In a new report to the Security Council, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has called for an overhaul of the Afghan justice system, citing widespread corruption and 'direct involvement in criminal activities.' Weak governance is eroding public confidence and undermining the legitimacy of the government, the report states. The report is also critical of the Afghan police, stating that "respect for authority and elementary discipline have not yet been instilled, and the actions of the police within communities often inspire more fear than confidence in the people... In insurgency-affected areas, the police have therefore not been able to ensure security, even in areas where militants had been cleared following military operations." A list of recent U.N. Secretary-General's reports is available in the Monitor's Key Documents section.
On the security situation:
"Rates of insurgent and terrorist violence are at least 20 per cent higher than in 2006; an average of 548 incidents per month were recorded in 2007, compared to an average of 425 per month in 2006. There have been over 100 suicide attacks to date in 2007, compared to 123 in all of 2006. While 76 per cent of all suicide missions target international military and Afghan security forces, their victims have been largely civilian bystanders: 143 civilians lost their lives to suicide attacks between 1 January and 31 August 2007. Suicide attacks have been accompanied by attacks against students and schools, assassinations of officials, elders and mullahs, and the targeting of police, in a deliberate and calculated effort to impede the establishment of legitimate Government institutions and to undermine popular confidence in the authority and capability of the Government of Afghanistan."
Related post: Suicide Bombings in Afghanistan Increasing; Attackers Tend to Be 'Young, Poor and Uneducated', September 11, 2007
On civilian casualties:
"Combat operations by both pro- and anti-governmental forces have resulted in the death or injury of large numbers of non-combatants, and the frequency of such incidents continues to rise. Against this backdrop, UNAMA has started to monitor closely the situation of civilians in armed conflict. The Mission has recorded over 1,000 civilian deaths from January to 31 August. In many instances, however, security conditions limiting the Mission’s access to combat areas and the political sensitivity of the issue make it difficult to gather sufficient information to provide a comprehensive incident report."
Related post: Over 1,000 Afghan Civilians Killed Since April: Interior Ministry, August 16, 2007
