Afghanistan: Don’t Sell Out Women’s Rights in DC Talks - HRW

(New York) - President Hamid Karzai and President Barack Obama should pledge at their meeting in Washington on May 11, 2010, not to sacrifice women's rights in any deals with the Taliban and other insurgent groups, Human Rights Watch said today.

Human Rights Watch urged both leaders to promote greater accountability for abuses in Afghanistan. President Karzai should act to remove corrupt and abusive officials from power and take steps to end widespread impunity.

While US forces have adopted measures to reduce civilian casualties during combat operations, they have only been partially effective. President Obama should ensure that incidents involving civilian loss of life result in credible and transparent investigations that result in appropriate disciplinary action, Human Rights Watch said.

"The Washington meeting is critical for Karzai and Obama to move from words to action on protecting women's rights, getting rid of warlords, and fighting corruption," said Rachel Reid, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch. "There have been many meetings full of lofty rhetoric about rights, but far too little action. Afghans are impatient for change."

"Letting war criminals off the hook will not ensure peace in Afghanistan," Reid said. "A more lasting peace will be forged if notorious rights abusers are excluded from power and brought to justice."

"For too long the excuse from both Kabul and Washington has been that shaking out warlordism and corruption would be destabilizing," Reid said. "But a government that protects drug cartels and notorious human rights abusers is keeping Afghanistan trapped in a spiral of insecurity and instability." - Afghanistan: Don’t Sell Out Women’s Rights in DC Talks

دیده بان حقوق بشر: حقوق زنان افغان قربانی مصالحه با طالبان نشود
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