Afghans Complain of Police Harassment

Zubair, 17, sits among the men and boys lounging by the wall of the mosque, cradling his arm, thickly wrapped in bandages. The cause of his injury, he says, was a police beating two weeks ago.

“I was coming home from the bazaar, riding my bicycle,” he said. “The police stopped me and for no reason, they searched me and took all my money. When I asked for my money back, they beat me so hard that they broke my arm with one of their guns.

“Where should one complain? There is no government and no law.”

Residents of Tagab district in Kapisa province say that are being harassed by Afghan National Police, ANP. They complain that officers are disrespectful, and sometimes beat and even rob them.

The Afghan National Army, ANA, troops are, by contrast, well disciplined and trustworthy, locals say.

A doctor in Tagab, who preferred not to be named, recalled that when policemen came to search his house, they opened boxes without permission and took 3,000 US dollars, along with two pistols.

“We tried to get back our money, but they gave us nothing,” he said. “Traditionally, every family in Tagab has a gun at home, but when the police take the weapons, they do not give them to the government. They just sell them.”

The doctor added that the ANA had also conducted searches of his property, but their conduct had been impeccable.

“They politely asked for permission and then searched the house,” he said. “When the search was completed, the ANA commander gave us his address to contact him for compensation if anything was lost during the search of the house.”

A resident of Mira Khel in Tagab, Mirza, 40, said that the ANA had searched his house a number of times and had conducted themselves well.

“I was very happy about their behaviour,” he said. “I also gave them lunch and tea. But I swear that I would not give them a cup of tea if they were the police.”

Last year, he claim, police had demanded food and drink from residents and had robbed them while searching their homes.

Locals say that the ANA respect the village elders, and commanders brief them before local operations or searches.

“In meetings with army commanders, they give us telephone numbers to call and complain about the army soldiers if they mistreat anyone,” said Tagab resident Rahmat, 42. “This shows that the army is trained well, because the police do not give their names to anyone.”

Local police officer Ahmad Gol dismissed the residents’ allegations, insisting that officers did not take bribes, interfere in people’s affairs or steal during searches. He said locals simply objected to officers conducting investigative work.

“The police have to investigate robberies, fights, bribery and other such incidents,” he said. “This work of the police seems like some kind of intrusion by some people and so they hate the police. However, this is the job of the police - to investigate.”

The international community has made great efforts to support the ANA and ANP following the collapse of the Taleban in 2001, recognising that this will be crucial to secure Afghanistan after the exit of coalition forces. The ANA and ANP currently have 150,000 troops and 122,000 operational staff respectively.

Both organisations have been trained by coalition forces, but it is generally understood that the ANA are more professional than the ANP. Around the country, there are complaints about police behaviour, with some officers facing accusations of human rights violations.

“I have told the people that I will severely punish the police if they violate the law and I think this problem will be solved in the future,” said Pacha Gul, the Tagab district security chief, declining to comment further because he said he was new to the position and not yet up to speed with the current situation.

But Zmarai Bashari, a spokesman for the interior ministry, accepted that the behaviour of the police has been a source of concern.

“The people’s claims are true, because the job of the police is difficult and they have more contact with the public than the national army,” he said. “Naturally, in some parts of the country people complain.

“We are making efforts to ensure the police treat the people more gently in all the areas in the future so as to solve the problem.”

ANA officials say the army’s better disciplinary record in part stemmed from impressing on recruits the need to be respectful towards ordinary Afghans.

General Zaher Azimi, a defence ministry spokesman, said, “During training, the soldiers are repeatedly told with emphasis how to treat the local people.”

Nasim, a political commentator, agreed with Bashari that the ANP tended to face more complaints because they are more often in contact with the general public, but he said if errant officers were disciplined properly the force’s conduct might improve.

“The policemen who are accused of bothering people or committing crimes should be punished so others will understand that they are responsible before the law,” he said.

Retired general Hai Gol argued that discipline within the ANP needed to be beefed up because of the background of many recruits.

“More jihadi commanders and warlords have entered the police than professional individuals,” he said. “The problem cannot be solved unless the police are made professional.”

Maiwand Safi is an IWPR trainee.