Local broadcast:
Friday 26 September
M6 Lyon – evening (8:40pm): http://www.m6info.fr/m6info/lyon/categorie.jsp?id=awl_787631
TLM – evening (7:30pm, 9:30pm, 10:30pm): http://lyon.ville.orange.fr/direct/popup_telelyon.html?jour=vendredi
Saturday 27 September
France 3 Rhône-Alpes - Mid-day (12pm): http://jt.france3.fr/regions/popup.php?id=b69a_1214part1&video_number=3n
Evening: http://jt.france3.fr/regions/popup.php?id=b69a_1920&video_number=2
National broadcast:
Saturday 27 September
Night (11pm): http://jt.france3.fr/soir3/ then pick “Samedi 27 septembre”
September 30, 2008
September 29, 2008
http://jt.france3.fr/soir3/
if you want to hear to Firoz's interveiw on France TV click the link above and select the Samedi27 watch the all program.
if you want to hear to Firoz's interveiw on France TV click the link above and select the Samedi27 watch the all program.
Conference on Landmines and Cluster munitions
Conference on Landmines and Cluster munitions
Citizen Debate
France, Lyon- September. 25. 2008
Bonsoir à tous. Tout d’abord, je souhaite remercier vivement les organisateurs de cet événement. Je suis ravi d’être parmi vous.
Good evening to you all, first and foremost I would like to thank the organizers of this event. It gives me a great pleasure to be here with you this evening.
I am always delighted to talk about and against landmines and other
weapons which indiscriminately target civilians, because I was personally affected by a landmine in 1996 in Afghanistan.
I am honored to share my own experience and give you a bit of information about the tragedy of landmines and their negative impact on the lives and livelihoods of Afghans.
As you might know, Afghanistan has been heavily affected by landmines. Most of the landmines were laid by Soviet and pro-Soviet Afghan government forces from 1979-1992, during the civil war by Mujahedin 1980s and lastly by Taliban. Landmines have been planted indiscriminately over most of the country. Grazing areas, agricultural land, irrigation systems, residential areas, and roads and footpaths, in both urban and rural areas, are contaminated for years. After 30 years; the horrendous tragedy by landmines is still ongoing.
In 1993 the causalities from landmines was estimated at 600 to 720 per month, in 1997 was estimated at 300 to 360, in 2000 was estimated at 150 to 300, and in 2008 is reported around 50 to 60 per month.
So, we witness a tremendous decrease in human causalities - from 700 causalities per month to 60 causalities per month. But even one death or injury from landmines is one too many.
Since Afghanistan joined the Mine Ban Treaty in April 2003, the international community, the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations have intensified mine risk education, mine clearance and stockpile destruction. Indeed Afghanistan destroyed all its known mine stockpiles in November 2007, though it finished its legal duty to destroy them 8 months after its treaty deadline. It has also to cleared 60% of the land contaminated by landmines
But 40% of land is still remained contaminated by landmines which means 2300 communities where 2.4 million people live are threatened every day by the presence of mines.
The residents of 2300 communities live in fear and dread, children continue to be maimed by landmines, refugees and Internally displaced people cannot go back to their villages, the reconstruction work is hampered and the economy of the people remains poor.
Over 8000 deminers are constantly working to remove all the landmines by 2013, which is Afghanistan’s deadline to demine all its land under the Mine Ban Treaty. But there are big concerns about the ongoing conflict which will cause planting more landmines by insurgents and Taliban and prevent/suspend the mine clearance work.
Attacks, kidnaps, shoots and warning letters have highly been threatening the de-miners; in past years many de-miners have been killed and kidnapped by Taliban groups. Currently 6 deminers that were kidnapped a month ago still are not released. (Let’s all hope for safe release of the 6 deminers in hostage!), due to ongoing conflicts often the demining works suspend for days and weeks, indeed demining is not easy job not only because of danger of landmines, because of tents of other crimes and threats.
It is estimated that around 60,000 landmine and ERW survivors are living in Afghanistan. They are living in a poor socio-economic situation. Over 70 percent of them have no access to schools, over 80 percent of them are unemployed, women with disabilities face double discrimination and so on… Sometimes the problems make the victims desperate, which gives an opportunity to the Taliban to hire the victims for suicide bombing and other insurgent activities. Many of them are marginalized and hidden at homes for months and years. They are denied jobs, considered unworthy of marriage, barred from certain social events and religious practices.
