US-led NATO forces attacked a health clinic in Afghanistan, stormed the building, damaged equipment, detained those inside and turned it into a temporary jail and military base, in a grave violation of the laws of war.
The incident occurred in October in Wardak province, according to the aid group that runs the clinic, the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan.
“The soldiers knocked down a wall to enter the building, damaged doors, windows, examination beds and other equipment, and detained clinical staff and civilians inside,” reports the Guardian‘s Emma Graham-Harrison from Kabul. “And for the next two and a half days they brought dozens, maybe hundreds of prisoners through the clinic, using it as a jail, logistics hub and for mortar fire, contravening the Geneva conventions, which protect medical centres.”
“The protection of medical persons and facilities, and respect for their neutrality was one of the founding principles of international humanitarian law,” Erica Gaston, a human rights lawyer and senior program officer at the US Institute of Peace, told the Guardian.
“This latest incident is a serious violation…if true, it’s incredible to me that they not only raided this clinic but that [NATO] command allowed them to continue occupying it for days afterwards.”
The Swedish Committee said it complained to NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and they admitted the takeover violated international laws, but said it was a mistake.
But apparently this incident isn’t so out of the ordinary.
Andreas Stefansson, the Swedish group’s director, told the Guardian that “Most NGOs who deliver healthcare in this country experience this almost on a monthly basis; that there are breaches in different provinces, where the Afghan National Army, or ISAF, or special forces basically don’t show the level of respect they should for health facilities.”
War itself is the crime. These kinds of events are an inevitable result.
BS.., I agree with.., that wars that are crime.., if they are not based on defending your country that is.., these kind of wars are not wars defensive.., is occupation with a moral in supremacy, so these solders feel that they are free to do whatever and whenever, they did it in Iraq they are doing it in Afghanistan.
Look: NATO is a militarism regime guided by the Neo fascism, das rat mussens from denmark.., when was the last time you remember Hitler being listen to any one or answering to anyone, if that was the case the US justice department would be very busy prosecuting the entire Bush regime and in England their justice system would be busy prosecuting Tony Blair. World has changed for the lesser evils but with bigger ambition for the world.
A health clinic is raided, the place trashed and used as a jail, and western nations are silent.
We hear that Assad MIGHT use chemical weapons, and the US sends an aircraft carrier.
Go figure.
The US has already proven long ago that they really don't give a shit about the Geneva Conventions anymore. It's all about projecting strength now – and the military has been infused now with the thought that they are unstoppable and that everything they do is OK because the ends justify the means. That's what makes them "heroes" for the adoring stooges who organize the parades and medals when they come home. And this is why the suicide rate is so friggin' high for returned troops…despite their training, their subconscious realizes what it is they've done and can't justify it.
U mean $HIT….???
should have said Scheiße – would have made it past the bad-word-bot. It's such a common word anymore…
NATO is just being constant. The EU is in the process of systematically destroying the excellent healthcare system in place for years in their member states, while the US has long abandoned its citizens without blinking an eye. So, it is only natural that their inhumane attitude toward healthcare for people becomes general policy in all their actions throughout the world.
NATO cannot help being what it is, inhumane to the core.
But that isn't news; that's what they routinely do.
After all, these people, I mean the NATO people of course, are savages.
Adolf's boys used same tactics.
Two observations: 1) The US did the same damned thing in Iraq. 2) Is it too much to expect the Swedish Committee to talk to the Norwegian Committee?
Clinics, wedding parties or "military aged males." It's all the same to the empire.
One French medical NGO in eastern Afghanistan had its clinics raided nine times in 2008. It had enough and left. The format was always the same. Afghan and US troops break in. Tie up the unarmed guards, Beat some up. Steal cash and cell phones and depart. Local US PRT HQ denies knowledge of the event. Suspects it might be Special Forces. Can't help. Sorry.