Voiolence and abuse against women by Ashraf Ghani administration

Post via Islamic Emirate July 12th 2019

Islam is the sole religion which has given complete rights to women. It is in Islamic teachings that when a woman is a daughter, she opens a door of paradise for her father, when she is a wife she completes half of the faith of her husband and when she is a mother then paradise lies beneath her feet.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has always advocated women rights and confronted those who tried to violate the honor of women in Afghanistan.

In Afghan society under the teachings of Islam, there’s absolutely no room for men to ever disrespect women.

Ever since the start of the US led invasion there has been a sharp and gradual rise of violence and abuse against women by the planted regime and their masters – the United States and her western allies. There has been a systematic approach on all levels by the regime and their American masters in spreading moral corruption throughout Afghanistan. The hired stooges are working against Islamic values by targeting men and youth practicing the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him). These criminal hypocrites are legalizing adultery, ridiculing Afghan culture, waging campaigns against hijab, spreading immorality and promoting western values over our Islamic and Afghan values.

A broad consensus has been established in all segments of the Afghan society against the regime and their American masters committing these crimes. It is the Afghan nation’s general opinion that stands in the way of their evil designs. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the brave Afghan nation have completely understood the ideological dimension of the current war imposed on Afghans by the invaders and their stooge regime.

The crimes committed by the US invaders their allies and the stooge regime are so many that they cannot be alluded to in a single article.

The regime and it’s leadership are acting as advocates of women rights but in reality are abusing the women working in governmental offices of the regime and violating their sanctity by asking them for sexual favors and almost all the heads, ministers and advisors are involved in this malpractice. Those women working for the regime have been victims of the regime itself and are now speaking anonymously to the international media about their suffering.

The track record of the regime is the testimony to these revelations. The regime has put innocent women over the years in their secret dungeons just to please their American masters. The regime has martyred thousands of innocent women and children across the country this year alone, most of casualties not even reported by the media.

Recently a senior advisor to the regime leadership exposed the corrupt and evil practices of those occupying ARG taking place on daily basis.

The so called champions of women rights are preying on women and demanding illegitimate relationships for jobs and positions. The dual passport holders and leftist communist remnants in the regime are the ones who are violating the sanctity of the Afghan women. These corrupt criminals working in the regime offices are the products of the current invasion planted by the invaders purposefully so that they can spread western culture in Afghanistan in violations of our religious beliefs, societal norms and culture.

The violation of honor of Afghan women is something which makes this battle against invaders and their stooges unavoidable and our only choice that will ensure that our sanctums are never looked upon so cheaply.

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Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Statement by Health Commission regarding airstrikes and raids on hospitals and clinics

Post via Islamic Emirate July 11th 2019

Over the past few days the American invaders and their domestic allied troops have intensified airstrikes and raids on hospitals and health centers across the country which have resulted in the destruction of multiple clinics as well as martyrdom, injury and detention of many health workers including reputable doctors.

– On Tuesday, combined US and local troops carried out a raid on a vital health clinic that provided services to many people in Tangi valley of Chak district, Maidan Wardak province, during which they martyred 4 individuals including 2 doctors and abducted another.

– A similar raid was carried out on a clinic in Bakwa district center, Farah province, resulting in large part of the facility damaged, all doors and windows broken and all medicine and essentials destroyed.

– A raid was carried out on CHC health clinic in Kajaki district of Helmand province during which the facility was heavily damaged and 2 doctors abducted.

– An ambulance of Babaji clinic in Helmand provincial capital was destroyed with an airstrike.

– Manager (Doctor Gul Ahmad) of Shilgar district Emergency Clinic, Ghazni province, along with another doctor were martyred by a US airstrike.

Moreover, a campaign by Americans and their domestic supporters of systematically targeting hospitals and health clinics is underway in other parts of the country as well.

Health Commission of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns such reckless attacks and deliberate targeting of health centers and considers such actions a war crime and violation of all humanitarian norms.

It calls upon the World Health Organization, humanitarian institutions, right groups and other advocacy agencies to condemn these brutal US actions against health centers in Afghanistan, to launch a comprehensive investigation and prevent such war crimes from reoccurring.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Commission for Health Affairs
08/11/1440 Hijri Lunar 20/04/1398 Hijri Solar 11/07/2019 Gregorian

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Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Remarks by spokesman of Islamic Emirate concerning civililian casualties in Maidan Wardak, Baghlan and Herat

Post via Islamic Emirate July 9th 2019

In the continuing series of war crimes and deliberate killing of common people, American invaders accompanied by Kabul administration troops carried out an overnight raid on Tangi Sayedano clinic and Goda village of Chak district, Maidan Wardak province.

This major crime resulted in the destruction of Tangi Sayedano clinic while 4 civilians (clinic administrator, on-duty doctor, a nurse and a patient) were ruthlessly murdered.

This crime happened on the same night as the occupying and puppet enemy bombed the home of villager (Ismail) located in Kutb Khelo village of Puli Khumri city’s PD2, Baghlan province, from which the house was destroyed, a woman and 5 children martyred and Ismail himself wounded.

Some 4 days earlier Haji Nadir village in Dand-e-Shahabuddin was also bombed, leaving an innocent woman martyred and 5 children wounded.

Moreover, bombings were carried out six times against civilians over the past 5 days in Bakhtabad, Aliabad and Karez Denak areas of Shindand district, Herat province, from which a mosque was destroyed and 4 civilians martyred, 3 wounded in Bakhtabad area, 2 civilians were martyred and 3 wounded in Aliabad area, a white-bearded shop owner was also martyred while 2 more civilians were martyred in Karez Denak area.

The Islamic Emirate strongly condemns all these deliberate murders and war crimes, calls on international human right organizations to question the American invaders about these war crimes and genocide and prevent such crimes from continuing.

Spokesman of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Zabihullah Mujahid

06/11/1440 Hijri Lunar

18/04/1398 Hijri Solar                 09/07/2019 Gregorian

End

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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War crimes of the foreign occupying forces and their internal mercenaries (June 2019)

Post via Islamic Emirate July 8th 2019

On Saturday 1st June, four innocent civilians were martyred in an indiscriminate drone strike of the foreign invaders in ‘Gandam-Raze’ area of ‘Kajaki’ district in Helmand province.