I see vast humanitarian requirements to clear the landmines and assist the victims in Afghanistan that await an urgent response by the international community. Those requirements are becoming even more pressing and acute as severe winter sweeps the mountains and valleys in the country and the conflict is growing in the different parts of the country.
In concluding my remarks, let me express my hope for peace and recovery in Afghanistan, for security for all civilians, and ultimately for a world free of landmines and cluster munitions.
Vous pouvez aider en signant le People’s Treaty contre les bombes à sous-munitions! Venez à la place Bellecour samedi! Je vais maintenant répondre à vos questions...
You can help by signing the People’s Treaty! Come to Place Bellecour on Saturday!
I will now answer your questions…
Merci.
Firoz ALIZADA
Treaty Implementation Officer
International Campaign to Ban Landmines
Citizen Debate
France, Lyon- September. 25. 2008
Bonsoir à tous. Tout d’abord, je souhaite remercier vivement les organisateurs de cet événement. Je suis ravi d’être parmi vous.
Good evening to you all, first and foremost I would like to thank the organizers of this event. It gives me a great pleasure to be here with you this evening.
I am always delighted to talk about and against landmines and other
weapons which indiscriminately target civilians, because I was personally affected by a landmine in 1996 in Afghanistan.I am honored to share my own experience and give you a bit of information about the tragedy of landmines and their negative impact on the lives and livelihoods of Afghans.
As you might know, Afghanistan has been heavily affected by landmines. Most of the landmines were laid by Soviet and pro-Soviet Afghan government forces from 1979-1992, during the civil war by Mujahedin 1980s and lastly by Taliban. Landmines have been planted indiscriminately over most of the country. Grazing areas, agricultural land, irrigation systems, residential areas, and roads and footpaths, in both urban and rural areas, are contaminated for years. After 30 years; the horrendous tragedy by landmines is still ongoing.
In 1993 the causalities from landmines was estimated at 600 to 720 per month, in 1997 was estimated at 300 to 360, in 2000 was estimated at 150 to 300, and in 2008 is reported around 50 to 60 per month.
So, we witness a tremendous decrease in human causalities - from 700 causalities per month to 60 causalities per month. But even one death or injury from landmines is one too many.
Since Afghanistan joined the Mine Ban Treaty in April 2003, the international community, the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations have intensified mine risk education, mine clearance and stockpile destruction. Indeed Afghanistan destroyed all its known mine stockpiles in November 2007, though it finished its legal duty to destroy them 8 months after its treaty deadline. It has also to cleared 60% of the land contaminated by landmines
But 40% of land is still remained contaminated by landmines which means 2300 communities where 2.4 million people live are threatened every day by the presence of mines.
The residents of 2300 communities live in fear and dread, children continue to be maimed by landmines, refugees and Internally displaced people cannot go back to their villages, the reconstruction work is hampered and the economy of the people remains poor.
Over 8000 deminers are constantly working to remove all the landmines by 2013, which is Afghanistan’s deadline to demine all its land under the Mine Ban Treaty. But there are big concerns about the ongoing conflict which will cause planting more landmines by insurgents and Taliban and prevent/suspend the mine clearance work.
Attacks, kidnaps, shoots and warning letters have highly been threatening the de-miners; in past years many de-miners have been killed and kidnapped by Taliban groups. Currently 6 deminers that were kidnapped a month ago still are not released. (Let’s all hope for safe release of the 6 deminers in hostage!), due to ongoing conflicts often the demining works suspend for days and weeks, indeed demining is not easy job not only because of danger of landmines, because of tents of other crimes and threats.
It is estimated that around 60,000 landmine and ERW survivors are living in Afghanistan. They are living in a poor socio-economic situation. Over 70 percent of them have no access to schools, over 80 percent of them are unemployed, women with disabilities face double discrimination and so on… Sometimes the problems make the victims desperate, which gives an opportunity to the Taliban to hire the victims for suicide bombing and other insurgent activities. Many of them are marginalized and hidden at homes for months and years. They are denied jobs, considered unworthy of marriage, barred from certain social events and religious practices.
