In this bulletin:

• US raid kills 6 in Afghanistan
• Australian PM says he wants NATO to agree to a strategy for victory in Afghanistan
• France to host Afghan donor conference
• Insurgents destroy another mobile tower in Afghanistan
• Police kill two men suspected of destroying phone antenna in western Afghan province
• Afghan peace commission releases 40 from US military prison
• Inmates of Main Afghan Jail on Hunger Strike, MP Says – AFP
• US Marines back-up arrive in Afghanistan: army
• Turkey's military chief says no plans to send combat troops to Afghanistan
• NATO seeks Afghan support on anti-Koran film
• President Karzai Meets Saudi Billionaire Prince Sheikh Al-Waleed
• Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister meets the Foreign Minister of Iceland
• Czech PRT starts operating in Afghan province Logar
• Russia's Lavrov-decision soon on NATO Afghan route
• German Bundestag members voice doubts about Afghanistan mission
• German Bundeswehr Association expects lengthy Afghanistan mission
• German Interior Ministry official urges more efforts to rebuild Afghanistan
• Draft Anti-corruption and Administrative Reform Strategy Presented to President Karzai
• Afghan chief justice asks for firm action against corruption
• Afghanistan celebrates Farmers' Day
• Stanley Cup hoisted in Kandahar
• City-based tanks roll over Afghan insurgents
• UNAMA press conference by Norah Niland, Chief Human Rights Officer and Aleem Siddique, Acting Spokesperson

US raid kills 6 in Afghanistan

By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Wed Mar 19

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. forces searching for bomb makers raided Afghan homes near the border with Pakistan early Wednesday, exchanging gunfire with militants. Six people were killed, including two children and a woman, Afghan officials said.

The U.S.-led coalition said its forces were searching compounds in Khost province for a militant named Bismullah who organized roadside bomb attacks and smuggled weapons. Militants shot at the troops, who returned fire and killed "several militants," including Bismullah and Rahim Jan, another man suspected of making bombs, the coalition said.

A woman and two children were among six people killed, said Khibar Pashtun, a spokesman for the Khost governor. The coalition statement said a woman and a child who were in one of the buildings from which militants were shooting were killed.

"Coalition forces take every possible precaution to ensure the safety of non-combatants during the conduct of operations. It is regrettable that militants continue to place innocent lives at risk simply to further their own agendas," Maj. Chris Belcher, a spokesman for the coalition, said in a statement.

The raid began just after midnight and lasted about an hour, said Mirza Gul, a villager from Hom in Khost province. Angry villagers had gathered at daybreak, chanting anti-U.S. slogans, he said.

He said one of the men killed used to work as a border policeman patrolling the region in between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The governor of Khost province, Arsallah Jamal, has previously called on U.S. forces to seek Afghan assistance before launching nighttime raids, saying Afghans would be in a position to "reduce mistakes."

Going back as far as 2002, President Hamid Karzai has publicly and repeatedly accused the U.S. of heavy-handedness in its counterterrorism operations. The U.S. has said over the years that it has modified tactics to cut down on civilian deaths.

Gul said villagers were contemplating carrying the bodies of the dead from the village to Khost, the provincial capital, to protest to the governor and U.S. forces stationed there.

Australian PM says he wants NATO to agree to a strategy for victory in Afghanistan

The Associated Press, March 19, 2008

CANBERRA, Australia: Australia will demand confirmation at a summit in Romania next month that NATO has a strategy with agreed benchmarks for victory in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Wednesday.

Rudd will become the first Australian prime minister to attend a NATO summit when the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization meet in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, on April 2-4 to discuss their engagement in Afghanistan.

Australia has 1,000 troops in the restive central Asian country, the largest contribution from a country outside NATO, and it argues some European countries are not doing enough to defeat insurgents in their southern strongholds. Rudd said Australia's commitment to Afghanistan is long-term, but not unconditional.

"I believe that it's only responsible to remain militarily engaged in a conflict where you're putting our men and women in uniform on the line if you believe it is winnable," Rudd said the national capital, Canberra.

"I want to be confident that NATO collectively and the European contributors to it have embarked upon a long-term strategy to secure success in Afghanistan and against fixed benchmarks," he added.

Rudd said one of the criteria for success was ensuring a "sustainable, successful civilian government in Kabul with effective control over the bulk of the country."

"If there's one criticism which I think all are agreed on, it's been a failure so far to effectively integrate the military arm of the operation with the civilian arm of the operation to ensure that there is a total strategy for Afghanistan," Rudd said.

Speaking on the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led Iraq invasion, Rudd said that the Iraq war, which he opposed, underscored the dangers of inadequate planning.

"If you're going to embark upon a war like that, have it very clearly in mind from Day One what your exit strategy is to be and what your mission statement is to be, and I think that's been one of the problems which the Operation Iraq has confronted from day one," Rudd said.

Australia sent 2,000 troops to support U.S. and British forces in the 2003 Iraq invasion and around 1,600 Australian troops remain in the region.

Rudd, who came to power in elections in November, will keep an election pledge by withdrawing 550 combat troops from Iraq by mid 2008.

France to host Afghan donor conference

The Associated Press, March 18, 2008

PARIS: France will host an international donors conference for Afghanistan in June, the French foreign minister said Tuesday.

Bernard Kouchner said he and other conference organizers plan to travel to Afghanistan before the event, which will be held June 12 or 17.

Germany and France are working together to organize the conference, which Kouchner said was aimed at bringing in donations to rebuild Afghanistan and reaching "a common strategy" within the international community for Afghanistan.

"We do not want it to be simply, 'Raise your hand and how much are you giving?' We are hoping for more," he said. He would not give a target sum for international donations at the conference.

France is considering a greater military presence in Afghanistan, and President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to make an announcement on new deployments at a NATO meeting early next month in Bucharest.

France has 1,500 troops in and around Kabul, providing security and training Afghan troops as part of the NATO mission. Another 400 are in the separate, U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom, an effort to battle the Taliban and al-Qaida.

Insurgents destroy another mobile tower in Afghanistan

Kabul, March 19 (Xinhua) Taliban militants destroyed another tower of a telecommunication company in their former stronghold of Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan, an official said Wednesday.

