Apparently in response to
recent riots outside the US detention facility at Bagram, and to the
dozens of Afghanis who have died in US facilities around the world, The US and Karzai have announced that all Afghans in US hands will be sent to Afghanistan.
Associated Press is reporting:
Afghans held in U.S. military custody at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere will be sent back to Afghanistan to be detained here, Afghan and U.S. officials said Thursday.
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"... gradual transfer of Afghan detainees to the exclusive custody and control of the Afghan government," a joint statement by the U.S. Embassy and the Afghan government said.
"The government of Afghanistan will accept responsibility for the returning Afghan citizens and will work to ensure that they do not pose a continuing threat," it added.
"This includes all detainees that are with the U.S. forces,"
According to Reuters
"he United States will return about 110 Afghan prisoners from Guantanamo... an additional 350 Afghans detained by the U.S. military at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan will be turned over after Afghan facilities are built...Only four of the hundreds of prisoners held at Guantanamo have been charged with crimes. Most were swept up during the fighting in Afghanistan and held for three years, sparking major complaints by human rights groups and charges from former prisoners that they were tortured.
This is certainly a responsible step taken primarily at the instigation of Karzai, the man who purports to lead Afghanistan. If he is to enjoy a majority support, he must become less of an obvious US puppet. The objections to US detention practices have now been well documented, and new revelations are appearing on a regular basis. Of the many deaths in US custody, there is evidence that
at least a third may have been killed by their guards/interrogators. Some of these cases have been described in
chilling detail in the media. In addition, concerns over treatment of the Quran in US facilities have also resulted in
riots in Afghanistan.
Reports are now coming from Amnesty International and other sources that prisoners may be held in secret facilities around the world, including ships at sea. Recent developments and revelations have shown that Gitmo detainees have little chance of a fair hearing.
I view this change in custody as a very positive step if, in fact, these prisoners are out of US control, and not simply being shuffled out of Gitmo to avoid increasing scrutiny.