Derrick Crowe, Robert Greenwald / The Brave New Foundation – 2010-08-10 00:52:42
http://rethinkafghanistan.com/?akid=1206.1104711._UF6nw&rd=1&t=4
They Can’t Deny It Anymore: Video Evidence of Mass Killing by US/NATO
(August 8, 2010) — For weeks, US and allied forces in Afghanistan have denied they killed several dozen civilians in Sangin District of Helmand Province on July 23. But our new video exposes the truth about one of the worst civilian casualty incidents of the war. Watch our exclusive interviews with survivors and demand that your elected officials act to prevent future catastrophes like this.
First, NATO denied knowing anything about the incident. Then, they said only six people were killed and that most of them were insurgents.
They can’t deny it anymore.
Working with a brave team in Afghanistan headed by Anita, Brave New Foundation’s Rethink Afghanistan project sent an intrepid local blogger into Sangin District of Helmand Province–one of the most dangerous areas of the country. He brought back extraordinary first-person accounts from survivors of the Sangin catastrophe. Thanks to his work, there’s no doubt anymore: as many as 52 people were killed by a rocket fired by NATO forces.
Survivors tell of a scene of absolute carnage and despair, and when the smoke cleared, according to one local, “They [NATO] did nothing and afterwards they said nothing, just like nothing ever happened.”
But something did happen, and we have to act.
Watch our new video and send it to your elected officials.
The Letter
Subject: I Will Remember Sangin When I Vote this November
Brave New Foundation’s latest Rethink Afghanistan video confirms what NATO has denied for weeks–dozens of civilians were killed in Sangin district of Helmand Province, Afghanistan, on July 23, and NATO forces were responsible. I’m outraged that NATO continues to deny an incident for which they are obviously responsible based on witness accounts, and that because of that, we have to rely on independent sources like Brave New Foundation to get the truth. Please watch the video and read the transcripts of the survivors’ stories, available at http://rethinkafghanistan.com
This incident shows that the debate about war isn’t about abstract concepts. It’s about a constant trickle of moral and strategic disasters, just like this one.
I want you to know that I vote, and when I vote, I think about incidents like the one at Sangin and what my representatives did to prevent other catastrophes like it. I will remember how you react to the Sangin incident when I vote this November.
The Afghanistan War is a brutal conflict that’s not making us safer and isn’t worth the cost. I expect my elected officials to act swiftly and forcefully to bring our troops home.
Interview with Sangin Survivor Abdul Barg
Interviewer: Can you tell me what happened?
AB:What happened was that when the fighting started we were in our house. When the Taliban came and told us that you guys are the “Kafirs†(Infidels, unbelievers). They said that you started the fire at them, and they were forced to defend themselves. When the gun battle started it got much worse. We ran away from our house towards the roadway
We ran to a place about 200 meters from our village. We gathered all of the women , children and elderly, we were 200 meters away from the location of the actual battle so we thought it would be okay.
The airplanes came(N.A.T.O.) and started the bombardment. A lot of innocent people were killed, old and young, women and children were all martyred. Some had no heads or hands. Body parts were scattered all over the place.
People were screaming one yelled out that for God’s sake someone should go to the government and tell them they are killing innocent people! We are not Taliban! Stop the bombing! These people were waiting for you help!
Interviewer: What happened to the injured?
AB:The injured were taken to the Red Cross hospital. One of the injured was my son the other was my nephew who was in really bad shape.(Crying) We thought the government would bring us peace and security, now I am putting my family members body parts inside a bag with my own two hands.
Interviewer: How many civilian deaths were there?
AB:I don’t know how many but almost every family in the village was placing at least a couple of their loved ones in a bag.
Interviewer: You don’t know how many?
AB:Almost every family lost a few. The injured were taken to Chinese Hospital.
Interviewer: Can you estimate how many were killed?
AB:The number of martyred were no less than 35 up to 50 at the most.
Interviewer: What were their ages?
AB:I swear to God that they were 10 to 12 years old and smaller children like my daughter who was 2 years old and my nephew was 3 months old they were torn to pieces.
Interviewer: Thank you very much…
View Other Videos and Read Other Transcripts and Sign a Letter of Concern Online