'The enemies in their subversive activities attacked an antenna of a mobile company in Loya Wala area, five km north of Kandahar city Tuesday night and destroyed it completely,' city official Mohammad Ahsan said. However, he said, none of the guards at the tower were injured.

Nearly a dozen towers of mobile phone companies have been attacked and destroyed by Taliban insurgents after they warned the service providers last month to shut down their operations from dusk to dawn in the areas where Taliban militants are active.

Police kill two men suspected of destroying phone antenna in western Afghan province

Text of report by private Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency

Kabul, 18 March: A press release issued by the Interior Ministry in Kabul today (18 Mar 08) says the national police launched a series of operations in Obe District of Herat Province yesterday [17 March]. Two of the people involved in the destruction of a mast belonging to the Areeba [private] mobile phone company were killed and another was wounded in the operation. Five others were arrested with their weapons.

The statement adds that the police suffered no casualties in the operations. Unknown men destroyed an antenna of the Areeba mobile phone company on the 11 March in Obe District of Herat Province.

The Taleban had not claimed responsibility for the incident, but they have previously warned that the masts of mobile phone companies that do not halt their operations after sunset will be destroyed.

Afghan peace commission releases 40 from US military prison

Text of report by Afghan independent Tolo TV, on 18 March

[Presenter] Forty Afghan nationals being held at the foreign troops' prison at Bagram on charges of helping armed insurgents have been released by the [Afghan] Peace Consolidation Commission today.

The [Afghan] Peace Consolidation Commission was established three years ago. The commission has so far released 679 Afghan nationals from prisons run by foreign troops inside and outside Afghanistan.

Inmates of Main Afghan Jail on Hunger Strike, MP Says – AFP

18 March 2008 - KABUL (AFP)--Scores of inmates at Afghanistan's main jail, which holds Taliban prisoners, are reportedly on hunger strike with some having sewn their mouths shut, a parliamentarian told AFP Tuesday.

Afghan media said the strike began after guards arrested visitors to the Pul- i-Charki prison following the escape of some inmates. Authorities have posted extra security outside the prison on the outskirts of the capital.

It wasn't clear what was happening inside the prison, but a doctor said on condition of anonymity that he had treated one prisoner for gunshot wounds and three policemen for inhalation of pepper spray.

A parliamentary delegation looking into the situation wasn't allowed to enter the prison on Monday because authorities wouldn't open the doors for them, Member of Parliament Fazel Rahman Samkani told AFP.

"We received complaints that they were on strike. We went there but could not talk to prisoners to see what their problems were and if the claims were true," he said.

Prisoners had told the media that some inmates had sewn their mouths shut. A similar standoff in October lasted for 11 days when about 240 inmates protested the execution of fellow prisoners.

US Marines back-up arrive in Afghanistan: army

18 March 08 - KABUL (AFP) - Hundreds of the 3,600 US Marines due in southern Afghanistan to reinforce international efforts against extremists are on the ground and preparing for their mission, their unit said Tuesday.

They began arriving last week and are preparing facilities for when the other troops arrive, acclimatising and gathering information about the area, their public relations officer told AFP.

The "majority" of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit of 2,300 soldiers had arrived, Staff Sergeant Robert Piper said without providing a number for security reasons.

The unit would work under the command of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and "conduct full-spectrum operations to capitalise on recent ISAF and Afghan Nation Security Force successes."

A second group was due in the coming weeks and would assist with the training and development of Afghan security forces, he said. Another batallion from the 7th Marine Regiment will make up the other 1,300 personnel.

"These Marines will bring the total number of Marines deployed to Afghanistan to approximately 3,600," Piper said. The full deployment is expected to be on the ground by late April, as Taliban-linked unrest picks up with the arrival of warmer weather.

Their deployment comes as NATO leaders called on their partners to send more troops and equipment to fight the Taliban, particularly in southern Afghanistan where the rebels are most active.

Some nations under pressure in the south, notably Canada, have threatened to leave unless they get support.

Last year was the bloodiest of a Taliban-led insurgency, with more than 8,000 people killed in 2007, most of them rebels but including 1,500 civilians, according to United Nations figures.

Officials insist the strategy to defeat the insurgency is making headway but acknowledge this year will be just as deadly, with the Taliban vowing a wave of suicide attacks, undermining public confidence.

ISAF consists of about 47,000 soldiers from nearly 40 nations, while the separate US-led coalition numbers 20,000, the majority US soldiers.

Turkey's military chief says no plans to send combat troops to Afghanistan

The Associated Press, Published: March 18, 2008

ANKARA, Turkey: Turkey will not contribute combat troops to the NATO force in Afghanistan, Turkey's military chief was quoted as saying Tuesday.

Turkey has NATO's second-largest military after the United States, but keeps just 1,200 soldiers in Afghanistan, to provide humanitarian assistance and help with the reconstruction of the country.

The troops are based around the relatively safer Kabul area, and along with several other allies Turkey is refusing to deploy more soldiers to Afghanistan's dangerous south and east.

The refusal is forcing an already stretched U.S. military to fill the gap and is causing a rift with Britain, Canada, the Netherlands and others which, along with the United States, have borne the brunt of violence from Taliban forces.

"Just one month after my appointment (in 2006), I said that not a single soldier would be sent to Afghanistan within the scope of the fight against terrorism, and my views have not changed," the Milliyet newspaper quoted Gen. Yasar Buyukanit as saying on Tuesday.

With Turkish troops engaged in a battle against Kurdish insurgents in Turkey's southeast, the country is reluctant to engage any combat troops in Afghanistan. There also is very little public support in Turkey for a conflict that is essentially seen as U.S. President George. W. Bush's war on terrorist groups.

"If extra troops were to be sent, these would be used for the fight against terrorism, and we don't have that authority," Milliyet quoted Buyukanit as telling a television interview late Monday.

"At the moment, tens of thousands of people within the Turkish armed forces are fighting against terrorism," Buyukanit said. "How right would it be to engage in an anti-terrorism (fight) in another area, for other reasons? That is for others to decide. But my personal opinion is that such a thing should not take place."

