KABUL (SW) – A number of families of the war victims have lamented the government's move to release the remaining 400 Taliban prisoners in connection with the peace deal.
According to the families of the victims, they were not consulted for the grand consultative Loya Jirga on this matter.
In conversation with Salam Watandar, a number of families of war victims emphasized that the government cannot achieve lasting peace without the consent of war victims on such key issues. They also expressed concerns that the freed Taliban prisoners may return to the battlefield.
Yasser Qabadian, one of the victims of the war, told Salam Watandar that lasting peace cannot be achieved in this manner. He added that the government has violated the law by releasing 400 Taliban prisoners. Another victim of the war, Ruhollah Raha, said the Loya Jirga's decision to release 400 Taliban prisoners is ‘disrespectful’ to the victims of the war.
Jawad Zabulistani, executive director of the Afghanistan Institute for Human Rights and Democracy, said in this connection the government's efforts to achieve peace were failing. He said that the victims of the war should be consulted in the process.
However, Durrani Javed Waziri, the deputy spokesman for the presidential palace, clarified the release of Taliban prisoners has taken place in consultation with the people's representatives and the active participation of all sections of society.
The Afghan government held the Loya Jirga for consultation last Friday to decide the fate of 400 Taliban prisoners. In the three-day Jirga, participants agreed to release 400 Taliban prisoners. The Jirga was attended by 3,400 people, including over 700 women from across the country.
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