By Kristele Younes When civilians die in war, the public is understandably outraged. In Afghanistan, in the past few months, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has come under heavy criticism from President Karzai for a series of incidents that have cost innocent lives. Fueled by the President’s statements, public anger is mounting, which ISAF…
By Major Dennis Sugrue It is an unfortunate reality of war that innocent civilians are harmed. As a US Army Soldier, I recognize the importance of protecting civilians, especially during combat operations. Despite our care, civilian casualties and property damage do occur. I recall the great initiative that we took in Afghanistan to make amends…
By Catherine Philp Nine years ago in the bright Kabul spring, I met a young woman called Marla Ruzicka. She was hard to miss, with her wild blonde hair and animal pyjamas peeking out from the hem of her long kameez. She was harder still to miss the morning she marched to the gates of…
In one minute or less, we’ll give you an inside look at civilians in war and CIVIC’s work to help them. You can expect photographs, powerful stories and progress toward their well-being. We’ll go to Afghanistan where CIVIC created and just delivered the first-ever trainings on addressing civilian harm to American, international and Afghan military…
Submitted Testimony of Erica Gaston, Center field researcher in Afghanistan to US Senate Committee on Appropriations on the need for recognition, compensation, and other assistance in Afghanistan. CIVIC Testimony April 2009 Afghan Assistance ### Notes to editors: Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)’s mission is to improve protection for civilians caught in conflicts around the world.…
Posted By: Erica Not far from Hazi Sharif’s construction materials shop, I met a shy young man who was finishing his apprenticeship to become a mechanic. “I was a student of [the senior mechanic]” Masood told me, “but now I am better than he is.” Masood was not always so beaming. In December 2006, Masood,…
Spend some time in Brussels and Kabul with the soldiers and civilians of NATO and you’ll hear the same thing: If there ever was a place and a time when winning support of the local population would help win a war, the place is Afghanistan — and the time is now. Afghanistan is beginning to…
In Kabul a few weeks ago, I met Sahib Dad, an Afghan father. During the 2001 U.S. invasion, two of his girls were killed when a U.S. bomb missed its target and exploded in their playground. He says he never saw an American face, never received an apology. At the time, the United States had…