NATO seeks Afghan support on anti-Koran film

KABUL, Mar 18 (Reuters) NATO is concerned about a possible backlash over a Dutch video criticizing the Koran and has appealed to Afghan leaders for support, its top operational commander said.

Right-wing parliamentarian Geert Wilders says the Koran is a ''fascist'' book that incites violence and plans to show the 15-minute film this month despite appeals from the Dutch government and mounting unrest in the Muslim world.

Supreme Allied Commander Europe John Craddock said insurgents and their backers could use the video to whip up anger against NATO troops in Afghanistan, notably the 1,650-string Dutch contingent in the south.

''Yes, I think it is a concern ... that they will take out their ire on all of those people such as the Dutch in Uruzgan (province),'' Craddock said.

''The problem is the extremists. They want to use this as a rallying point to their advantage,'' he told a news briefing at the headquarters of the 43,000-strong NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul.

''We have appealed to the (Afghan) leadership: Don't hold the soldiers accountable, it's not fair ... I think the leaders have understood that.'' About 15,000 people protested in Afghanistan against the film earlier this month, burning Dutch and Danish flags.

The Netherlands raised its national risk level to ''substantial'' this month and Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende warned European leaders at a summit last week that consequences of showing the film could extend outside the Netherlands.

Mindful of the European attachment to freedom of speech, his government has not yet sought an outright ban on the film.

However, it is anxious to avoid a repeat of riots and attacks on Danish embassies sparked by Danish newspaper cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in 2006. It has urged Wilders not to broadcast the film and distanced itself from his views.

Wilders -- the target of death threats on Islamic militant Web sites -- has given few details about the film. He said last week he was disappointed no Dutch broadcaster wanted to show it.

Several Muslim countries have criticised the film and warned against broadcasting it. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, said yesterday the movie could derail inter-faith dialogue and threaten peace.

At least 50 people were killed in riots throughout the Muslim world after cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, one showing him with a turban resembling a bomb, were published in Denmark two years ago.

President Karzai Meets Saudi Billionaire Prince Sheikh Al-Waleed

March 18, 2008 

Presidential statement - In a meeting on Tuesday with President Karzai in Kabul, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Holding Company expressed willingness for investment in Afghanistan.

Prince Al Waleed lauded the progress Afghanistan has been making in all the areas including reconstruction and said, “What is heard on the media about the situation in Afghanistan is far from reality.”

Prince Al-Waleed said he was willing to invest in areas of travel and hospitality and energy in Afghanistan. A Saudi delegation of technical experts is expected to visit with the Afghan officials from the Ministries of Commerce and Economy to study on the investment opportunities.

Sheikh Al-Waleed is among one of the world’s leading entrepreneurs with international investments in banking and finance and travel & hospitality.

Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister meets the Foreign Minister of Iceland

Posted On: Mar 19, 2008

The Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Mohammad Kabir Farahi met on Tuesday afternoon Mrs. Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland who is currently visiting Afghanistan.

The Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister while welcoming Ms. Gisladottir took notice to good relations and political and military cooperations between Afghanistan and Iceland and called for strengthening the relations and expansion of Iceland’s contribution to reconstruction of Afghanistan.

The Foreign Minister of Iceland while expressing hes gratitude for the opportunity of this visit, said, “Iceland, according to the plans that it has for the following three years is willing to recognize its areas of interest and support the areas which have the most efficiency for Afghanistan.” (as translated)

She hoped that Afghanistan would support the candidature of Iceland as a non-permanent member of UN Security Council.

In his part, Mr. Farahi briefly informed the Foreign Minister about the achievements of Afghanistan in the past six and half years.

“Afghanistan after passing three decades of War and its disastrous consequences now has overcome all these difficult times and is now on the route to development prosperity and stability,” (as translated) he said.

He also said that security, narcotics, and terrorism challenges which have a route outside the borders of Afghanistan requires further assistance of International Community, because the current assistance and efforts are insufficient to tackle these challenges.

In response, Icelandic Foreign Minister expressed her gratitude from the opportunity that she had visiting Afghanistan to experience the realities first hand, so it will be a chance for us to be more precise in our future commitment to Afghanistan.

Czech PRT starts operating in Afghan province Logar

Prague/Logar (Afghanistan) - The Czech Republic today officially started the activities of its own reconstruction team (PRT) in the Afghan province of Logar, Czech Chief of Staff Vlastimil Picek told today. Picek and Deputy Defence Minister Martin Bartak attended the ceremony.

Overall, about 200 Czech soldiers plus civilian farming, construction and hydrology experts will operate in Logar. Local political representatives, including the governor of Logar, also attended the opening ceremony. Picek told CTK the PRT would first have to be fully acquainted with the local environment.

According to previous information, Czechs want to follow up the projects started by Americans in Afghanistan. They are supposed to complete some schools and hospitals.

Picek said the security situation in the province was stable. "Here, the security situation is generally calm. There are no attacks against the coalition forces. However, we must be on alert," he added.

Commander Ivo Strecha said earlier the security situation in individual districts of the province differed. "There are the districts with a good security situation and those with a bad security situation," Strecha said.

The coalition units still do not have some parts of the province under control, Strecha said. "Taliban still has some space to pursue its activities," Strecha added. Logar is inhabited by about 350,000 people.

The Czech team is to stay there for at least three years. After Lithuania and Hungary, the Czech Republic is the third new NATO country to have its own PRT.

The Foreign Ministry that has selected the civilian experts says the mission is to contribute to Afghanistan's heading for the law-governed state and not succumbing to chaos again.

The diplomats also say the reconstruction projects may be hampered by bad infrastructure and shortage of electricity. This year, the Czech Republic will increase the number of its troops in Afghanistan. Along with Logar, Czechs are in a field hospital in Kabul.

The Czech military also operates in the southern province of Helmand in which one Czech soldier died and another two were wounded in a suicide attack on Monday.

Russia's Lavrov-decision soon on NATO Afghan route

MOSCOW, Mar 18 (Reuters) Russia will announce soon whether it will allow NATO to deliver supplies to Afghanistan through its land and air spaces, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said today.

