Médias peu prolixes sur l'utilisation des enfants par les talibans dans les attentats suicides

Les médias français sont très en alerte pour dénoncer les « bavures » des forces occidentales sur les différents théâtres d’opérations extérieures.  C’est le cas dans l’affaire de BlackWater, Société Militaire Privée américaine, qui est accusée d’avoir tué des civils irakiens lors d’accrochages avec des opposants chiites et sunnites.

 En revanche, les mêmes médias n’ont pas le même niveau d’alerte pour s’intéresser aux « bavures » des opposants irakiens lorsqu’ils commettent des attentats suicides contre la population civile en tuant et en mutilant des femmes et des enfants qui n’ont rien à voir avec les conflits en cours.
Le silence des médias français devient encore plus lourd de sens lorsque les journalistes ne rendent même pas compte des études qui sortent sur les crimes contre l’humanité commis par les talibans en Afghanistan. On peut en effet qualifier de crimes contre l’humanité le fait d’utiliser des enfants le plus souvent orphelins comme bombe humaine pour réaliser des attentats suicides contre l’armée afghane ou des militaires occidentaux Aucune explication du type « résistance à l’impérialisme ou lutte contre l’occupant » ne peut légitimer le caractère lâche et odieux de telles pratiques. Le silence des médias français cautionne le comportement des talibans qui envoient régulièrement à leurs représentants à Kaboul des SMS pour les avertir de leurs actes « héroïques » au combat.

Download full report at :
http://www.unama-afg.org/docs/_UN-Docs/UNAMA%20-%20SUICIDE%20ATTACKS%20STUDY%20-%20SEPT%209th%202007.pdf
EMBARGOED UNTIL 0001 KABUL TIME, 9th SEPTEMBER 2007
UNAMA study finds Afghan suicide attackers often duped, coerced

A detailed UNAMA study of suicide attackers in Afghanistan has found that people, children included, are being coerced or duped into carrying out such attacks. Released on the anniversary of Afghanistan’s first-known suicide attack, the 9th September 2001 slaying of commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, and just days before the anniversary of 9-11, the study presents data and analysis and includes interviews with more than two dozen failed and alleged suicide attackers.
“With this study we’ve looked at suicide attackers here in Afghanistan, and based on what we’ve found you can say we are puncturing a few popular myths,” says Tom Koenigs, UN Special Representative for Afghanistan. “The Afghan suicide attacker is not crazed, fanatical or brainwashed. Some are recruited in madrassas, but many are not. Of those we’ve seen most are young, poor, uneducated, and easily influenced.”
The UNAMA study is the most detailed so far into the phenomenon of suicide attacks in Afghanistan. Previous research has noted the low effectiveness of Afghan suicide attackers, who in some cases succeed in blowing up only themselves. UNAMA’s findings affirm this but also point to a possible explanation  that coercion and misrepresentation on the part of terrorist training and recruitment networks mean attackers are often ill-prepared for their missions and unaware of the consequences.
The study notes a sevenfold increase in suicide attacks in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2006 and a continuing though slower rising trend in 2007 till now. It looks at the history of suicide attacks in other countries, noting similarities as well as differences with Afghanistan. Also examined well is the cross-border nature of the problem, which is impacting Pakistan as Afghanistan.
“Suicide attacks traumatize entire communities, undermine popular faith in institutions of the state, provoke responses that limit freedoms, and intimidate populations into a sense that hopes of peace rest only with the providers of violence,” says Mr. Koenigs. “Our aim with this study has been to find answers. It’s not intended to be the final word on the problem, but the start of what I think is an overdue exploration.”
The study, Suicide Attacks in Afghanistan (2001-2007), containing recommendations for action, is available for download at www.unama-afg.org.

Kabul, September 9th 2007