Afghans 'live in climate of fear'
Warlords backed by the United States are creating a climate of fear in Afghanistan, an international human rights group has said.
In a new report, Human Rights Watch says the US-led coalition's support for warlords in Afghanistan is destabilising the country and could threaten next year's elections.
The paper also highlights abuses carried out by army and police, some of them working to senior ministers in President Hamid Karzai's government.
A spokesman for Mr Karzai said the government was doing all it could to cut down on human rights abuses bust said it was "a gigantic task".
Grip on power
"Human rights abuses in Afghanistan are being committed by gunmen and warlords who were propelled into power by the United States and its coalition partners after the Taleban fell in 2001," said Brad Adams of Human Rights Watch.
He said the warlords had "hijacked" the country outside Kabul.
"The United States and the United Kingdom in particular need to decide whether they are with President Karzai and other reformers in Kabul or with the warlords," Mr Adams said.
"The longer they wait the more difficult it will be to loosen the warlords' grip on power," he said.
Women intimidated
Among the police and army abuses described in the report are kidnappings, burglaries, rapes and extortions.
The group also says political activists and journalists are being harassed, arrested and threatened with death by security officials.
The abuses are being carried out by police working under senior officials, including cabinet ministers and provincial governors, the report claims.
In some parts of the country, the atmosphere of intimidation means that women are not leaving their homes and girls are not going to school.
Elections are due to be held in Afghanistan next year but the report warns that if the situation does not improve the democratic process will be under threat.
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Published: 2003/07/29 01:00:32 GMT |
