Washington D.C. -- Refugees International is calling on the United States Congress to halt payments to the Afghan Local Police initiative due to concerns that its units are increasing insecurity in Afghanistan. This is one of the recommendations being made in Refugees International’s (RI) report, Afghanistan: Responsible U.S. Transition Must Address Displacement Crisis, which was released today. An RI team recently returned from Afghanistan, where they heard stories of Afghan Local Police units and irregular militias committing abuses including murder, theft, extortion, bribery, and intimidation.

"General Petraeus touts local defense initiatives like the Afghan Local Police as successfully stabilizing insecure areas of the country," said Lynn Yoshikawa, RI's lead advocate on Afghanistan, who has just returned from visiting Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif. "But it is clear that the expansion of the Afghan Local Police and its poorly-trained and unsupervised units is actually a major threat to  Afghan civilians. The U.S. Congress must put the brakes on this program and ensure that no U.S. funds are used to train or equip those suspected of committing human rights abuses."

In the ten months since the Afghan Local Police (ALP) program was initiated, the Afghan government has mobilized more than 6,200 members in over 34 districts with the help of U.S. forces and ISAF. But Afghans and humanitarian actors have criticized the rapid rollout of the ALP program. The expansion of the ALP and the subsequent rise of informal militias – many operating under the guise of the ALP – is increasing insecurity. RI interviewed displaced people who said that newly formed militias looted, harassed, and forcibly taxed villagers in Jawzjan province. RI was also told of instances where powerful warlords pressured local leaders to formalize pre-existing militias into the ALP – around tribal, ethnic, or political lines – so they could use these units to avenge personal disputes or strengthen their influence. Refugees International is calling on the U.S. Congress to withhold payments to the ALP program until the Secretary of Defense certifies that adequate recruitment, vetting, discipline, and command/control structures have been established.

Since January 1, more than 91,000 Afghans have fled their villages – compared with 42,000 over the same time period last year. This is mostly due to international and Afghan forces' military operations against the Taliban. For example, heavy bombardments against the Taliban in Faryab province displaced nearly 10,000 people in January and more than 12,000 in May 2011. RI’s report urges incoming ISAF commander General John Allen to issue a directive to forces under his command that clearly provides guidance and intent for the military's role in reducing forced displacement.

"We know that the U.S. is eager to hand over security to the government of Afghanistan," said Michel Gabaudan, President of Refugees International. "But military operations are destroying homes, traumatizing Afghans, and displacing tens of thousands of people. In order for the U.S. military to transition out of Afghanistan responsibly, military leaders must issue guidance to troops to prevent further displacement.  The U.S. Administration must also work with the Government of Afghanistan to take responsibility for the growing numbers of displaced people in the country."

Refugees International is a Washington DC-based organization that advocates to end refugee crises and receives no government or UN funding. In May, an RI team traveled to Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif. For more information, please go to www.refugeesinternational.org.

For more information contact: Dara McLeod 1 240 486 3011