Russia let France and Germany transport military goods to Afghanistan at the height of the 2001 military campaign which ended in the ousting of the Taliban rulers. But Moscow has been reluctant to allow a broader deal with NATO.

''In response to such requests from Brussels, our defence ministry together with the foreign ministry, are now holding negotiations and I believe the result will be known soon,'' said Lavrov following US-Russia talks in Moscow.

A NATO-controlled 43,000-strong UN force is battling the resurgent Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan.

At the weekend, NATO said it was near to a deal with Russia.

A spokesperson for the alliance said a deal creating a route across Russia might be announced when President Vladimir Putin attended a NATO summit in Bucharest next month.

Lavrov said Russia's consideration of the request was in line with its support of a United Nations mandate for international forces operating in the Central Asian country to safeguard security there.

The former Soviet Union intervened in Afghanistan in 1979 but was forced out in 1989 after heavy losses inflicted by Islamist guerrillas partly armed by the West.

Lavrov urged NATO to co-operate more with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to combat the drugs trade, following talks in Moscow with the US secretaries of state and defence, Condoleezza Rice and Robert Gates.

''This would substantially boost the efficiency of the fight against drug trafficking, with terrorist threats emanating from Afghanistan's territory. We hope for a constructive reply to this proposal in the foreseeable future,'' Lavrov said.

NATO and Russia already cooperate in training Afghan and central Asian counter-narcotics officials as part of efforts to contain Afghanistan's huge opium trade.

NATO-Russia links have been overshadowed by disputes over a planned US missile shield in central Europe and Moscow's decision last year to freeze its compliance with a European conventional arms treaty.

German Bundestag members voice doubts about Afghanistan mission

Text of report by independent German news agency ddp

Berlin (ddp) - Almost seven years after the start of the Afghanistan mission, Bundestag MPs of the CDU [Christian Democratic Union], SPD [Social Democratic Party of Germany], FDP [Free Democratic Party], and Greens are demanding a review of the German engagement thus far in the Hindu Kush. CDU politician Bernd Schmidbauer may have defended the mission in the political magazine Cicero (April edition), but he added: "Greater interlinking is necessary for the entire mission and its direction." Cooperation with partners and the Afghan Government must be improved and progress in training Afghan police is urgently necessary, the former secret service coordinator in the Federal Chancellor's Office said.

SPD foreign policy expert Niels Annen said critically: "NATO's strategy thus far has failed," which is why the approach in Afghanistan must be subject to "an honest assessment." In building up the police and legal system, "Germany must face the charge of having done ! too little."

"The sending of more and more soldiers by itself will not be assured of bringing success in Afghanistan," FDP deputy floor leader Birgit Homburger said, adding that this is why reconstruction must be the focus of efforts.

Greens politician Winfried Nachtwei demanded: "It must be demonstrated that our engagement there yields something," noting that "a clear needs analysis is necessary, broken down by the requirements in the country's individual regions."

German Bundeswehr Association expects lengthy Afghanistan mission

Text of report by independent German news agency ddp

Hanover (ddp) - The German Bundeswehr Association believes the rapid reaction force for Afghanistan may well have to stay in the country for a long time. The deputy association chairperson, Ulrich Kirsch, said that to Hanover's Neue Presse (Tuesday [ 18 March] edition), according to an advance report. "It is probably becoming a standing order," which is why equipment must not be spared. "Unfortunately, there have been too many shortcomings here recently," Kirsch said critically.

German policymakers have often downplayed the dangers of the mission in northern Afghanistan even though Germany has seen 26 deaths there, Kirsch said. That is why Germany is now under pressure from its NATO partners to become more involved. But Germany cannot get into a competition of dangers. That being said, a moderate increase in the upper limit of the mandate is conceivable "so that we are more flexible in critical situations. With a maximum of 3,500 troops the mandate is very ti! ght. An increase to 4,000 soldiers is possible," Kirsch said.

German Interior Ministry official urges more efforts to rebuild Afghanistan

Text of report by independent German news agency ddp

Hamburg (ddp) - Germany wants to increase its commitment to the rebuilding of the Afghan police. "We want new bilateral projects between Germany and Afghanistan, and we want them as quickly as possible," said August Hanning, undersecretary in the Interior Ministry, to Spiegel Online on Sunday [ 16 March].

At a visit to Kabul, Hanning specifically mentioned the setup of a police academy in Mazar-e Sharif in the north of Afghanistan. Moreover, German experts should provide assistance in the area of criminal technology and the establishment of an Afghan federal criminal office. Hanning told the online portal that in its efforts to rebuild the police, Afghanistan is faced "with greater challenges than many people think."

Brandenburg Interior Minister Joerg Schoenbohm (CDU [Christian Democratic Union]) in Kabul announced that he would promote the new projects at the Interior Ministers Conference. "The visit has shown that Afghanistan's police urgently needs ! more help." All German federal states should contribute to it.

Draft Anti-corruption and Administrative Reform Strategy Presented to President Karzai

Presidential statement - The Anti-corruption and Administration Reform Commission presented to President Karzai a strategy they devised to fight corruption and expedite the reform process within the government administration.

Chief Justice, Abdul Salam Azimi joined by Attorney General Abdul Jabar Sabit, Minister of Justice Sarwar Danish, Head of Civil Service Commission, Dr. Mushahid and Mohammad Yasin Usmani, Economic Advisor to the President presented the draft National Anti-corruption and Administration Reform Strategy.

The new strategy as a major step forward demonstrates government’s strong commitment in wiping out corruption and implementing a wide-reaching reform within its institutions.

It was collectively agreed in the meeting that bribery and corruption became a serious problem in most of the government departments.

The government has already initiated some anti-corruption activities. However, the meeting urged that there is a need for a more comprehensive approach for an effective move out of the problem.

Members of the Commission also noted that a considerable amount of corruption was noticed in the contracts and projects that are implemented on non-Afghan standards, thus opening the way for waste of much of Afghanistan reconstruction money.