I see vast humanitarian requirements to clear the landmines and assist the victims in Afghanistan that await an urgent response by the international community. Those requirements are becoming even more pressing and acute as severe winter sweeps the mountains and valleys in the country and the conflict is growing in the different parts of the country.
In concluding my remarks, let me express my hope for peace and recovery in Afghanistan, for security for all civilians, and ultimately for a world free of landmines and cluster munitions.
Vous pouvez aider en signant le People’s Treaty contre les bombes à sous-munitions! Venez à la place Bellecour samedi! Je vais maintenant répondre à vos questions...
You can help by signing the People’s Treaty! Come to Place Bellecour on Saturday!
I will now answer your questions…
Merci.
Firoz ALIZADA
Treaty Implementation Officer
International Campaign to Ban Landmines
September 11, 2008
ICBL Urges All Countries to Join the UN Disability Rights Convention
ICBL Urges All Countries to Join the UN Disability Rights Convention
GENEVA - May 2 - Landmine survivors and all people with disabilities can now count on a powerful tool to ensure their rights are respected and their needs met,
the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) said today, hailing the entry into force of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Disability Rights Convention).
The Convention, considered the first major human rights treaty of this century, was signed in December 2006. It will enter into force tomorrow, 30 days after the deposit of the 20th ratification (by Ecuador, on 3 April 2008).
“Like the Mine Ban Treaty just over ten years ago, the Disability Rights Convention is the result of a close partnership between governments and civil society organizations, whose contribution was crucial in achieving a strong legal instrument,” said Firoz Ali Alizada, Advisor to the Afghan Landmine Survivors’ Organization (ALSO), stressing the high levels of participation of the disability community – including landmine survivors – in the process.
“We are confident that the Disability Rights Convention will help bring about real change in the lives of landmine survivors, through the adoption of effective legislation and a shift in attitude,” Alizada added.
In mine-affected countries, the Disability Rights Convention will complement the obligations for assisting landmine victims contained in the Mine Ban Treaty and strengthen the notion that providing comprehensive assistance to landmine survivors and other people with disability is fundamentally a human rights issue.
“Unfortunately, despite repeated verbal commitments, support for landmine survivors is still lacking in many countries, and decisive action is needed to turn promises into real improvements for survivors, their families, and communities,” said ICBL Executive Director Sylvie Brigot.
Of the 24 States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty that have identified themselves as having the most pressing needs in terms of victim assistance, only four have so far ratified the Disability Rights Convention: Croatia, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Peru. The ICBL urges all countries to join the Convention and start adopting national legislation to put it into practice as soon as possible.
As the international community prepares to meet in Dublin from 19 May 2008 to negotiate a new treaty to ban cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians, the ICBL expressed the hope that the principles of equality and inclusion enshrined in the Disability Rights Convention will be fully reflected in the new treaty.
"From the experience of the Mine Ban Treaty, we have learned the importance of placing concrete requirements on states for victim assistance. We hope the new treaty will include solid implementation and reporting requirements in this area,” Brigot said.
Background
The ICBL’s Landmine Monitor Report 2007 estimates the global number of landmine survivors at 473,000 but actual numbers are likely to be higher.
During the First Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2004, the following 23 countries identified themselves as having significant numbers of mine survivors and needs for assistance, but also the greatest responsibility to act: Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia, Croatia, Dem. Rep. of Congo, El Salvador, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Peru, Senegal, Serbia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uganda and Yemen. Ethiopia later added itself to the list.
Through the Nairobi Action Plan, adopted at the end of the First Review Conference in 2004, States Parties to the treaty pledged to enhance efforts for the care, rehabilitation and reintegration of landmine survivors during the period 2005-2009.
GENEVA - May 2 - Landmine survivors and all people with disabilities can now count on a powerful tool to ensure their rights are respected and their needs met,
the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) said today, hailing the entry into force of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Disability Rights Convention).The Convention, considered the first major human rights treaty of this century, was signed in December 2006. It will enter into force tomorrow, 30 days after the deposit of the 20th ratification (by Ecuador, on 3 April 2008).
“Like the Mine Ban Treaty just over ten years ago, the Disability Rights Convention is the result of a close partnership between governments and civil society organizations, whose contribution was crucial in achieving a strong legal instrument,” said Firoz Ali Alizada, Advisor to the Afghan Landmine Survivors’ Organization (ALSO), stressing the high levels of participation of the disability community – including landmine survivors – in the process.