On Sunday 9th June, ‘Sangi Khail’ area in ‘Zurmat’ district of Paktia province was raided by the internal mercenary forces. In this brutal raid, main gates of several civilian houses and the adjacent mosque were blasted in bombs, and three innocent people including school students and a school guard were ruthlessly martyred.

On Sunday 10th June, two children were martyred while their father was injured in a blind drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Khojdad’ area of ‘Musa Kala’ district in Helmand province.

On Sunday 10th June, a mosque was targeted in an indiscriminate drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Mirmand Aab’ area of ‘Grishk’ district in Helmand province, in which, the mosque was badly destroyed, and five people offering the prayers were martyred while two more were injured.

On Thursday 13th June, an office (agency) of the 303 model Benz vehicles was indiscriminately bombed by the foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries in ‘Shiwan’ area of ‘Bala Buluk’ district in Farah province, in which five passengers (namely Abdullah s/o of Sarwar Aka, Mira Jan s/o Shazada Aka, Borjan Aka, Habibullah s/o Muladad Aka, Amanullah and Muhammad Naeem s/o Rihmdil Aka, Khairullah s/o Muladad) were martyred, while two more people were injured. Similarly, three civilian people including one Mulla Imam were taken away as prisoners, and a few days later their dead bodies were found having explicit signs of tortures.

On Friday 14th June, four civilian people were martyred and injured while huge financial losses were inflicted on the local people during a raid of the joint enemy forces in ‘Dahna’ area of ‘Mohammad Agha’ district in Logar province.

On Friday 14th June, ten civilian countrymen were martyred during a raid of the joint enemy forces in ‘Puti’ village of ‘Mizani’ district in Zabul province. One of the martyred people belonged to ‘Khak-i-Afghan’ district while the remaining ones were local people who were busy in their fields.

On Friday 14th June, two civilian people (Dil Agha and Abdul Qahhar) were martyred in the random mortar shelling of the internal forces in ‘Didarat’ area of ‘Khawaja Umri’ district in Ghazni province.

On Friday 14th June, five civilian people were martyred in a blind drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Daral’ village of ‘Musazai’ area in ‘Shah-Joe’ district of Zabul province.

On Friday 14th June, a civilian corolla type vehicle was hit in a blind drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Sarda’ village of ‘Shilgar’ district in Ghazni province, in which, four innocent people (Jamal, Wali Mohammad, Said Khan and Mohammad Yousuf) were martyred.

On Saturday 15th June, two civilian people were martyred in a blind drone strike of the foreign invaders in ‘Khushal’ area of ‘Shilgar’ district in Ghazni province.

On Saturday 15th June, seven civilian people were martyred in a drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Mullagan’ and ‘Joe 2’ areas of ‘Shilgar’ district in Ghazni province.

On Saturday 15th June, two civilian people while riding bikes were martyred in a drone strike of the foreign invaders near ‘Murghy’ bazaar in ‘Barmal’ district of Paktika province.

On Saturday 15th June, five civilian people (Nimatullah, Mohammad Qasim, Kulala, Hamidullah and Juma Gul) were martyred in a drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Sarband’ area of ‘Sangin’ district in Helmand province.

On Saturday 15th June, three civilian people dwellers of ‘Habid Kudalo’ were martyred in a blind drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Kharkhasha’ area of ‘Shilgar’ district in Ghazni province.

On Sunday 16th June, one civilian man and two children were martyred while some more children including a woman were injured in the indiscriminate mortar shelling of the internal forces in ‘Shamiriyan’ area of ‘Murghab’ district in Badghis province.

On Sunday 16th June, four civilian people were martyred and twenty two more were injured, while heavy financial losses were inflicted on the local people during the military operations of the joint enemy forces in the outskirts of ‘Juma Bazaar’ district in Faryab province.

On Sunday 16th June, two children were martyred while four women were injured in the indiscriminate bombing of the internal forces in ‘Yukhan’ area of ‘Garziwan’ district in Faryab province.

On Sunday 16th June, five civilian people were martyred by the notorious Arbaki militiamen between ‘Siya Gard’ to ‘Guzra’ areas of ‘Pashtun Zarghun’ district in Herat province. Twelve innocent people were martyred in this area during a week by the Arbaki militiamen, while thirty five families were forces to leave the area.

On Sunday 16th June, a house was hit and destroyed in a drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Grana’ area of ‘Bala Buluk’ district in Farah province, in which, three innocent brothers were martyred.

On Sunday 16th June, a transport vehicle of the local civilian people was targeted by the internal forces in ‘Muqarrab Khail’ area of ‘Zurmat’ district in Paktia province, in which, four innocent men and two women were martyred.

On Monday 17th June, four civilian people were martyred and injured while significant financial losses were inflicted on the local people during the blind bombing of the internal forces in ‘Amrotak’ area of ‘Fairoz-Koh’ district in Ghor province.

On Tuesday 18th June, two little girls were martyred during the blind firing of the internal forces in ‘Gulwal’ village of ‘Yahya Khail’ district in Paktika province.

On Wednesday 19th June, ‘Dr. Khan Agha’ village in ‘Chagi’ area of ‘Dilaram’ district in Nimroz province was raided by the joint enemy forces, in which, four civilian people including Dr. Khan Agha were taken away as prisoners, while significant amount of valuables were stolen from the local houses.

On Wednesday 19th June, civilian houses in ‘Nasrullah Kala’ area in ‘Bala Buluk’ district of Farah province were raided by the internal forces, in which, two innocent people were martyred, valuables were stolen, and eventually six vehicles of the local people were put on fire.

On Wednesday 19th June, an eighty-year old civilian (named Zaman Aka) was martyred, while his residence and shop were demolished during a raid of the joint enemy forces in ‘Maryam Manda’ area of ‘Shahr-i-Safa’ district in Zabul province.

On Thursday 20th June, a religious madrassa was burnt while significant financial losses were inflicted on the local people during a raid of the joint enemy forces in ‘Baharak’ area of ‘Garziwan’ district in Faryab province.

On Monday 24th June, four civilian people were martyred and injured during the indiscriminate bombing of the foreign invaders in ‘Qala Barakzi’ area of ‘Sangin’ district in Helmand province.

On Friday 28th June, an innocent man was martyred while several civilian houses were damaged during the blind bombing of the joint enemy forces in ‘Khashtpul’ and ‘Chamaq’ areas of ‘Pashtun Kot’ district in Faryab province.