It was insisted in the meeting that corruption in judicial and financial institutions has negative impact over the economic, social and cultural spheres of people’s life.

The strategy is also designed to seriously deal with the problem that has affected the efforts by the government for quality control of imported goods like the medicine, foodstuff and other consumable items.

The strategy lays out a suggested roadmap for action by the government to help ease off complicated lengthy administrative procedures and red-tape within government institutions.

The meeting agreed that a competent and decent agency with enough authority be established to implement the strategy. The Commission will soon arrange a press availability to spell out more on the strategy.

Afghan chief justice asks for firm action against corruption

Text of report by Afghan independent Tolo TV, on 18 March

[Presenter] Chief Justice Abdol Salam Azimi has asked the president to establish an independent, authorized, and strong department, enjoying direct government support, to evaluate the causes of administrative corruption and develop practical strategies to root out corruption.

Prof Azimi says the commission, established one year ago to develop a strategy for administrative reform, and to eliminate administrative corruption on the orders of the president, has presented its final report to the president.

[Correspondent] Abdol Salam Azimi, the chief of the Supreme Court of Afghanistan, says administrative corruption has bitter consequences in security and stability, administrative units and democratic and ethical values, economic growth, justice, and the rule of law in society.

Mr Azimi says there are different factors causing administrative corruption in government departments, legislative units, the judicial system, budgetary and financial units, au! dit and control units, and in social fields, and that fighting all these factors requires the establishment of an independent and authorized department.

Mr Azimi expressed the hope that the [new] department would be able to take practical steps in this regard [fighting corruption].

[Abdol Salam Azimi] The government should be serious, and the executive power should be serious. There should be true punishment and a reward system. There should be immediate action too, and there should be caution and firmness as well. We cannot remove these obstacles unless we are firm.

[Correspondent] The commission is presenting its one-year report to the president's office at a time when corruption in government departments is considered as one of the main challenges facing the government of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan celebrates Farmers' Day

DFID - Department for International Development (UK) - March 19, 2008

The Afghan new year starts on 20 March and the first day of the year is called Naw Ruz (The New Day). Jashni Dehqan (Festival of Farmers) is one of the events during Naw Ruz.

The Festival is both a celebration of the start of a new planting season, and an encouragement for a good harvest in the year ahead. At Jashni Dehqan, farmers start cleaning irrigation channels in order to be ready for the new season - and, according to custom, they should plant the first tree sapling on their land at this time.

DFID: Supporting agriculture in Afghanistan - Agriculture is one of the major traditional sources of income for Afghanistan's rural communities, with the majority of the country's rural dwellers involved in farming activities. Since agriculture is one of the sectors most affected by the last two decades of war, DFID Afghanistan is supporting this sector through a number of programmes, including agricultural research, the construction of irrigation channels, and support for farmers wishing to experiment with new crops and farming techniques.

DFID’s overall Livelihoods Programme, worth nearly £150 million from 2006-2009, is designed to address immediate needs as well as promoting longer-term sustainable legal livelihoods in Afghanistan.

With the dawning of Naw Ruz, people from throughout Afghanistan (and from different tribes) will be taking part in the annual Jashni Dehqan festivities. Farmers will come to Kabul, bringing their animals, decorated with flowers and clothes, for exhibition at the stadium.

People from the north will arrive with their horses, the Sikh community will come with their drums, and Pashtun farmers will put on very acrobatic performances with their shovels.

Thousands of people, including top government officials, usually attend the celebrations, which also include traditional competitions and entertainments, such as a kite-flying contest and a plough-driving competition.

As Afghanistan looks forward to a new year, and a new planting season, DFID reiterates its commitment to reducing poverty for the country's people, including through its support for agriculture.

Stanley Cup hoisted in Kandahar

OLIVER MOORE - Globe and Mail Update March 19, 2008

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The Stanley Cup arrived in Afghanistan Wednesday for a morale-boosting trip that will include ball hockey matches between serving soldiers and retired NHL stars.

Hockey's most coveted trophy was carried off a Hercules transport in a remote part of Kandahar airfield and set carefully on a table in the fierce Afghan sun. Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hillier – a rabid Toronto fan who arrived here on a different plane Wednesday – drew immediate catcalls as he pointed to the spot where, he said, the Maple Leafs would be inscribing their names in just a few months.

A mixture of retired hockey players and musicians, collectively known as Team Canada, who will entertain the soldiers on this sprawling base, accompanied the Cup.

Several of the hockey players avoided the trophy, under the premise that they hadn't won it and didn't deserve to have their photo taken with it. But the soldiers, musicians and journalists milling about had no such qualms and were quickly jockeying for position.

“It's a huge morale boost and also an escape, an escape from the day to day challenges,” said Defence Minister Peter Mackay, who arrived here two days ago but whose presence was under embargo until his plane left Wednesday.

Mr. Mackay had spoken earlier about the challenges facing the mission. He said that recent warnings about a sharp downturn in the security situation in Kandahar – including a report last week from the United Nations that showed a jump in insurgent activity – did not reflect the “incremental progress” he has seen here.

“As far as some of the infrastructure, for example, we're seeing roads being built, bridges completed in areas where, because of the security situation, those projects couldn't have occurred just a year ago,” he told reporters a few hours before his departure.

“Yes, it's suffering setbacks from time to time, and of course the insurgency remains a real challenge, but you have to look at it in relative terms. You have to do a retrospective occasionally, look at where we were five short years ago, two years ago and then gauge what some of these reports are saying.”

Mr. Mackay said that during his visit he had toured forward operating bases, met with Afghan commanders, seen a field hospital on the main NATO base and visited a causeway built over the Arghandab River, a Canadian project.

“I also had the chance to speak to a lot of our soldiers who expressed relief that the mission will be extended,” he added. “They were grateful for the fact that the Parliament of Canada endorses what they are doing.”

Mr. Mackay acknowledged that the arrival of the Stanley Cup is likely bigger news to the soldiers than his own appearance two days earlier.

“For Canadians it symbolizes something every young boy and girl grows up dreaming about,” he said. “It brings them home. It's a piece of home from Canada.”

