Kunduz Hospital Bombing = War Crime

The War Resisters League stands with Afghans United for Justice as they condemn the Kunduz hospital bombing as a war crime, and call for an independent investigation into the U.S. airstrikes on this Afghanistan hospital.

"The human cost of this war crime continues beyond the October 3 airstrike. The whole city of Kunduz is now without a hospital, as MSF has been forced to evacuate the area. This means that tens of thousands of people are without access to emergency medical and surgical healthcare in a city that has been devastated by intense fighting. Some survivors of the attack, like Khalid Ahmad, will suffer from lifelong permanent disabilities. And, without accountability, the U.S. military will continue to justify its war crimes.

Many important questions remain unanswered. We echo MSF in asking, “Who within the chain of command is ultimately responsible for the deaths of 42 people, and how is that person being held accountable?”

Afghans United for Justice demands:

  • An independent investigation of the Kunduz hospital bombing, outside of the chain of command.
  • The U.S. Department of Defense release the names of all 16 U.S. Military personnel involved in this attack.
  • The Afghan Unity Government bring the 16 U.S. military personnel to trial and prosecute them in Afghanistan.
  • The U.S. Department of Defense release all footage and recordings captured by the AC-130 warship before, during, and after the attack.
  • Lifelong medical coverage for all permanently disabled and injured victims of the attack.
  • Proper compensation to all victims.

We cannot allow this war crime to pass unnoticed. We need to hold the U.S. military accountable. The Pentagon cannot conduct an impartial investigation of its own actions.

We need an independent investigation outside of the chain of command.

ACT NOW: please join us in our call for justice and sign the petition here."

 

Read Afghans United for Justice's full statement here.
Sign their petition here.

 

 
In addition to Afghans United for Justice, the following human rights organizations and individuals have publicly responded to the U.S. Central Command’s investigation (released April 29, 2016) of the October 3, 2015 destruction of the only trauma center and hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan:
 
Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres (4/29/16)
"The administrative punishments announced by the U.S. today are out of proportion to the destruction of a protected medical facility, the deaths of 42 people, the wounding of dozens of others, and the total loss of vital medical services to hundreds of thousands of people. The lack of meaningful accountability sends a worrying signal to warring parties, and is unlikely to act as a deterrent against future violations of the rules of war. At the same time, it has become clear that the victims and their families have neither the option to pursue legal action against the U.S. military, either in Afghanistan or in the US, nor to claim compensation for loss of life and livelihood. This has only compounded the devastation of the attack."
Click here for the full press release.
 
Physicians for Human Rights (4/29/16)
"Mere reprimands, while potentially career-ending, are no substitute for a full criminal investigation. Sidestepping such an investigation is an offense to the standards of justice and accountability the U.S. espouses internationally. When justice is served, it provides a modicum of accountability, an example for others to follow. But today, justice for the patients who died in their beds, the doctors and nurses and hospital staff killed while doing their jobs, was denied."
Click here for the full press release.
 
Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) (4/29/16)
"Hospitals in conflict zones are protected spaces. These doctors and medical workers put themselves in harm’s way every day to save lives. The victims and their families deserve justice and I will continue to call on President Obama and Secretary Carter to allow an independent investigation to be conducted to ensure that all who are responsible are held accountable and that this never happens again."
Click here for the full press release.
 
Amnesty International (4/28/16)
"It is never acceptable to target hospitals under international law. To prevent the principles of international humanitarian law from being further eroded, the U.S. government must respect its obligation to independently investigate serious violations of international humanitarian law and ensure those responsible are prosecuted. The decision to prosecute members of the armed forces for criminal conduct should be made by an independent prosecutor to avoid the conflict of interest inherent in allowing commanders to make such decisions. Until there is meaningful and systemic reform, Afghan victims of violations by US forces will be denied full justice."
Click here for the full press release.
 
In case you can’t access the heavily-redacted investigation on U.S. Central Command’s website, read these 6 PDF files below.
 
 
Sift through the military jargon and you will find chilling details, such as this conversation (on page 34) between the aircrew and ground troops moments before the attack:

 

For background information on the bombing of the Kunduz hospital, read:

Pentagon Denies War Crimes Allegations in Kunduz Hospital Killings
The Radically Changing Story of the US Airstrike on Afghan Hospital From Mistake to Justification

 

"Contrary to what the U.S. military wants you to believe, the Kunduz hospital bombing was a deliberate attack. It is a war crime. The 16 U.S. military personnel involved murdered 42 people and injured dozens of more people. Acknowledging its guilt, the U.S. military paid a paltry $6,000 to the families of those who died in the attack, and $3,000 to those who were injured. Blaming this war crime on the “fog of war” is an injustice to those who were murdered last October. We need to hold the U.S. military accountable."

The above text and research was originally posted on Seelai Karzai's website. Thank you Seelai.

 
Above photo credit: @onekade
 

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