“We are confident that the Disability Rights Convention will help bring about real change in the lives of landmine survivors, through the adoption of effective legislation and a shift in attitude,” Alizada added.
In mine-affected countries, the Disability Rights Convention will complement the obligations for assisting landmine victims contained in the Mine Ban Treaty and strengthen the notion that providing comprehensive assistance to landmine survivors and other people with disability is fundamentally a human rights issue.
“Unfortunately, despite repeated verbal commitments, support for landmine survivors is still lacking in many countries, and decisive action is needed to turn promises into real improvements for survivors, their families, and communities,” said ICBL Executive Director Sylvie Brigot.
Of the 24 States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty that have identified themselves as having the most pressing needs in terms of victim assistance, only four have so far ratified the Disability Rights Convention: Croatia, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Peru. The ICBL urges all countries to join the Convention and start adopting national legislation to put it into practice as soon as possible.
As the international community prepares to meet in Dublin from 19 May 2008 to negotiate a new treaty to ban cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians, the ICBL expressed the hope that the principles of equality and inclusion enshrined in the Disability Rights Convention will be fully reflected in the new treaty.
"From the experience of the Mine Ban Treaty, we have learned the importance of placing concrete requirements on states for victim assistance. We hope the new treaty will include solid implementation and reporting requirements in this area,” Brigot said.
Background
The ICBL’s Landmine Monitor Report 2007 estimates the global number of landmine survivors at 473,000 but actual numbers are likely to be higher.
During the First Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2004, the following 23 countries identified themselves as having significant numbers of mine survivors and needs for assistance, but also the greatest responsibility to act: Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia, Croatia, Dem. Rep. of Congo, El Salvador, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Peru, Senegal, Serbia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uganda and Yemen. Ethiopia later added itself to the list.
Through the Nairobi Action Plan, adopted at the end of the First Review Conference in 2004, States Parties to the treaty pledged to enhance efforts for the care, rehabilitation and reintegration of landmine survivors during the period 2005-2009.
NO MORE VICTIMS!
Statement by Firoz Ali ALIZADA on behalf of CMC to the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons Geneva, 8 November 2006
The Cluster Munition Coalition has asked me to introduce myself very briefly. My name is Firoz Ali Alizada, from Afghanistan. I was born near Bamyan province of Afghanistan and am 24 year old now. I am working for Handicap International in Afghanistan as the deputy country director.When I was a 12 year old, student in secondary school, I was taking shortcut on the last day of school and crossing a small mountain, when I stepped on an antipersonnel mine, the result was that I lost both of my legs above and below the knees and wounded my left hand.
This tragedy happened during the Taliban regime, while the lives of millions of people were in serious risk. After months of surgery and seven operations, ICRC provided me with prostheses which enabled me to walk and continue my life as a contributing member of the community as other people.I graduated from high school when I was a refugee in Pakistan, and in 2002 when the Taliban regime collapsed, I turned to Kabul.
Since that time I have been campaigning against cluster munitions, antipersonnel mines, as well as for the rights of persons with disabilities and assisting victims.Since 2003, I have been deeply involved in national and international events and campaign against mines and cluster munitions. As a mine victim, working with victims of cluster munitions in my country on a daily basis, I have witnessed the terrible effects of cluster munitions, and I definitely consider that cluster munitions have exactly the same effects on civilians than antipersonnel landmines.
The devastating humanitarian and social impact of landmines and cluster munitions are well known. They have killed thousands of innocent men, women and children around the world. But if landmines are banned by 151 countries so far, what about cluster munitions?In recent years in Afghanistan and very recently in Lebanon, the humanitarian and social impact of cluster munitions shocked the world.
Even though the campaign has been going on for years, the tragedy of cluster munitions is still increasing.How long will these tragedies continue to kill innocent people, and destroy and collapse infrastructures around the world? How long will the civilians have to suffer from these inaccurate and unreliable weapons? How long will the children remain deprived of schools because of the risk of cluster munitions and landmines? How long will the diplomatic discussions be continued without achieving the main goal which is safety of civilians?In order to solve this global humanitarian crisis, prevent future disaster and save the lives and livelihoods of millions of people, the only solution is a new treaty on cluster munitions as soon as possible.