Mike Gartner, one of the hockey players who flew in for the visit, said that his own reason for coming was simple.

“We're just here to tell our troops that we support them,” he explained on the tarmac after climbing down from the Hercules, still wearing his military-issue body armour.

City-based tanks roll over Afghan insurgents

Military heavyweights have made a difference against Taliban, returning soldiers say, Ryan Cormier, The Edmonton Journal

EDMONTON - Leaders of one of Canada's tank squadrons in Afghanistan say the vehicles have helped soldiers immensely in the past year, but make local Afghans jittery.

"People are a little bit nervous, especially with tanks, that you're going to level their village," said Maj. Trevor Gosselin, who just returned from an Afghanistan tour with a tank squadron.

"Combat and security operations have a price to pay sometimes in that we have to knock things down in order to achieve missions. For every door we break, we're going back to fix that door."

Three tank squadrons from the Edmonton Garrison are rotated into Afghanistan.

Gosselin and Sgt.-Maj. Geof Bamford returned a few days ago as part of C-squadron and provided a rare public glimpse Tuesday into their units' experiences. A-squadron is currently training and B-squadron has taken over in Afghanistan.

While Canadian soldiers enjoy the sight of a tank rolling to their position, Bamford said locals remember the Soviet armoured vehicles of the 1980s, and the Canadian equivalent is often met with awe and timidity. The destructive power is obvious.

"The reaction is not that much different than a Canadian civilian -- big eyes and standing back until they realize you're not there to hurt them. Then they swarm around you," Bamford said.

"They know that when a tank is around that things will be OK, things will be sorted out." The addition of tanks in 2007 has helped to help clear out insurgents, which can be "fairly messy and fairly nasty" Gosselin said.

"By bringing tanks into theatre, you can basically go wherever you want in that country. You can knock down walls, breach rivers, go through streams, cross gaps and go over bridges," he said.

"(Tanks say) we're here, we're here for a while and we're going to sort this problem out. It says you can go home or you can stand and fight, and if you stand and fight, you will lose."

A Leopard tank can shoot a target up to four kilometres away, while infantry vehicles have a range of roughly 2,200 metres. There are between 10 and 20 Canadian-driven tanks in Afghanistan; officers decline to be more specific, citing security reasons.

Gosselin and Bamford, back in Canada for a few days, have met with the family of a member of their squadron who died in Afghanistan. Trooper Michael Hayakaze was killed March 2 by an explosive device, and the two officers explained to his family exactly what type of mission he was on when it happened.

"They took some comfort in the fact their son had died in a noble cause," Gosselin said. "For a soldier, you want to die in the service of your country, if you have to die. You want to die for a noble and just cause. Trooper Hayakaze's death met both of those things."

Although back in Canada, the possibility of an increase in Taliban activity with warmer spring weather is on Gosselin's mind. He hopes there isn't a spring offensive, and doesn't believe there would be any point to the Taliban launching one.

UNAMA press conference by Norah Niland, Chief Human Rights Officer and Aleem Siddique, Acting Spokesperson

Source: United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan

Date: 18 Mar 2008

SPOKESPERSON:Good Afternoon everybody, my name is Aleem Siddique from UNAMA spokesperson's office. Some of you may be aware that recently the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour submitted a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on the human rights situation here in Afghanistan. A summary of this report is available on the side table for you in Dari, Pashto and English. To help highlight some of the key observations of this report we are joined today by Norah Niland, UNAMA's new chief of human rights who joined us last month to lead our efforts in this field. I know some of you may have to go to press conferences later in the afternoon, so we are going to keep to the time, if I can remind you please turn off your mobile phones, when it comes to the questions and answers session and please be sure to introduce yourself.

UNAMA:Thanks Aleem, Asalam Aleikum! As Aleem explained, I arrived back in Afghanistan last month, I used to work here in Afghanistan previously, so I am not a complete stranger to Afghanistan but I have to say that I am still very much in learning mode.

I am very pleased to be back in Afghanistan. Clearly, there are lots of human rights issues to be addressed but what is very pleasing to someone like me is that there are clearly also lots of opportunities. One of the most encouraging signs, in my view, is the strong belief of Afghans in human rights and their entitlement that they should be treated with respect. Afghanistan is also a more open society than before; the presence of the media here this afternoon is a good example of that.

Before turning to the High Commissioner's report, there are a few things that I wanted to say, as elsewhere the key ingredients for progress on human rights include vision, leadership, and the commitment of all concerned stakeholders. The relationship between the citizen and the state is the key, but everyone has a role to play in advancing human rights. Building an environment that is conducive to respect for human rights is fundamental to a peaceful and democratic society.

I will focus on just a few issues highlighted in the High Commissioner's report so that there is time for questions and answers.

The first issue addressed in the report is the profound level of poverty that blights the lives of many Afghans. Everyone has the right to a dignified life. Poverty is disempowering. It is often rooted in oppressive and abusive practices and structures. Poverty can be crippling and it often puts lives at risk. We are all aware of the statistics here in Afghanistan that throw a harsh light on the human rights deficit in this country. Of course it is clear that there have been some helpful gains such as gains in the right to education or health or improved prospects of employment, including women outside their homes and these are of course most welcome. However it is clear that we need much more stronger commitment - investment of political will and resources – are needed to reduce, for example, maternal mortality and infant mortality rates which pose a big challenge to the right to life.

Grinding poverty is an issue for large segments of Afghan society; it is of particular concern in relation to Afghan women and girls. Life is better for some Afghan women and girls. It is better for those who are now able to go to school, can work outside the home, or have access to basic health care. However, deep-rooted social, economic and political discrimination persists. It takes time everywhere to achieve gender equality but the severity of the situation here in Afghanistan, demands much stronger commitments and more concerted action than is currently the case. High levels of violence against women and girls is a major concern, challenging such patterns should be a high priority of everyone, not just the concern of those who are directly victimised.

There are two more issues that I wish to raise: war and justice.

Concerning the protection of civilians, I am sure you are all very familiar with the nature of the armed conflict in this country and the ramifications of the war on civilians. Last year saw more than 1,500 civilian casualties. Human rights colleagues and others, both in and outside the UN, have been striving to find ways and means to influence the conduct of the warring parties so that the lives of civilians are spared and to mitigate the overall impact of the war.

