Where Lies The Truth?
In the midst of a media storm of accusations against the current Conservative-led government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, led by the Liberals in hopes of scoring points with the public, comes the results of an interview by Matthew Fisher, Canadian journalist of note, peripatetically stationed in the region, writing of his interview with the new chief warden of Sarpoza Prison in Afghanistan. This is the prison that saw a break-out of hundreds of Taliban prisoners, after a Taliban attack in June of 2008.
Col. Abdullah Bawar, whose son and cousin, working alongside him in the prison, were both killed during the jailbreak, is not averse to describing his predecessor's corrupt management of the prison. And, during the course of the interview with Matthew Fisher, he categorically denied that even under his summarily-fired predecessor, pre-jailbreak, torture was a widespread occurrence targeting Taliban prisoners. Torture was mostly aligned with extortion, not politics, not intelligence-gathering or vengeance-seeking.
"Yes, there was torture and people were certainly beaten", agreed the chief warden. "Hands and legs would be tied and they would be beaten with cables. I even remember one man who broke his leg from a beating." What, no hanging from butcher claws, heads crushed, limbs severed, nails extracted, genitals burned? Not even water-boarding? And Col. Bawar's best estimate was that roughly one hundred prisoners from among 1,100 had been physically abused during 2006 and 2007.
He characterized this time-frame as "this dark period". The head warden had never heard of Canadian diplomat Richard Colvin. Who has been wreaking havoc with the reputation of the PMO, Cabinet Ministers, the Canadian military and their top brass, by impassioned accusations of their having turned a blind eye to horrendous torture routinely practised on any Taliban turned over to the Afghans by Canadian military personnel.
Moreover, when informed of Mr. Colvin's testimony of such wrong-doing, Col. Bawar insisted that of the hundred prisoners who had suffered abuse, most came from prison wings over than the area where prisoners handed over by Canadian troops to the Afghan police would have been held. Is it likely that Hamid Karzai - who continues to implore the 'moderate' Taliban to abandon extremism and join him and their Afghan brethren to remake the country - would permit 'moderates' to be tortured?
Even in a country and a part of the world known for its brutal treatment of prisoners? If he cared enough to know, that is. Under his predecessor as chief warden, Col. Bawar described a situation where inmates had no access to hospitals and medication. "When the International Committee of the Red Cross would bring supplies such as blankets, only half of them reached the prisoners", he said, speaking of the time between 2006-07.
And Col. Bawar was effusive in his praise for Canada, thanking the federal government for sending correctional services guards as mentors to the prison. "I appreciate every Canadian citizen who came to Kandahar. You left your homes and spent your money to help us." Correctional Services of Canada had taught the Afghan guards about human rights respect, and to abhor torture. These events occurred as a result of the Government of Canada having been made aware several years back of the potential for prisoner abuse.
"Since the training, everyone knows how to speak with prisoners and what are his rights. It is the same for visitors and how to transfer prisoners. They know how to search a cell and an inmate." Canada had built watchtowers, fortified gates and refurbished special holding quarters for juveniles and women. And supplied radios, generators and vehicles. Work on rebuilding the criminal and political wings of the prison is proceeding.
"We have a very strong relationship", said Col. Bawar, of the Canadians whose regular teaching and observational visits to the prison have immeasurably aided the Afghan guards. "We trust each other. If Canadians hadn't help (sic) Sarpoza Prison, we would have remained very backward. That is a very, very big thing." A political prisoner at the wing holding Taliban, also responded to Mr. Fisher's questioning.
"They are treating us well right now", he said, standing among other Taliban. And he too knew of no instances of inmates having been tortured. Needless to say, these are people who might have responded in a manner that they felt corresponded to what the interlocutor wanted to hear. On the other hand, what's in it for them to respond in such a manner, rather than speaking the truth, if it were otherwise?
Col. Abdullah Bawar, whose son and cousin, working alongside him in the prison, were both killed during the jailbreak, is not averse to describing his predecessor's corrupt management of the prison. And, during the course of the interview with Matthew Fisher, he categorically denied that even under his summarily-fired predecessor, pre-jailbreak, torture was a widespread occurrence targeting Taliban prisoners. Torture was mostly aligned with extortion, not politics, not intelligence-gathering or vengeance-seeking.
"Yes, there was torture and people were certainly beaten", agreed the chief warden. "Hands and legs would be tied and they would be beaten with cables. I even remember one man who broke his leg from a beating." What, no hanging from butcher claws, heads crushed, limbs severed, nails extracted, genitals burned? Not even water-boarding? And Col. Bawar's best estimate was that roughly one hundred prisoners from among 1,100 had been physically abused during 2006 and 2007.
He characterized this time-frame as "this dark period". The head warden had never heard of Canadian diplomat Richard Colvin. Who has been wreaking havoc with the reputation of the PMO, Cabinet Ministers, the Canadian military and their top brass, by impassioned accusations of their having turned a blind eye to horrendous torture routinely practised on any Taliban turned over to the Afghans by Canadian military personnel.
Moreover, when informed of Mr. Colvin's testimony of such wrong-doing, Col. Bawar insisted that of the hundred prisoners who had suffered abuse, most came from prison wings over than the area where prisoners handed over by Canadian troops to the Afghan police would have been held. Is it likely that Hamid Karzai - who continues to implore the 'moderate' Taliban to abandon extremism and join him and their Afghan brethren to remake the country - would permit 'moderates' to be tortured?
Even in a country and a part of the world known for its brutal treatment of prisoners? If he cared enough to know, that is. Under his predecessor as chief warden, Col. Bawar described a situation where inmates had no access to hospitals and medication. "When the International Committee of the Red Cross would bring supplies such as blankets, only half of them reached the prisoners", he said, speaking of the time between 2006-07.
And Col. Bawar was effusive in his praise for Canada, thanking the federal government for sending correctional services guards as mentors to the prison. "I appreciate every Canadian citizen who came to Kandahar. You left your homes and spent your money to help us." Correctional Services of Canada had taught the Afghan guards about human rights respect, and to abhor torture. These events occurred as a result of the Government of Canada having been made aware several years back of the potential for prisoner abuse.
"Since the training, everyone knows how to speak with prisoners and what are his rights. It is the same for visitors and how to transfer prisoners. They know how to search a cell and an inmate." Canada had built watchtowers, fortified gates and refurbished special holding quarters for juveniles and women. And supplied radios, generators and vehicles. Work on rebuilding the criminal and political wings of the prison is proceeding.
"We have a very strong relationship", said Col. Bawar, of the Canadians whose regular teaching and observational visits to the prison have immeasurably aided the Afghan guards. "We trust each other. If Canadians hadn't help (sic) Sarpoza Prison, we would have remained very backward. That is a very, very big thing." A political prisoner at the wing holding Taliban, also responded to Mr. Fisher's questioning.
"They are treating us well right now", he said, standing among other Taliban. And he too knew of no instances of inmates having been tortured. Needless to say, these are people who might have responded in a manner that they felt corresponded to what the interlocutor wanted to hear. On the other hand, what's in it for them to respond in such a manner, rather than speaking the truth, if it were otherwise?
Labels: Canada, Crisis Politics, Human Relations
posted by Pieface | 6:09 PM
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