In the closing, I have traveled all the way from Kabul full of hope that you will seize the opportunity this two weeks to make a real difference in the lives of innocent civilians like myself.
Thank you.
The Cluster Munition Coalition has asked me to introduce myself very briefly. My name is Firoz Ali Alizada, from Afghanistan. I was born near Bamyan province of Afghanistan and am 24 year old now. I am working for Handicap International in Afghanistan as the deputy country director.When I was a 12 year old, student in secondary school, I was taking shortcut on the last day of school and crossing a small mountain, when I stepped on an antipersonnel mine, the result was that I lost both of my legs above and below the knees and wounded my left hand.
This tragedy happened during the Taliban regime, while the lives of millions of people were in serious risk. After months of surgery and seven operations, ICRC provided me with prostheses which enabled me to walk and continue my life as a contributing member of the community as other people.I graduated from high school when I was a refugee in Pakistan, and in 2002 when the Taliban regime collapsed, I turned to Kabul.
Since that time I have been campaigning against cluster munitions, antipersonnel mines, as well as for the rights of persons with disabilities and assisting victims.Since 2003, I have been deeply involved in national and international events and campaign against mines and cluster munitions. As a mine victim, working with victims of cluster munitions in my country on a daily basis, I have witnessed the terrible effects of cluster munitions, and I definitely consider that cluster munitions have exactly the same effects on civilians than antipersonnel landmines.
The devastating humanitarian and social impact of landmines and cluster munitions are well known. They have killed thousands of innocent men, women and children around the world. But if landmines are banned by 151 countries so far, what about cluster munitions?In recent years in Afghanistan and very recently in Lebanon, the humanitarian and social impact of cluster munitions shocked the world.
Even though the campaign has been going on for years, the tragedy of cluster munitions is still increasing.How long will these tragedies continue to kill innocent people, and destroy and collapse infrastructures around the world? How long will the civilians have to suffer from these inaccurate and unreliable weapons? How long will the children remain deprived of schools because of the risk of cluster munitions and landmines? How long will the diplomatic discussions be continued without achieving the main goal which is safety of civilians?In order to solve this global humanitarian crisis, prevent future disaster and save the lives and livelihoods of millions of people, the only solution is a new treaty on cluster munitions as soon as possible.
In the closing, I have traveled all the way from Kabul full of hope that you will seize the opportunity this two weeks to make a real difference in the lives of innocent civilians like myself.
Thank you.
Taliban Recruiting Persons with Disablities to carry out suicide attacks
Taliban recruiting vulnerable groups to carry out suicide attacks
Submitted by administrator on Mon, 05/07/2007 - 13:16.
international
By SONYA FATAHToronto Globe and Mail Monday, May 07, 2007
The suicide bombing at a Kabul Internet cafe drew attention for a number of reasons: It was one of the first in the Afghan capital after the fall of the Taliban; it struck a spot popular with foreigners; and a U.N. worker was among those who died along with the attacker, Qari Samiullah.
But a little-known fact about that 2005 blast offers a clue into the workings of the insurgents who recruit suicide bombers, and what, apart from religious propaganda, has motivated about 200 men to blow themselves up: In addition to being a deeply religious man, Samiullah was disabled.
His disability didn't come as a surprise. As the insurgency in Afghanistan gathers urgency, the Taliban and other forces are recruiting marginalized and vulnerable groups to carry out suicide attacks while men from their own ranks keep up the ground offensive.
The pool of the disenchanted and hopeless is large in Afghanistan _ people left on the fringes by their economic, physical or mental circumstances _ and there are few services to rehabilitate them after three decades of war.
"Almost 90 percent of (suicide bombers) are people with some form of disability," forensic expert Dr. Yusuf Yadgari said.
Every bomber's body in Kabul-based attacks passes through Yadgari's morgue. He has so far detected such disabilities as muscular dystrophy, amputated toes, blindness, skin diseases and signs of mental illness in the bodies of suicide bombers.
Although no statistics are available, anecdotal evidence increasingly backs up Yadgari's observations. Security experts argue that the Taliban seek out the disaffected, the poor and the marginalized, a group that certainly would include a majority of the disabled. And non-governmental organizations (NGOs) say reports of disabled people being trained as suicide bombers, although unproven, are common.