On Saturday 29th June, a religious madrassa in ‘Chilgaziyan’ village of ‘Naik Paikole’ valley in ‘Chak’ district of ‘Maidan Wardak’ province was raided by the joint enemy forces, in which, seven students of this madrassa were ruthlessly martyred and the madrassa was badly damaged, while four civilian people were taken away as prisoners.

On Sunday 30th June, eight civilian people were martyred and injured in the random mortar shelling of the internal forces in ‘Qarghan Tapa’ area of ‘Imam Sahib’ district in Kunduz province.

On Sunday 30th June, civilian houses in ‘Rahmat-Abad’ district of ‘Shirin Tagab’ district in Faryab province were raided by the joint enemy forces, in which, three innocent people were martyred and injured, while significant financial losses were inflicted on the local people.

On Sunday 30th June, ‘Laghari’ village in ‘Shahr-i-Safa’ district of Zabul province was raided by the joint enemy forces, in which, four civilian people including a child were martyred and injured, while several transport vehicles and solar panels of local people were destroyed.

Sources: (BBC, Radio Liberty, The Afghan Islamic News Agency; Pazwak, Khabaryal, Larawbar, Nunn.Asia and Benawa websites.)

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Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

 

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Remarks by spokesman of Islamic Emirate concerning Intra-Afghan Conference in Doha

Via Islamic Emirate July 6th 2019

A conference about finding pathways to peace in Afghanistan has been scheduled to take place on 7th and 8th July in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

This conference jointly organized by Qatar and Germany will be attended by around 60 Afghans in their personal capacities to discuss and exchange views about pathways of establishing peace in Afghanistan.

A 17-member delegation of the Islamic Emirate led by the respected Mr. Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanekzai will also partake in the conference to shed light on the stance and policy of the Islamic Emirate.

The negotiation process with the United States will be paused for two days due to this conference and will once again resume on the 9th of July, Allah willing.

Spokesman of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Zabihullah Mujahid

03/11/1440 Hijri Lunar

15/04/1398 Hijri Solar                  06/07/2019 Gregorian

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Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Islamic Emirate: Uncertain fate of 33 thousand prisoners

Post via Islamic Emirate July 1st 2019

The uncertain fate of tens of thousands of Afghans in the prisons of invaders and their installed stooge administration is an issue so sensitive and critical that it must be given the same level of attention as discussions about war and peace and all its related aspects must be examined.

From the time Afghanistan was occupied by foreign invaders, common citizens in the vast villages and cities are detained under pretext of political opposition on a daily basis, kept imprisoned from months and years on end and their right of living a free life in their motherland taken away by the foreign invaders and their mercenaries.

Up until this very day, no independent investigation or survey has been conducted into prisons run by the invaders and the stooge administration in order to bring clarity to the matter and uncover realities. A few days earlier however, the Advisor for the Ministry of Interior Affairs Directorate of Prisons – General Habibullah Rizwani – told media outlets that they currently hold 33 thousand Afghans in detention centers among which 22 thousand are kept in prisons and 11 thousand in secret detention centers.

These 33 thousand inmates are figures known and registered in prisons listed with the Directorate of Prisons. But as the foreign invaders also operate prisons in their bases and local warlords are known for running private torture cells, it is still unknown how many more innocent countrymen would be languishing in these black sites. And as abductions during night raids and roadside searches continues, the situation becomes even more dire because keeping such a large number of prisoners and giving them their due rights in above and beyond the capacity of the corrupt Kabul administration. The mere fact that so many people are imprisoned increases the chances of a tragedy occurring, are deprived of rights of proper living conditions, food, medicine, visits and justice and all their humanitarian rights and even their own precious lives are deliberately put at risk.

We call on international human right organizations to launch a comprehensive investigation about the vital issue of prisons and prisoners in the open and secret detention centers of Afghanistan. The tens of thousands of Afghan inmates with majority being innocent must be rescued and their rights returned to them.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has always used leniency with detainees in its prisons and wishes the opposition would adopt a similar approach because keeping tens of thousands of prisoners serves no other purpose than to identify the invaders and their hirelings as an oppressive, inhumane and barbaric enemy. History is witness that the previous communist regime had imprisoned an even larger number of individuals three decades earlier but in the end, it was this same tyranny that became a reason for the downfall of their rule.

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Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Islamic Emirate: War crimes of foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries (May 2019)

Post via Islamic Emirate June 3rd 2019

On Wednesday 1st May, a woman was martyred in the indiscriminate shelling of the internal forces in the center of ‘Gurziwan’ district in Faryab province.

On Wednesday 1st May, a woman and two girls were martyred while seven more children and women were injured in the indiscriminate mortar shelling of the internal forces in ‘Shash Kala’ village of ‘Baqar Khail’ area in ‘Said Abad’ district of ‘Maidan Wardak’ province.

On Thursday 2nd May, eleven civilian people were martyred while a significant amount of valuables was stolen during a raid of the savage foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries in ‘Niaz Kala’ and ‘Sarandaz Kala’ in ‘Deh-i-Yak’ district of Ghazni province.

On Saturday 4th May, an innocent civilian was martyred in the random firing of the internal forces in ‘Langar Baba Quzi’ area of ‘Sang Charak’ district in ‘Saripul’ province.

On Sunday 5th May, Dashkin, Paloshi and Spin-Karaiz areas of ‘Bakwa’ district in Farah province, and Shagi and Dorahi areas of ‘De;aram’ district in Nimroz province were indiscriminately bombed by the savage foreign invaders, in which, eighty civilian people including women and children were martyred and injured while heavy financial losses were inflicted on the local civilian people.

On Sunday 5th May, the provincial council of ‘Logar’ province reported that six civilian countrymen were martyred by the savage foreign invaders in ‘Pad Khawab’ area of ‘Mohammad Agha’ district of this province.

On Sunday 5th May, four civilian people were ruthlessly martyred while several others were incarcerated by the notorious Arbaki militiamen after a skirmish between Taliban and them in ‘Jangali’ area of ‘Khak-i-Afghan’ district in Zabul province.

On Monday 6th May, two civilian people were martyred in a joint raid of the savage foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries in ‘Qasim Bazaar’ area of ‘Marja’ district in Helmand province.

