Through his armed forces in Afghanistan, a website for family members has set up to submit complaints. The website managed by the Australian Ministry of Defense contains an online form in the languages ​​of Dari and Pashto to apply for compensation.

Although this progress is commendable, it is five years after a state investigation has been disclosed for the first time the extent of the likely crimes, including summarizing executions. Only one soldier was charged with the allegations.

In August 2024, the long delays led to the United Nations Mandate to Mandate in August 2024 to consider the Australia to compensate “as a form of charity at the discretion of its military, not as a legal right to victims under international law” and to clarify the lack of clarity in relation to the consultation with the victims and their families.

These concerns remain. Afghan human rights activists organize online panels to draw attention to the website. The Australian government must ensure that the Afghans know about the website and submitting a complaint.

The United Kingdom, which is also obliged to do justice to justice War crimesHas made a lot of slower progress.

Last week BBC Panorama presented new evidence of War crimes From British special units in Iraq and Afghanistan, including interviews with former soldiers about summary executions wounded, including children. “They tied up a boy with handcuffs and shot him,” said a former soldier who had served in Afghanistan. “He was clearly a child, not even shortly before the fight against age.”

The British government has tried its best to prevent such crimes from being pursued. Serivating governments are said to have distributed crimes and criminal inquiries. While the government set an independent investigation of the Afghan allegations in December 2022, it took years for them to be restricted in the scope of the three years 2010-2013.

Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur for human rights in Afghanistan, said the new allegations showed “the need for comprehensive accountability”. This is the only way how victims and their families will find justice.