"One reason why people entertain the idea is there is complete loss of hope in being able to live a normal life," said Firoz Ali Alizada, who lost his legs to a land mine and now uses artificial legs and crutches.
"In a culture like ours, disability and the possibility of being out on the street are equated with great shame. A man who is married and has children is suddenly incapable of supporting and feeding his family. ... He might find it easier to die."
Disabled people are a significant portion of Afghanistan's population, but they live on the margins of its society. One NGO, Handicapped International, identifies nine dimensions of disability, including the ability to care for oneself, depression, epilepsy or seizures, and restrictions on physical movement. About 2.7 percent of the population has very severe disabilities, according to the group.
When a wider segment of disability is included, the percentage skyrockets to 58.9. Even that, observers say, excludes mental disability and disabilities among women.
"It is clear that the Taliban are using financial incentives in many cases to encourage suicide bombers," said Sam Zarifi, Asia Division research director of Human Rights Watch.
"It's not just ideological fervor. It is clear that in a place like Afghanistan where there is a very weak economy, the handicapped, whether physically disabled or mentally challenged, are going to be more vulnerable to that kind of financial incentive."
Money for suicide bombings is offered to families of the bombers, so they can live a better life, a compensation of sorts for the loss of a male breadwinner.
In the early days of Afghan suicide attacks, the Taliban offered $250, sources say. But that number has risen to as high as $10,000. A young man from Kandahar whose attack was foiled by police said he was offered $15,000.
Saifuddin Nezami, director of the Community Center for the Disabled, who is himself disabled, said he can see how recruiting disabled people would be effective:
"In Kabul we have some services for the disabled ... but in the provinces there is nothing _ no services, no vocational training. They are isolated from society and life. This situation causes people to be very disappointed in life, to be depressive and to bear a deep grudge in their hearts toward society and other people."
Suicide attacks in Afghanistan have risen dramatically in recent years, according to Human Rights Watch, which released a report on the subject last month. The tactic is relatively new in the country, which saw only two suicide bombings in 2003. But the numbers grew from six such attacks in 2004, to 21 in 2005, to 136 in 2006. In the first 10 weeks of this year, there were 28.
Many cases of mental illness, mainly depression, can be judged from the condition of the bomber at the time of the attack, Yagadari said. "Their clothes and face are dirty. You can see that they are not interested in life."
It is difficult to track people with mental disabilities because the stigma of those illnesses is worse, if possible, than that attached to physical ailments.
"If you walk down the street ... you will notice that one of every three or four people is talking to himself," Nezami said.
Security analysts say the Taliban and other groups do not recruit suicide bombers from among their elite. "It's true that the Taliban don't use their best and brightest as suicide bombers," said Philip Halton, managing director of Safer Access, which provides expertise for humanitarian aid groups.
"They do look for disaffected members of society, not only those who are disabled but those who are exceedingly poor, and they target those people."
The case of Samiullah, the Internet cafe bomber, is slightly unusual in that he was middle-class.
Hamid Barakzai, a former high-school classmate, recalls bumping into his old friend several years after the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Samiullah was still sporting the long beard advocated by the fundamentalist group.
"I asked him, 'Why haven't you cut off your beard? The Taliban are gone,' " Barakzai recalled. "He told me, 'I am al Qaeda. I will die al Qaeda. Next time, I might take some infidel with me to the other world.' I thought he was joking."
Shortly after that conversation, in May 2005, Samiullah blew himself up.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
Submitted by administrator on Mon, 05/07/2007 - 13:16.
international
By SONYA FATAHToronto Globe and Mail Monday, May 07, 2007
The suicide bombing at a Kabul Internet cafe drew attention for a number of reasons: It was one of the first in the Afghan capital after the fall of the Taliban; it struck a spot popular with foreigners; and a U.N. worker was among those who died along with the attacker, Qari Samiullah.
But a little-known fact about that 2005 blast offers a clue into the workings of the insurgents who recruit suicide bombers, and what, apart from religious propaganda, has motivated about 200 men to blow themselves up: In addition to being a deeply religious man, Samiullah was disabled.
His disability didn't come as a surprise. As the insurgency in Afghanistan gathers urgency, the Taliban and other forces are recruiting marginalized and vulnerable groups to carry out suicide attacks while men from their own ranks keep up the ground offensive.