On Wednesday 8th May, two women and three children were martyred in a blind drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Dasht-i-Buz’ area of ‘Juma Bazaar’ district in Faryab province.

On Wednesday 8th May, four teachers and two students were ruthlessly martyred while several civilian houses were destroyed during a brutal raid of the joint enemy forces in ‘Shaikh Kala’ area of ‘Chaparhar’ district in Nangarhar province.

On Thursday 9th May, civilian houses in ‘Malmand’ area of ‘Sangin’ district in Helmand province were raided by the savage foreign invaders and their mercenary commandos. In this brutal raid, civilian houses were thoroughly searched, then twenty five shops and two petrol pumps were put on fire.

On Thursday 9th May, two civilian people were martyred in an indiscriminate drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Aab Pashak Manda’ area of ‘Grishk’ district in Helmand province.

On Saturday 11th May, a civilian transport vehicle was targeted in a blind drone strike of the savage foreign invaders in the outskirts of ‘Laman Bazaar’ area in ‘Barmal’ district of Paktika province, in which, all fifteen civilian people on board were indiscriminately martyred.

On Saturday 11th May, a medical doctor and a student were ruthlessly martyred while considerable financial losses were inflicted on the local people during a raid of the joint enemy forces in ‘Kharoty’ village in ‘ Pul-i-Khumri’ district of Baghlan province.

On Saturday 11th May, six innocent civilian people were martyred during a raid of the savage foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries in ‘Dalil’ and ‘Khani Khail’ villages of ‘Shilgar’ district in Ghazni province.

On Monday 13th May, ‘Muka, Kunj, Dawood Khail, Ahmad Khail, Spin Diwal, Qulzangi and Kudi’ villages of ‘Deh Mir Dad’ district in ‘Maidan Wardak’ province were raided by the savage foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries, in which, heavy financial losses were inflicted on the civilian people, and eventually seven students and two servants of a local madrassa were ruthlessly martyred while a number of villagers were detained and taken away as prisoners.

On Tuesday 14th May, three civilian countrymen were martyred while five more were incarcerated during a brutal raid of the foreign occupying forces and their internal mercenaries in ‘Ganga Khail’ area of ‘Khogyani’ district in Nangarhar province.

On Thursday 16th May, five civilian people were martyred and injured in a blind drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Diwalak’ area of ‘Nozad’ district in Helmand province.

On Saturday 18th May, civilian houses in ‘Tatanak’ village of ‘Khogyani’ district in Nangarhar province were raided by the joint enemy forces. In this brutal raid, main gates of several houses were blasted by bombs; a significant amount of valuables was stolen; and eventually, two innocent civilian people (named Ashraf and Ghani) were ruthlessly martyred.

On Saturday 18th May, a public health clinic was indiscriminately bombed by the savage foreign invaders in the center of ‘Chihil-Gazi’ district in Faryab province, in which, the clinic and all its medical equipment were badly damaged.

On Saturday 18th May, eight civilian people were ruthlessly martyred during a brutal raid of the joint enemy forces in ‘Taq Masjid’ village of ‘Kala Gaz’ area in ‘Grishk’ district of Helmand province.

On Saturday 18th May, three civilian people were martyred in a blind drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Topir’ area of ‘Deh-i-Yak’ district in Ghazni province.

On Sunday 19th May, seven civilian countrymen were martyred while two more were injured during a brutal raid of the savage foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries in ‘Albak Karaiz’ area of ‘Shah Wali Kot’ district in Kandahar province.

On Sunday 19th May, five civilian people were martyred in separate blind drone strikes of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Tapa Sadaat’, ‘Abdullah Khail’, ‘Todanak’ and ‘Nao Abad’ areas of ‘Farah Raud’ district in Farah province.

On Sunday 19th May, civilian houses in ‘Sayyidan’ area in ‘Grishk’ district of Helmand province were raided by the savage foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries. In this raid, main gates of several houses were broken; the local people were badly beaten up; huge amount of valuables were taken away; and eventually the area was indiscriminately bombed, in which, six children and women were martyred, while ten more people were injured.

On Sunday 19th May, two civilian people were martyred during a raid of the joint enemy forces in ‘Pusht-i-Koh’ and ‘Kal’ areas of ‘Shindand’ district in Herat province.

On Monday 20th May, five innocent civilian people were martyred while several transport vehicles of local people were put on fire during a brutal raid of the savage foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries in ‘Tokarak valley’, ‘Umar Khail Bazaar’ and ‘Dadal Tangi’ areas of ‘Narkh’ district in ‘Maidan Wardak’ province.

On Monday 20th May, three children who had gone to collect wood for burning as fuel, were ruthlessly martyred in an indiscriminate drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Joi Zarin’ area of ‘Tangi’ valley in ‘Said Abad’ district of ‘Maidan Wardak’ province.

On Monday 20th May, civilian houses in ‘Balai, Sulaimanzi, Shahabuddin Kala, Karimdad Kala and Ibad Kala’ areas of ‘Deh-i-Yak’ district in Ghazni province were raided by the joint enemy forces, in which, main gates of several houses were blasted, and four innocent villagers (named Salih Mohammad, Abdul Mannan, Pir Mohammad, and Mohammad Anwar) were ruthlessly martyred, while nineteen more people taken away as prisoners.

On Thursday 23rd May, the head office of a local NGO called EHSAN working under the auspices of a larger NGO called C.H.A. (i.e. Co-ordination of Humanitarian Assistance) was indiscriminately bombed by the foreign occupying forces in ‘Kin’ village of ‘Shib Koh’ district in Farah province, in which, all necessary equipment of this NGO were destroyed, while the director of child nutrition project (named Abdul Hameed) and another worker of this NGO (named Abdul Raheem) were martyred.

On Friday 24th May, four civilian people were ruthlessly martyred in an indiscriminate drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Janjali’ area of ‘Musa Kala’ district in Helmand province.

On Friday 24th May, three civilian countrymen were martyred in a blind drone strike of the savage foreign invaders in ‘Sara Band’ area of ‘Sangin’ district in Helmand province.

On Friday 24th May, five civilian people were martyred in a brutal raid of the joint enemy forces in ‘Pir Koti’ area of ‘Urgun’ district in Paktika province.

