Reading the below article made me furious and really angry. The total amount of money Germany spend on their troops inside Afghanistan is in total about billion of dollars. Despite this Germany is paying $5,000 in compensation to Kunduz bombing victims’ families.
Source: ABC News By: JOCHEN-MARTIN GUTSCH
Germany is Paying $5,000 in Compensation to Kunduz Bombing Victims’ Families
It’s a hot Tuesday afternoon in Kunduz, more than eight months after the German-ordered deadly bombing of two hijacked trucks that had become stuck in a riverbed. Karim Popal, who is sitting cross-legged on the floor, tells his listeners that Germany intends to pay ¬4,000 (about $5,280) for each civilian killed in the Sept. 4, 2009 incident.
“Four thousand euros in compensation,” says Popal, looking at the group. The room smells of carpet, men, feet and the dust from the street seeping in through the window.
Popal, who unlike his listeners is wearing socks, is surrounded by 15 men in Afghan traditional clothing. They are village elders from Chahar Dara, the district surrounding Kunduz. Most of them are Popal’s clients.
“Four thousand euros is very little,” says one man in the group.
Popal nods wearily.
The 15 men look at Popal. Four thousand euros. They know that he is their attorney, and that he’s on their side, but somehow they had expected more. [click to continue…]
The incident I wrote about here is also mentioned on Wikileaks.
101543Z TF Diablo Mosque Shooting in Towp Kalay, Sayad Abad District, Wardak province
|
Enemy |
Friend |
Civilian |
Host nation |
| Killed in action |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| Wounded in action |
0 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
On the night of 9 Oct 2007, a wealthy businessman who lives in the village of Towp Kalay in Sayad Abad was praying in the mosque next to his qalat when approximately 10 Taliban members arrived in two Toyota Surfs carrying AK-47s. They entered the mosque where the man was praying with his family, and began to threaten the group. The man was employed by coalition forces and the IRoA and had received threats before to stop working for them or he would be killed. The group of Taliban threatened more of the same while they had the family at gunpoint in the mosque.
At some point in the event, the mans 9 year old son attempted to run from the mosque, which either angered or startled the Taliban gunmen, who opened fire on the family at point blank range, killing two, and injuring 9, two of those critical. They then fled the mosque and the area. The ANP showed up and evacuated the 9 injured civilians to Kabul, where they are currently in the hospital.
Two visits to the scene have occurred today, the first by the French OMLT and ANA, the second by 508th STB and a reporter from Ariana television out of Kabul. In both visits, the locals were upset that ANP and ANA were not there to protect them, despite never asking for assistance before the incident or telling ANSF or CF that the man had been receiving threatening letters. They said that the ANP were corrupt and they did not like them, and that they would not support the government as long as the ANP acted as they did.
We were able to send the journalist in with our cultural advisor to speak to the elders, who recounted the nights events before they started to complain about the ANP. The story will be aired on the Ariana Television Network with the story of exactly what happened, followed by commentary that CF spokesmen in conjunction with ANSF officials say that the perpetrators were Taliban, though the locals at no point actually say its Taliban (most likely afraid that there will be repercussions if they do). We will also run the oral interviews over the radio stations in Mohammad Agha and Baraki Barak, in addition to a print story that will run in the Wardak newspaper.
Report key: 30C97F45-872F-437A-8BD5-15297E4F24EA
Tracking number: 2007-283-154347-0592
Attack on: ENEMY
Complex atack: FALSE
Reporting unit: TF DIABLO (508 STB & 4BSTB)
Unit name: 4TH BSTB / GARDEZ
Type of unit: None Selected
Originator group: UNKNOWN
Updated by group: UNKNOWN
MGRS: 42SVC8130081400
CCIR: (PIR eight) WHERE ARE INSURGENTS ATTEMPTING TO EMPLOY INTIMIDATION TACTICS AGAINST THE LOCAL POPULACE OR IROA OFFICIALS? (DP 1, 7)
Sigact: CJTF-82
DColor: RED