The pool of the disenchanted and hopeless is large in Afghanistan _ people left on the fringes by their economic, physical or mental circumstances _ and there are few services to rehabilitate them after three decades of war.
"Almost 90 percent of (suicide bombers) are people with some form of disability," forensic expert Dr. Yusuf Yadgari said.
Every bomber's body in Kabul-based attacks passes through Yadgari's morgue. He has so far detected such disabilities as muscular dystrophy, amputated toes, blindness, skin diseases and signs of mental illness in the bodies of suicide bombers.
Although no statistics are available, anecdotal evidence increasingly backs up Yadgari's observations. Security experts argue that the Taliban seek out the disaffected, the poor and the marginalized, a group that certainly would include a majority of the disabled. And non-governmental organizations (NGOs) say reports of disabled people being trained as suicide bombers, although unproven, are common.
"One reason why people entertain the idea is there is complete loss of hope in being able to live a normal life," said Firoz Ali Alizada, who lost his legs to a land mine and now uses artificial legs and crutches.
"In a culture like ours, disability and the possibility of being out on the street are equated with great shame. A man who is married and has children is suddenly incapable of supporting and feeding his family. ... He might find it easier to die."
Disabled people are a significant portion of Afghanistan's population, but they live on the margins of its society. One NGO, Handicapped International, identifies nine dimensions of disability, including the ability to care for oneself, depression, epilepsy or seizures, and restrictions on physical movement. About 2.7 percent of the population has very severe disabilities, according to the group.
When a wider segment of disability is included, the percentage skyrockets to 58.9. Even that, observers say, excludes mental disability and disabilities among women.
"It is clear that the Taliban are using financial incentives in many cases to encourage suicide bombers," said Sam Zarifi, Asia Division research director of Human Rights Watch.
"It's not just ideological fervor. It is clear that in a place like Afghanistan where there is a very weak economy, the handicapped, whether physically disabled or mentally challenged, are going to be more vulnerable to that kind of financial incentive."
Money for suicide bombings is offered to families of the bombers, so they can live a better life, a compensation of sorts for the loss of a male breadwinner.
In the early days of Afghan suicide attacks, the Taliban offered $250, sources say. But that number has risen to as high as $10,000. A young man from Kandahar whose attack was foiled by police said he was offered $15,000.
Saifuddin Nezami, director of the Community Center for the Disabled, who is himself disabled, said he can see how recruiting disabled people would be effective:
"In Kabul we have some services for the disabled ... but in the provinces there is nothing _ no services, no vocational training. They are isolated from society and life. This situation causes people to be very disappointed in life, to be depressive and to bear a deep grudge in their hearts toward society and other people."
Suicide attacks in Afghanistan have risen dramatically in recent years, according to Human Rights Watch, which released a report on the subject last month. The tactic is relatively new in the country, which saw only two suicide bombings in 2003. But the numbers grew from six such attacks in 2004, to 21 in 2005, to 136 in 2006. In the first 10 weeks of this year, there were 28.
Many cases of mental illness, mainly depression, can be judged from the condition of the bomber at the time of the attack, Yagadari said. "Their clothes and face are dirty. You can see that they are not interested in life."
It is difficult to track people with mental disabilities because the stigma of those illnesses is worse, if possible, than that attached to physical ailments.
"If you walk down the street ... you will notice that one of every three or four people is talking to himself," Nezami said.
Security analysts say the Taliban and other groups do not recruit suicide bombers from among their elite. "It's true that the Taliban don't use their best and brightest as suicide bombers," said Philip Halton, managing director of Safer Access, which provides expertise for humanitarian aid groups.
"They do look for disaffected members of society, not only those who are disabled but those who are exceedingly poor, and they target those people."
The case of Samiullah, the Internet cafe bomber, is slightly unusual in that he was middle-class.
Hamid Barakzai, a former high-school classmate, recalls bumping into his old friend several years after the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Samiullah was still sporting the long beard advocated by the fundamentalist group.
"I asked him, 'Why haven't you cut off your beard? The Taliban are gone,' " Barakzai recalled. "He told me, 'I am al Qaeda. I will die al Qaeda. Next time, I might take some infidel with me to the other world.' I thought he was joking."
Shortly after that conversation, in May 2005, Samiullah blew himself up.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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