Michael Hartmann, UNAMA’s Rule of Law chief. (Photo: UNAMA)
One of the outcomes of the US and NATO invasions in other countries, is the installation of the most corrupt figures and forces in power, and promotion of the culture of corruption. In Afghanistan too, after the US and NATO invasion, corruption and bribery has run its roots throughout the puppet government, making Afghanistan one of the most corrupt governments in the world. The Jehadi-mafia government, government organizations, and the civil society, have addressed this issue from time to time, but each time, the issue has ended with the arrest of a few low-ranking and poor government workers, while the real culprits, Sayyaf, Younis Qanooni, Atta Mohammad, Ismail, Farooq Wardak, Fawzia Koofi, Zia Massoud, Wali Massoud, Omar Zakhilwal, Suraya Dalil, Qadir Fitrat, Zahir Qadir, and other criminal drug kingpins, enjoy full immunity and freedom in running their smuggling networks and taking illiterate gangsters on their payroll to run their activities.
Recently, even the foreign backers of Ghani and Abdullah’s government could not cover up the scandals and huge embezzlements of the puppet government. Michael Hartmann of the UNAMA office in Kabul, smashed his pen in anger while talking about corruption in the highest ranks of the Afghan government, and said, “No former or current minister or even deputy minister has been prosecuted for corruption till now.”
Yes, Mr. Hartmann, these ministers and deputy ministers have not been prosecuted till now, and will not be prosecuted in the future, for they have always been the loyal lovers of the US and acted to secure its interests in our country. This is why not only are they not prosecuted for their corruption and embezzlement, but hundreds of other treacheries committed by them are also covered up.
It is funny that you are expressing your anger – and doing nothing more – after 15 years of roughshod riding by the Jehadi mafia in Afghanistan, which UNAMA and the US and its allies have absolutely known about. Did you not know that Qadir Fitrat from Jamiate Islami party escaped to the US after the scandal of his embezzlement from the Afghanistan Bank and Kabul Bank broke out, and continues to live comfortably there without facing prosecution or accountability? Did UNAMA not know that Younis Qanooni had embezzled 25 million US dollars from the international aid donated for the education sector of Afghanistan? Malalai Joya mentioned the issue in front of this criminal himself in the Parliament, but we saw that Qanooni went on to become the first deputy of the president. No international organization, including UNAMA, protested how a murderer and thief could become the second most powerful figure of a government. Siddique Chakari, who has a famous past of burning down libraries and books, embezzled millions of dollars, but because he was an English agent and citizen, nobody has held him accountable till today. When SIGAR exposed the millions of dollars embezzled by Farooq Wardak and Suraya Dalil from ghost clinics and schools, everything was as still as ever. UNAMA and other organizations did not question this Dostumi woman was given a post in the Swiss embassy. The famous traitor and corrupt Omar Zakhilwal, became the Pakistani ambassador after the scandal of his million dollar embezzlement broke out. UNAMA, and the so-called international community have maintained their deadly silence towards drug kingpins such as Atta Mohammad, Ismail, Gul Agha Sherzai, Mahmood Karzai, Fahim, Zia Massoud, Wali Massoud, and others. We believe that while these mafia traitors backed by the US are dominant in our country, no minister or other official will be prosecuted for corruption.
Now, Mr. Hartmann, if you are truly serious and not making cruel jokes with our sorrowful people, you should investigate the few cases mentioned here, out of hundreds of such cases, so the people of Afghanistan can believe that you are truly outraged.
Originally published on Dec. 2, 2016