On Friday 24th May, six innocent civilians were martyred, while two mosques and two civilian houses were destroyed during a raid of the savage foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries in ‘Gar Khail’ and ‘Saada Khail’ villages of ‘Tutu’ area in ‘Shirzad’ district of Nangarhar province.

On Saturday 25th May, a local prison was bombed by the foreign occupying forces in ‘Zamindar Karaiz’ area of ‘Kajaki’ district in Helmand province, in which five people were killed who were previously detained by Taliban.

On Saturday 25th May, a woman and three local men were martyred in the blind mortar shelling of the internal mercenary forces in ‘Quzby Kala’ area of ‘Daulat Abad’ district in Faryab province.

On Sunday 26th May, three civilian people were martyred (as they were breaking their fast) in a blind drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Dasht’ area of ‘Qala Gaz’ in ‘Grishk’ district of Helmand province.

On Sunday 26th May, a teacher named Rahimuddin was ruthlessly martyred by the internal forces in ‘Ibrahim Khail’ area near ‘Gardaz’ city, the center of Paktia province.

On Monday 27th May, five civilian people were martyred while two more were injured during the indiscriminate bombing of the joint enemy forces in ‘Zambuli’ and ‘Adam Khan’ areas of ‘Grishk’ district in Helmand province.

On Monday 27th May, ‘Gulab Khail’ and ‘Spin-Warsak’ villages of ‘Said Abad’ district in ‘Maidan Wardak’ province were raided by the joint enemy forces. In this brutal raid, two mosques in ‘Spin-Warsak’ and ‘Kot’ villages were destroyed, in which, two civilian people were martyred while two more were injured.

On Monday 27th May, five tribal chieftains (named Kalam Khan, Mashum Khan, Zamir Khan, Shir Gul and Wali Khan) the dwellers of ‘Zairok’ district, were martyred in the indiscriminate bombing of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Mastu’ area of ‘Barmal’ district in Paktika province.

On Monday 27th May, five civilian people were martyred in a blind drone strike of the savage foreign invaders in ‘Manda’ area of ‘Sangin’ district in Helmand province.

On Monday 27th May, civilian houses in ‘Vargura’ village of ‘Jani Khail’ district in Paktia province were raided by the savage foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries, in which, significant financial losses were inflicted on the local people, while eleven innocent civilian countrymen were ruthlessly martyred.

On Monday 27th May, ‘Miyami’ area in ‘Barmal’ district of Paktika province was raided by the joint enemy forces, in which, main gates of several civilian houses were broken; their belongings were looted; and eighteen innocent people including women and children were directly fired and ruthlessly martyred.

On Tuesday 28th May, a civilian shop was hit in a blind drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Chihil-Gazi’ area of ‘Kajaki’ district in Helmand province, in which, all ten civilian people sitting in the shop were martyred on the spot.

On Tuesday 28th May, three innocent civilian people were martyred during a raid of the joint enemy forces in ‘Malango’ village of ‘Shilgar’ district in Ghazni province.

On Wednesday 29th May, two civilian people were ruthlessly martyred in an indiscriminate drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Angarak’ area of ‘Naozad’ district in Helmand province.

On Friday 31st May, a tailor shop was hit in a blind drone strike of the foreign occupying forces in ‘Yakhchaal’ village of ‘Nahr-i-Siraj’ area in ‘Grishk’ district of Helmand province, in which, four civilian people were martyred, while two others were injured.

On Friday 31st May, civilian houses and a local bazaar in ‘Chur Char-Rahi’ area of ‘Marja’ district in Helmand province were raided by the savage foreign invaders and their internal mercenaries, in which, main gates of several houses and shops were blasted. Sixty two shops of stationery, basic food stuff and cloth were first looted then destroyed and burnt. Twelve transport vehicles and motor bikes of local people were burnt, and eventually a civilian man and a child were ruthlessly martyred.

Sources: (BBC, Radio Liberty, The Afghan Islamic News Agency; Pajhwok, Khabaryal, Larawbar, Nunn.Asia and Benawa websites.)

End

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Islamic Emirate: Emir Akhundzada Eid-ul-Fitr message (Afghanistan)

Post via Islamic Emirate

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

All praise be to Allah. We praise Him and seek His help and forgiveness. We also seek His refuge from the evils of our inner selves and from our wicked deeds. Whoever is guided by Allah, there is none to mislead him and whoever is left by Allah in error, there will be none as guide for him (except Allah). I testify there is no god but Allah. Alone is He and has no associate and I testify that Mohammad is His Servant and Messenger.

Allah (SwT) says: And remember when you were few and oppressed in the land, fearing that people might abduct you, but He sheltered you, supported you with His victory, and provided you with good things – that you might be grateful. [Al-Anfal: 26]

To the Afghan Mujahid nation, vanguards of battlefronts and the entire Muslim Ummah!

May peace and blessings of Allah be upon you all!

I extend my felicitation to you all on this auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, may Allah accept your fasting, tarawih and all other forms of worship.

May Allah (SwT) accept the martyrdom of martyrs, reward Mujahideen for their conquests and hardships, bestow quick recovery upon the injured and provide provisions for the rescue and freedom of captives.

I pray to Allah (SwT) to grant immense patience, honorable life and fulfill the lofty aspiration of the fathers, mothers, widows, brothers, sisters and children of the martyrs.

Muslim Mujahid Nation!

Availing this opportunity, I would like to share my perspective with you regarding the current Jihadi and Political developments in the country.

– With complete reliance on the help of Allah (SwT) and support of the believing nation, I assure you that your rightful Jihad and resistance against the occupation is nearing the stage of success, Allah willing.

– No matter how arrogant the invaders are with their military and technological superiority or having adopted an oppressive policy towards the defenseless Afghans; their entire armed hubris has been condemned to defeat by your sacred defensive Jihad and your Jihad and historic sacrifices have resulted in the Islamic Emirate taking control of all military and political initiatives.

– With this initiative the Islamic Emirate is conducting victorious operations on the Jihadi battlefronts and leading negotiations with the Americans about ending the occupation of Afghanistan, the objectives and goals of both being bringing an end to the occupation and establishment of an Islamic system.

– The military and political steps by the Islamic Emirate are taking place under a unified policy and command such that they reinforce one another in practice.