The final points I wish to make this afternoon are the twin issues of justice and impunity. I will not surprise you when I say that the justice agenda needs more attention, both in terms of the present, and making a transition from the past. It is of concern and it is something the High Commissioner emphasised last November that the issue of accountability has been distorted and misrepresented. The action plan for justice, peace and reconciliation is a multi-faceted package. For example, it includes the 'acknowledgement of the suffering of victims' as well as 'truth-seeking' to establish the facts.

One often hears the phrase 'action speaks louder than words'. Here in Afghanistan, the lack of action speaks volumes.

However, it would be erroneous to conclude that inaction is a given or that impunity is unending. I spent yesterday at a meeting of different stakeholders committed, mostly civil society colleagues, to finding a way to re-energise the action plan. One strong conclusion from that meeting is that there needs to be much more stronger leadership both at the national and international level. Of course, there is also a need for political commitment. At a minimum, there needs to be the space for a national dialogue that acknowledges the injustices and suffering that have occurred. The voices of victims need to be heard. Unless and until the issue of impunity is addressed, the past will continue to undermine the future.

Afghans are crying out for justice. This is of huge significance because it represents more than a glimmer of hope that there is a great thirst for justice. I have worked in different war-affected countries and can only be impressed with the heroism, humanity, and tenacity of Afghans when it comes to the issue of justice. A high proportion of Afghans and this will not be news to you want to build a country that is free of intimidation, free of oppression and free of violence.

In this season of Nowruz this is an important message of hope.

My apologies I have spoken for too long. Let me summarize. There are huge challenges in Afghanistan and we need to be realistic about these -however a growing number of Afghans, young, old, women and men are saying no to discrimination, are insisting that their kids get an education. In sum, Afghans, with a little bit of help, can make inroads on a human rights situation that needs to be, and is being, challenged.

Tashakor! (Thank you.)

Questions and Answers

GMA Afghanistan (translated from Dari): In your speech you put a lot of emphasis on the action plan. At the same time we all know that the deadline for the action plan is approaching although very little has been achieved. I think that the main cause for this failure is the impunity and the amnesty bill voted by the parliament and has led to the impunity of many of the war criminals. While so much ambiguity present on the ground how can you sound optimistic for the future of the Human Rights in Afghanistan?

UNAMA: Ok, a very good interesting question that I heard also last November when I was with the High commissioner. Of course I think there is a great disappointment that there has not been more traction and more forward movement on the action plan. However I think where there is cause for hope is the high proportion of Afghans whom have declared their need for justice and their desire for it and their commitment to make it happen. I refer to a meeting I attended yesterday of mostly civil society actors and again I saw a great determination that if impunity is not ended there will not be just peace and stability in Afghanistan. The other side of the coin is that there is a strong recognition that we have to, here in Afghanistan, end impunity and to move forward on the action plan. So within the civil society there is a very strong commitment to it.

AFP: If you remember few months ago President Karzai publically said that he has had intentionally hold back on implementing action plan and the reason he gave was because he feared a backlash from those involved in the war crimes and obviously warlords. Do you have any comment on this? Is this a good reason? Is it convincing for you?

UNAMA: Of course I am not in a position to speak on behalf of the government, what I can say, and I think it is a message we need to articulate with the help of the media more clearly, is that the action plan is a five point package it is not just about prosecutions. In every country throughout the world having to deal with this kind of problem, it is important to come up with a national model. And here in Afghanistan my understanding is that there is a great demand by civil society that action is taken on a number of fronts. So I think what is important to try to keep is moving forward is that: All of us understand that it is a multifaceted package, it is not just one issue in relation to prosecutions, it is much broader and richer than that, and like I said earlier there is a great demand for justice and there is a great push by the civil society to try to make it happen.

Shamshad TV (translated from Pashto): There have been many reports that are not good about the situation of human rights in Afghanistan. But as always the UN has remained indifferent in this issue and many warlords are not prosecuted. Do you think that any action will be taken regarding warlords and other issues of the human rights in Afghanistan?

UNAMA: Is the UN indifferent to the situation here? Obviously there are different view points on this. I would categorically say, NO. The high commissioner was here and unusually spent a whole week here in Afghanistan in November and two weeks ago presented a report on the human rights situations. What happens on human rights, not just by the UN but also by Afghanistan's human rights commission and others is not necessarily very high profile but what I want to reassure every body is that there is a lot of work done on human rights and that there is a strong commitment by the United Nations to address these issues. The fact that we could do more is a separate area of discussion.

On the second part of the question about the issue of warlords somewhat a repetition of the earlier question, I think we all know the situation here in Afghanistan. We all know that we would like to see more accelerated movement on the action plan, and I think colleagues on the other side of table are more familiar with the political environment than I am, and the obstacles to that. I am really only able to talk about this from a human rights angle.

Killid Radio (translated from Dari): As you are aware that war is going on in southern parts of the country and that civilians are being killed. What is worrying is that civilians are killed in operations by NATO forces. The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) has taken some actions on this but not anything serious. What have you done in this regard and to what extent have you been able to convince military forces to avoid civilian casualties? Have you taken any serious action on this and if not do you plan to take action on this?

UNAMA: Thank you for the question. Different parties and all stakeholders are very concerned about the nature of the war and its impact on civilians. In 2007 we know that the figures give a very unhappy picture. What has happened, essentially, are three things. From a human rights law perspective both the AIHRC, the United Nations human rights team and others are better able to document and analyse why civilians are directly affected. Of course it is a separate discussion on the accumulated and knock on effects of the war. So with better analysis we have been able to go back and sit down with military authorities and international forces and with the Government and work to ensure that the activities that they are undertaking are in line with humanitarian law. This is one of the activities that has been taking place in the past two months. Some of the other activities, we have been trying to initiate to see, again based on our analysis and monitoring of the situation, what are the ways and means of trying to influence the other parties to the conflict so that it is better understood and this is stronger compliance with the core norm that has always been a standard norm in Afghanistan that civilians should be spared.

