US Representative James McGovern (D-MA) has written to US Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, to urge him to take action

to ensure that there is a full investigation [of the Dasht-e-Leili massacre of 2001] and that a process of justice and accountability is established for the Afghan people.

McGovern is Co-Chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. In his letter to Holbrooke, he wrote:

There are encouraging signs that the Obama Administration is prepared to move forward toward accountability for the massacre and its aftermath. President Obama told CNN in an interview broadcast July 13th that having now learned about the allegations he has instructed his national security team to gather all the facts about the case for his review. Collecting facts about this incident can only be done if the evidence, physical and testimonial, is not only identified, but also secured and protected.

For the full investigation the President has ordered to be successful it is imperative that immediate steps be taken to secure the gravesite and witnesses to the massacre. Past incidents demonstrate the need for gravesite and witness protection. A Physicians for Human Rights forensic expert in 2008 working under the auspices of the UN, discovered that large sections of earth have now been dug up and removed in the area where the remains were allegedly buried in Dasht-e-Leili. Analysis of satellite images performed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science on behalf of Physicians for Human Rights shows the apparent presence of heavy earth moving equipment at the site in August 2006. Additionally, according to US Government documents that were uncovered by PHR’s FOIA request in 2006, witnesses to this incident were “tortured, killed, or simply disappeared.”

In face of this documented tampering with evidence, as well as the documented danger to witnesses to this event, I request that you work with the Karzai government to ensure appropriate protection of the site and any remaining physical evidence, as well as the safety of any witnesses. This would be a vital first step towards fulfilling President Obama’s mandate to collect all available information about the incident.

Download the full letter from Representative McGovern to Ambassador Holbrooke:

  Letter from US Representative James P. McGovern to US Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, 7/16/09 (923.0 KB)

Filed in documents and materials, letter, update and tagged: american association for the advancement of science , barack obama , CNN , foia , hamid karzai , james mcgovern , richard holbrooke , satellite images , tom lantos human rights commission

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In the wake of a major New York Times story revealing new evidence that the Bush Administration impeded at least three federal investigations into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan in 2002, PHR has written a letter to President Obama calling for a criminal probe. The letter urges the President to make the investigation of these alleged crimes and their apparent cover-up a top Administration priority. The long-term US goal of creating security for the Afghan people cannot be achieved without justice and an end to the culture of impunity for war crimes.

  Letter from PHR to President Barack Obama, 7/13/09 (93.3 KB)

Filed in letter, press release and tagged: barack obama , criminal proble , New York Times

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