– The foreign invaders and their domestic supporters are violating all rules and ethical regulation of war by attacking and blindly bombing our villages, bazaars, mosques, clinics, religious seminaries and other places with such ruthlessness that human history has not seen a precedence.

– They are martyring common people, forcing them into displacement, violating their private sanctums, destroying their gates with explosives, awakening their women and children from sleep in terror, are heedless towards their honor and are cold-bloodedly martyring their men in front of their womenfolk, sisters and wives.

– They are torturing thousands of Afghans in prisons and reports are being received about martyrdom of a number of oppressed detainees due to the harsh and appalling conditions in the brutish prisons of Kabul administration, even that of live fire recently used against unarmed and bound prisoners, an act that is not only a war crime but also great cowardice and spinelessness.

Without a doubt this is a blackmark on the foreheads of the invaders and their supporters and a shattering of all previous records of savagery in the history of mankind.

Honorable Compatriots and Intellectuals!

– The Islamic Emirate with its principled stance and peaceful policy has managed to gain the consensus of Afghanistan’s immediate neighbors and the wider region. The first conference in Moscow with 12 participating countries including Afghanistan’s neighbors, diplomatic relations of foreign countries with the political representatives of the Islamic Emirate, official meetings with their senior political officials along with conferences and contacts in the intra-Afghan dialogue framework are a clear proof of our statement.

– The Kabul administration is trying to sabotage dialogue between the Islamic Emirate and Afghan political figures by seeking prominence. The Islamic Emirate shall pay no heed to such futile efforts and diplomatic obstructions being created for the intra-Afghan dialogue.

– The time has come for all fellow citizens to demand an end of occupation, establishment of an Islamic system and national unity with one voice.

– The Islamic Emirate does not seek monopoly over power. We believe that all Afghans shall genuinely see themselves represented in the government.

– The Islamic Emirate shall positively utilize reforms in light of Islamic principles regarding the present structures for future Afghanistan.

Foreign Relations:

– The Islamic Emirate believes that conditions for a peaceful Afghanistan require an Afghanistan that is free from foreign occupation where neither our sovereignty nor freedom are usurped nor our land and air space used to harm others.

– The Islamic Emirate believes in maintaining positive relations with the world and specifically with the regional countries and is committed to the principles of healthy relations between neighbors. But America and her imposed administration in Kabul are seeking to transform the country into a battlefront by extending the war, inciting ethnic and political prejudice and creating and supporting mischievous groups however all praise belong to Allah, corruption and corrupt groups are facing defeat at the hands of Mujahideen while the arrogant American generals and their domestic supporters have kneeled in the face of Jihadi brilliance of the Afghan nation…

Say, “In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy – in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate.” [Yunus: 58]

– The Islamic Emirate, with Divine Help from Almighty Allah and support of its believing nation, will not give corrupt elements any opportunity to further exploit Afghans, transform Afghanistan into an epicenter of fitnah (evil/corruption/discord) or pose a threat to others.

Negotiations:

– The Islamic Emirate with its peaceful policy invites America to adopt a policy of reason and understanding, to remain a sincere partner in the negotiations process and accept the logical proposals of the Islamic Emirate for advancement of this process.

– The Islamic Emirate seeks the establishment of a sovereign, Islamic and inclusive government acceptable to all Afghans in our beloved homeland. It is for this objective that alongside armed Jihad, the doors of dialogue and negotiations have been kept open and at this very moment, the negotiation team through the Political Office of Islamic Emirate in engaged in negotiations with the American side and we pray to Allah (SwT) that our compatriots witness its positive outcome.

– Friends and foes must understand that we do not believe in two-faced diplomacy in our political interactions, neither appreciate buying time, plotting behind scenes and duplicitous behavior under the guise of negotiations nor deem it a path towards success.

– No one should expect us to pour cold water on the heated battlefronts of Jihad or forget our forty-year sacrifices before reaching our objectives.

– In parallel to negotiations with America, we have observed plenty and expect further progress (Allah willing) in intra-Afghan dialogue so that our well-wishers and those Afghans pained for our shared homeland can solve all their internal problems through dialogue after the occupation has ended.

To Kabul administration workers!

– My message to all Kabul administration military and civilian officials and workers is that you are the sons of this land and people, your fathers and forefathers sacrificed for the defense of Islam, no excuse can justify your fight against your own Mujahid nation under the command of invaders whom are the most ardent enemies of our religion and land, those who have occupied our homeland and are oppressing our people.

– Our conflict with you is solely over this point. If you end supporting the invaders, you are our brothers. Just as the Mujahideen daily welcome enemy defections throughout the country, shower them with bouquets of flowers and take care of and treat prisoners, they also offer you security of life and wealth. Hence you should take steps for your own salvation in this world and the next and prior to perishing in support of America, peel yourselves away from their ranks, stand in their opposition and become heroes in pursuit of freedom.

Honorable Nation!

– The Islamic Emirate assures its nation that all the rights of male and female compatriots will be given to them under the shade of a sound Islamic government.

– The Islamic Emirate shall work to lay the foundations for high standard education (religious and scientific), employment, commerce, development and advancement in the public sphere because these are the basic rights of Afghans and imperative for the prosperity and success of our society.

– The Islamic Emirate has given special instructions to all Mujahideen to pay due attention to the protection, maintenance and development of public welfare projects.

Mujahid Brothers!

– My message to you is to discharge your responsibilities – whether civilian or military – with complete trust, seriousness and sincerity, to aid one another and to agree and not quarrel amongst yourselves.

– Pay extreme attention to safeguarding the life and property of people during military operations so that may Allah forbid, civilian losses do not occur because of negligence, innocent blood is not spilt and no material harm reaches our fellow countrymen.

– When enemy personnel fall captive in your hands, treat them with sublime Islamic and ethical behavior. Be cautious that the cruel and brutish actions of the enemy do not provoke your passion for revenge and veer you away from your ethical and moderate path. No prisoner must be killed without a court ruling.

– Pay special attention to keeping your ranks pure and free from immoral and unqualified individuals. If your ranks absorb evil individuals then you will lose the help of Allah (SwT) and support of the noble nation. Expel those who do not follow orders or accept code of conduct.