SPOKESPERSON: If I could refer you to the Secretary-General's latest report on the situation in Afghanistan published earlier this month. In the first part of your question you said that it was the NATO and military forces that cause the majority of civilian casualties. The Secretary-General's report actually makes it clear that over half of the civilian casualties that were caused last year were caused by anti-government elements. So let us put accountability where accountability needs to be. This doesn't detract from the obligations of the military forces to protect civilian life. Our message is clear - that all parties to the conflict need to avoid civilian casualties and let us be clear on who is causing the majority of civilian casualties.

Pajhwok (translated from Dari): If you compare this year's report with the last one, what are the changes? What is number of civilian casualties mentioned in the report?

UNAMA: I am afraid I am not familiar with the report you are describing. My understanding is that in 2006, from a human rights perspective, we didn't have strong monitoring mechanisms on the ground so the figures that have been used were the figures that come out from other sources like the UN Department of Security Services (UNDSS). So the difference is that there has been a significant increase in the direct impact of the war on civilians. On second part of your question; that is what the report reflects how the intensification of the war, as Aleem just said, it is of concern that all of the different parties to the conflict abide by humanitarian law and human rights norms. The big difference I think between 2006 and 2007 is that the impact has got worse for many civilians.

Tolo TV (translated from Dari): As the report says that the Government of Afghanistan and the international community has failed in ensuring human rights in the country. What are the reasons behind their failure?

UNAMA: Of course it is a difficult human rights situation in Afghanistan and that is not news. However it is also fair to say and correct to say that there have been many improvements. So your question is why are we not making more progress. The reasons why we, and I mean the collectivity, Afghan authorities and international community that is here to help, is that there are of course lots of obstacles rooted in social, economic and political realities whether we are talking about very profound poverty or the situation of women, it will take time to reverse current patterns and trends. I think progress has been made but to accelerate and make more progress, we are advocating from a human rights perspective that there needs to be much stronger commitment and much greater investment.

SPOKESPERSON: If I can just add, 'now' is not necessarily the time to declare success or failure in achieving human rights in this country. Building human rights is a process, not an event, which requires commitments from all parties, from the Government of Afghanistan, the international community, and you yourself here in the audience, among your own communities and among your own families. The message that we are sending today is that we need to see greater commitment on the part of all parties because it is together that we will build human rights for the people of Afghanistan. You cannot rest sole responsibility for this on either the international community or on the Government of Afghanistan. This is something we all have a role to play in.

BBC: As the report suggests that there has been violations of human rights in all aspects of life in the country and that the obstacles are increasing. Could the situation be worse than this? Secondly, from the time the report was prepared until now, are there any grounds for optimism that the situation of human rights in Afghanistan in 2008 could be better?

UNAMA: I can answer to the last part of question first because I definitely don't have a crystal ball. However, there is an important message and I am repeating it again, that fact that Afghans from all walks of life, all ages, women and men, are very familiar with the human rights situation, are concerned about it and they are very determined to see that it improves. To me this is what gives me hope. When I talk about opportunities, this is where I see opportunities to move forward. Human rights are not given they have to be achieved, so I think Afghans from all walks of life, I am not saying every individual Afghan is pro human rights, but the great majority of Afghans in civil society, in and outside of the Government are very strong believers that they are entitled for their rights to be respected. You also talked about obstacles in many places; I agree that there are obstacles, this is not news. I think the good news or the other way of looking at it is efforts are being made to reduce what I call the human rights deficit whether it is refers to very profound poverty or crippling poverty we see that there is somewhat better access to healthcare and education for instance. For a lot of women or for some women it is more of a free society. Also for the media, you are facing challenges, but it is definitely freer than it was some time ago, so this is where I see the opportunity and hope for the future. If I can add I am not saying that there are no obstacles, neither are many from Afghan society. You asked me whether 2008 is going to be a better year, actually I do not know. There is some ground for hope that we can collectively make it better.

Ruz News Agency (translated from Dari): In your remarks you talked about the absence of political will. What do you mean by this, is this on the part of Afghan government or international community?

UNAMA: I think there needs to be greater political will both within Afghanistan and outside it.

Al-Jazeera: As we know there are some prisoners in the Bagram Air Base without any charges, what are you going to do about these issues? There are some whisperings here and there about secret prisons around Afghanistan. Is that true from your view?

UNAMA: On the second part of your question, regarding the possibility of secret prison here or there, this is an issue that I am not familiar with at this precise moment. On the first part in terms of prisoners in Bagram I am also not in a strong position to comment on. Of course we know that there are prisoners in Bagram. What I do know a little about is the Afghan National Detention Facility at Puli-Charkhi, and prisoners are being referred there from Bagram, but it is not an issue that I am on top of, sorry.

SPOKESPERSON: If I can just refer you to the comments you have heard from this table before on this particular issue, the United Nations position is perfectly clear - we need to see those being detained to be either charged or released. Nobody should be held without charge.

Tamadun TV (translated from Dari): In your remarks you acknowledged the failure of the action plan I mean the fact that it has not progressed very fast. Do you think that it is time to amend some of the human rights so that we could negotiate with some of these war lords and in this way we could restore some of the rights of the people which have been violated in the past? Do you not think that some of these rules and rights are problematic in the context of Afghanistan and need to be amended?

UNAMA: In terms of where the action plan needs to be amended? I think the issue is more to reintegrate it and to try to move forward on it. If the question is 'do human rights conventions need to be amended to address the particular situation of Afghanistan', I would say NO. The standards that are there are universal and have proved useful in lots of different settings and I think the challenge here in Afghanistan, as we have discussed in the past hour, is that we need much stronger commitment and investment. And specifically on the action plan I think the challenge facing all of us is to try to reintegrate it and try to make the space available also for civil society actors.

Thank you very much.

[Disclaimer: The content of this news bulletin does not necessarily reflect the view or policy of the Afghan Government, unless specifically stated as such. The collection of articles and commentaries from Afghan and international news sources is provided for informational purposes, and accuracy of the news is the responsibility of the original source.]