§ Baroness Williams of Crosbyasked Her Majesty's Government;
What stage has been reached in the investigations of mass graves at Dasht-e-Leili in Afghanistan; whether they are co-operating with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the Afghan Human Rights Commission for this purpose; and what precautions are being taken to protect the evidence at Dasht-e-Leili. [HL1779]
§ Baroness AmosOur embassy in Kabul has discussed our concerns about the alleged human rights abuses at Dasht-e-Leili with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the Afghan Human Rights Commission. We support the UN's two-stage approach to the investigation: forensic investigations and dignified reburials now, followed, at a later stage, when the security situation improves, by more detailed witness interviews and investigations. It is important that further investigations should only take place when it is possible to protect potential witnesses. We understand that a UN-led investigation may start in the next few months.
The site is visited weekly by staff from the UN office in Mazar-e-Sharif.
Following their visit to Dasht-e-Leili in January this year, Physicians for Human Rights reported that there had been no deterioration or destruction of the site at Dasht-e-Leili. The UN view is that there is no need for static protection of the site.