– Visit the families of your fallen (martyred), imprisoned and needy friends and assist them to your utmost capabilities. Allah (SwT) says: And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan and the captive. [Ad-Dahr:8]

– All areas of the country where Mujahideen administrative bodies operate is a great test for the Mujahideen. Will you succeed or fail in serving the people and implementing justice as per your claims and slogans?

– Each of us is responsible in front of Allah (SwT) and each will be questioned about his responsibility and those under his guardianship. Therefore, all officials must consider it their legal responsibility of discharging their duty of serving the nation and giving them their due rights.

– In the end, I once again extend my felicitation on this auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. I request all Mujahideen and common citizens to not forget your poor, orphan, widow and needy Muslim neighbors and villagers and the families of captives. Assist them so that they can also partake in Eid and not be deprived of its festivities.

Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Amir-ul-Mumineen Sheikh-ul-Hadith Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada

27/09/1440 Hijir Lunar

11/03/1398 Hijri Solar                  01/06/2019 Gregorian

END

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Contaminated Blood: Open letter of complaint… haemophilia facts misrepresented in a whole blood case story

Haemophilia campaigners presenting wreath at no 10 to remember all those who died in the “worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS”

(Lord Winston) 

Open letter of complaint written to Archant journalist to highlight haemophilia facts misrepresented in a whole blood case story

Dear Geraldine,

 

I am writing to make an official complaint regarding your article on Michelle Tolley. Whilst I appreciate your covering the Contaminated Blood scandal I note you are using facts referring to the haemophilia community to represent a whole blood case which is entirely different and this causes distress to families of haemophiliacs.

 

Norfolk grandmother prepares to give evidence at Infected Blood Inquiry

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/health/norfolk-grandmother-prepares-to-give-evidence-at-infected-blood-inquiry-1-6030595

 

Let me explain….

 

Unfortunately the Infected Blood Inquiry has put 2 very different types of cases together in one inquiry which is causing massive confusion amongst the public and media which we have highlighted from day one. These are haemophilia cases and whole blood cases represented by separate organizations and infected through different types of treatment that have traditionally campaigned separately and had separate legal cases. The Haemophilia Society represents haemophiliacs with bleeding disorders and the Hepatitis C Trust represents whole blood cases.

 

The statement, “the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS” refers to a distinct patient group called haemophiliacs. This statement was made by Lord Winston in his capacity as vice-President of the Haemophilia Society and is nothing whatsoever to do with whole blood cases. Whole blood cases are made up of people that have had whole blood transfusions for many different reasons, such as childbirth, operation, car crash victims, stabbing victims and are not a distinct patient group rather a group of people that have experienced many different conditions and are now infected with hepatitis C through their whole blood transfusions.

 

See here… last 2 lines of this Hansard debate.

 

Hepatitis C

7.31 p.m.

Lord Morris of Manchester rose to ask Her Majesty’s Government what new help they are considering for people with haemophilia who were infected with hepatitis C by contaminated National Health Service blood products and for the dependants of those who have since died.

12 Mar 2002 : Column 765

The noble Lord said: My Lords, the purpose of this debate—I speak as president of the Haemophilia Society—is to focus parliamentary and public attention on the now burning sense of injustice felt by a small and stricken community.

Ninety-five per cent of people with haemophilia treated before 1985—some 4,800 people—were infected with hepatitis C—HCV—by unclean NHS blood products. One in four of them was also infected with HIV. Over 800 have now died of AIDS-related illnesses from HIV infection and 212 have died from liver disease linked to HCV.

Yet, already twice stricken, the haemophilia community has now been dealt a cruel further blow. They are told by the Department of Health that blood products on which many rely crucially for their survival came from plasma donated by people who have since died of vCJD.

That briefly is the factual basis of what doctors of the highest distinction—including my noble friend Lord Winston, who is vice president of the Haemophilia Society—have described as the worst treatment disaster in the history of the National Health Service.

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200102/ldhansrd/vo020312/text/20312-25.htm

As this was 30th March 2000 death figures are now significantly higher.

 

“Thousands of patients were infected with HIV and hepatitis C via contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s” the wordsblood products” refer to haemophiliacs so this should be made clear in the article.

 

“Two previous inquiries have been branded a whitewash by campaigners.”

 

  1. You are referring to the Archer Inquiry specifically for haemophiliacs which was not a whitewash. It was a privately funded Inquiry covering the infection of haemophiliacs only. Lord Archer did the best he could with an extremely limited budget but this Inquiry had no legal standing. The recommendations made by Lord Archer were excellent, it would be hard to improve on them, unfortunately the government rejected them by telling lies which was highlighted in a Judicial Review won by a haemophiliac using my evidence in 2010 but government still refused to compensate haemophiliacs.
  2. The Penrose Inquiry was held in Scotland and did look at haemophilia and whole blood cases in the same Inquiry again causing much confusion and was considered a complete whitewash.

 

Michelle Tolley was given whole blood transfusions (bags of blood from unpaid British donors) which would have been given in a hospital setting here is a definition, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/whole%20blood

 

“Blood products” such as factor concentrates are manufactured from plasma pooled from thousands of donors (this could be British donors but was often from paid donors in US prisons) the plasma was then manufactured into freeze dried “factor concentrates” and put into small bottles to be mixed with sterile water and injected into the veins of haemophiliacs. The injections were often carried out at home by haemophiliacs.

 

I am surprised that Ms Tolley did not explain all this to you as she runs a Support Group and the Contaminated Whole Blood UK Facebook page. I look forward to your response and corrections. Although you are using haemophilia facts, the word haemophilia does not appear once in your article!

 

I lost 2 family members, haemophiliacs to contaminated blood and am now a widow, hence my 30 year research into this scandal.

 

I look forward to your prompt response.

 

With thanks

 

Yours sincerely

 

Carol Grayson

 

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

 

 

 

 

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Contaminated Blood: Hepatitis waiver in HIV litigation put in to stop means testing and paying out for hepatitis C

Peter Longstaff and his wife Carol Grayson first challenged the hepatitis waiver in the 1991 Haemophilia HIV litigation in 1994

Back in 1991, haemophiliacs involved in an HIV litigation class action were made to sign a “waiver” after receiving contaminated blood (plasma products named factor concentrates) on the NHS during the 1970s and 80s. This Undertaking as it was officially known required haemophiliacs to waiver their rights and not take legal action for hepatitis infection in order to receive “ex-gratia” payments for themselves and their families from the UK government. This was NOT compensation which has never been paid and pressure was put on all to sign or they may not receive any payment..

