KABUL - After Pajhwok Afghan News published a report interviewing a war victims’ relative who complained about corruption in government departments, the governor of eastern Laghman province has ordered an investigation.
As part of the news agency’s Voice of War Victims series, Pajhwok published an interview on June 23 with a man who lost his 10 relatives to a US drone strike in Karoch area of Badpakh district in July, 2008.
The war victims’ relative, Abdullah Ahmadi, had said a wedding party was underway in their family when US forces rained down bombs on them, killing his wife, mother-in-law, uncle, three cousins and four little girls of the family.
Later on, the government paid 100,000 afghanis in compensation to relatives of each martyr and 50,000 afghanis to the injured apiece. Some NGOs also distributed food and other essential items to the victims’ families.
Ahmadi recalled the government’s promise to allot the victims’ families land plots. “I am tired of trying to get possession of my land plot. Everyday, I visit the municipality to ask for my right, but the relevant officers demand 20,000 afghanis in bribe.”
The governor’s spokesman, Sarhadi Zwak, told Pajhwok Afghan News that in order to explain the Pajhwok report, reach out to people’s complaints, to bring about reforms and to implement transparency in government affairs, the governor had ordered the investigation by a commission.
He said the commission was comprised of officials from the Information and Culture Department, sectorail departments and members of the provincial council.
The governor’s house in a statement said the process to listen people’s complaints would continue and complaints with valid proof and documents would be assessed within due time.
Abdullah Ahmadi, the war victims relative, said he was ready to register his complaint with the commission appointed by Governor Abdul Jabbar Naeemi.(Pajhwok)