BAMYAN - Authorities in Bamyan province announced the detention of a local attorney on bribery charges. The Deputy Governor of Bamyan, Asif Mubaligh, told media that the prosecuting attorney responsible for cases of violence against women in the provincial attorney’s office was detained by security officials on suspicion of accepting a bribe valued at 30,000 Afs.

“The Provincial anti-corruption committee is seriously working to eliminate corruption in Government offices in Bamyan and in the last two years two prosecutors and one traffic police officer have been arrested on corruption charges,” Mubaligh added.

The newly appointed provincial attorney, Wahab Alkozai, confirmed the arrest but also reiterated his commitment to fighting corruption in his office.

In recent years, local communities have staged protests against corruption within judicial institutions. Last year the provincial prosecutor responsible for handing cases involving children was arrested and found guilty of corruption. He was sentenced to two years in prison.

A recent survey conducted by Transparency International found that Afghans believe their judicial offices are the most corrupt institutions in the country.

Source: Radio Bamyan, Jamhoor News

KANDAHAR: IEDs causing major losses for farmers

31 July 2013 – Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by the Taliban in orchards in the Panjwai district of Kandahar are causing major financial losses for local farmers.

Panjwai is an agricultural district and according to unofficial reports, around 50,000 IEDs and mines have been buried around the village and in nearby orchards. These IEDs often cause casualties to the local civilians or farmers. A recent report from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) noted that IEDs remain the single biggest killer of civilians, responsible for 35 per cent of deaths and injuries.

“Taliban have planted IEDs in the orchards and people cannot collect their harvest," said one local official who declined to be named.

Farmers say that the action by the Taliban has cost them millions of dollars in losses this year and they wonder what will happen if the IEDs are not removed.

“You can witness yourselves that our orchards are full of IEDs. Why is this type of cruelty done to us? There are more than 20 IEDs planted in my orchard. What else can I tell you. We can harvest our fruits because most places are carpeted with mines," said a local farmer, who also declined to be named out of fear of retribution.

One detained member of the Taliban said he had planted 15 IEDs in orchards in the past month. He said that Taliban leaders were instructing them to plant IEDs.

In past years up to 50 trucks per day would visit the village and leave loaded with grapes. This year only about five trucks per day are visiting Panjwaj.

The Chief of Police for Panjwai, Sultan Mohammad, said there are between 10,000 to 50,000 IEDs planted in Panjwai district in villages, orchards and other public areas.

In the past month alone police say that around 100 civilians in Panjwaj have been injured or killed as a result of mine explosions.

“Visit the area and you see that people face scores of problems from these mines. We can only defuse these mines when someone tells where there is a mine,” said Mr. Mohammad.

Police officials say they have discovered and defused around 9,000 IEDs in Panjwai district before start of this year's fighting season. But they say that fresh IEDs were planted recently.

Source: Khabarial.Com