Peter Longstaff a haemophiliac already infected with HIV and hepatitis B decided to attempt to overturn this waiver in 1994 after being told he was positive for hepatitis C. He and his wife Carol Grayson sought a legal opinion from a former head of the Bar Association, who after examining key evidence from the original litigation, highlighted that this waiver would be unlikely to stand if challenged in court. This was due to the fact that Longstaff did not know he was infected with hepatitis C at the time he signed the Undertaking in 1991 and therefore not “informed consent”. Documents within the legal and medical records showed however that lawyers and doctors did know at this time that around 99% of haemophiliacs infected with HIV were co-infected with hepatitis C. Some had already been tested and their positive test results withheld from them in some cases for several years.

Grayson and Longstaff later discovered the reason why the waiver was put into the group litigation settlement in 1991. Longstaff’s former solicitor Tony Mallen was interviewed for the Newcastle Journal Bad Blood campaign set up by journalist Louella Houldcroft jointly with Grayson and Longstaff in 2000 as follows,

“Mr Mallen says he and his team  had no choice but to include this (the Undertaking) in the agreement. ‘Many of these people were receiving benefit, because they could no longer work, and for this they were means tested’ he said

‘We agreed compensation for the haemophiliacs totalling 42 million but also asked that the money they received through this settlement should be disregarded when deciding whether or not they qualified for benefits.’ 

‘The government said they would only do this if the haemophiliacs agreed to claims not being brought  in respect of hepatitis infection.'” 

(Note “Compensation” in terms of individial “loss and need” at court levels was never paid only what government termed “ex-gratia” payments settled out of court.)

This non- means testing was also extended to money received by partners of haemophiliacs where it was meant to be disregarded, it did not affect claiming benefits.

As lawyers also stated to the media years after the HIV litigation ended, haemophiliacs signing the waiver meant government did not have to pay out for a further virus, hepatitis C.

This week an announcement was made by government that Contaminated Blood scandal victims would be eligible for further derisary financial support to add to the begging bowl system of payments. These were first made through the Macfarlane Trust and Skipton Fund, (disbanded) and now paid through English Infected Blood Support Scheme (EIBSS). Macfarlane and Skipton were earlier scrapped without consultation with the longest standing haemophilia campaigners who much to their anger and dismay were excluded from a key meeting organized by government with a mediator. Ommission of knowlegable activists for haemophilia with key documents meant there was less chance of opposition being raised to the trusts being dismantled.

The additional money announced this week by Jackie-Doyle-Price coincides with the first day of hearings of the Infected Blood Inquiry in London chaired by Justice Brian Langstaff. It was reported by INews that,

“Recipients, including bereaved spouses and partners, could also be eligible for further financial support, through means-tested discretionary top-up payments.”

What was the point in haemophiliacs signing a hepatitis waiver that payments for HIV haemophiliacs and their families whould not be means tested if payments are continuing to be means tested in 2019?

Back in 2007 a private Inquiry into the infection of haemophiliacs was chaired by Lord Archer of Sandwell who highlighted that the begging bowl system was an insult to victims and recommended that they and their families should be paid “compensation on a parity with Eire” echoing Grayson’s campaign initiative from 1996.

Southern Ireland paid out to their haemophilia families on the grounds of “loss and need” in recognition of “extraordinary suffering” in advance of Tribunals. As the Eire government, Irish Haemophilia Society and Malcolmson Law Irish lawyers highlighted in personal letters to Grayson and her campaign colleague Colette Wintle in 2004, their government DID NOT accept legal liability but paid out compensation at levels used by the courts but without haemophiliacs having the stress of going to court.

A Westminster government rejected Archer’s recommendation falsely claiming Eire accepted legal liability. Haemophiliac Andrew March took out a Judicial Review against the then Secretary of State for Health supported by Grayson’s evidence from 2004 which showed this decision was “infected with error” and the JR was won in 2010. The government were told to go away and reconsider but again they refused to compensate on a parity with Eire changing the goalposts and saying they did not have to follow another country’s scheme. Shortly afterwards the previous misinformation continued despite the success of the JR.

A revised Scottish payment was later established by the devolved government giving haemophiliacs that were part of the HIV litigation and others infected with HCV significantly higher payments than the rest of the UK but not based on individual loss and need as in Eire. A “pension” was also established for widows DESPITE pensions not actually being devolved in Scotland. Payments are not means tested for those over the border and are in addition to state benefits.

Regarding the new financial announcement, Health Minister Jackie Doyle-Price said:

 “We have continued to follow the Infected Blood Inquiry closely and have considered the issues raised at the initial hearings and now we are demonstrating that we have listened by committing up to a further £30 million to the scheme.

“We have also listened to the call for parity of support across the UK and we are planning to start discussions with our counterparts in the devolved administrations to see how this could be achieved.”

Although the Scottish scheme is an improvement on the rest of the UK, this is not what Lord Archer recommended. He recognized the unique situation of haemophiliacs as a distinct patient group, given a Special Status on which the ex-gratia payments were made in 1991 and which should have been extended to all haemophiliacs with hepatitis C. (The Special Status conditions are not applicable to whole blood victims.) This was that haemophilia was an hereditary condition with haemophiliacs being disadvantaged from birth, in education, employment and insurance, often with multiple family members with this condition. This was highlighted in an article on Haemnet by Luke Pembroke which showed the extent of the damage to one family when HIV emerged,

“Whole families were affected – Maureen (a haemophilia nurse) remembered one family in which 17 members with haemophilia were HIV positive.”

Jackie Doyle-Price’s announcement of increased financial support does not go anywhere near matching the extent of the harm and suffering in the haemophilia community. Haemophiliacs continue to die from the multiple viruses in their system with many bereaved partners now ill too with depression, anxiety, PTSD and unresolved grief after giving up their own careers to spend years caring 24/7 for loved ones. Partners of haemophiliacs were often the main wage earner in the family but that too has gone unrecognized. Children and parents have also been affected.

Those attending the first few days of evidence at the Infected Blood Inquiry have heard harrowing stories. Its time for government to ditch means-testing of derisory payments and pay out proper compensation allowing haemophilia families financial security and a litle comfort for what is left of their tragic lives.

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

 

 

 

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