PRESS RELEASE | Nov. 14, 2010
Two detainees released during shura
By Master Sgt. Adam M. Stump , Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435
LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan (Nov. 14, 2010) — Two Afghan men were reunited with their village here during a detainee release shura Nov. 13.
The Afghan-led program for releasing detainees, implemented in January 2010, stresses the importance of the detainees’ return to Afghan society. Since the program began, more than 260 detainees have been released at more than 50 release shuras.
The men, who were detained at the Detention Facility in Parwan, were released to the custody of tribal elders during the shura in the Mohammad Agha district.
“These two brothers that were released, I congratulate them on rehabilitation and reintegration into society,” said Afghan National Army Maj. Gen. Marjan Shuja, Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435 Afghan commander. “I congratulate them for their freedom. I pray to God to keep them on a straight path.”
One elder expressed thanks to the coalition forces and Afghan government for returning the men to their villages.
“I thank you for being here and especially the coalition forces,” said the elder. “We love these sons. We really appreciate them and the ANA. They are supporting us and are friendly with the people.”
The elder also said the local population must keep the Afghan and provincial borders secure and support the Afghan government.
“Support the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense,” he said. “If we can support them by telling them when there’s suspicious activity, we need to warn them. We have to support them.”
During the shura, local leaders signed guarantor statements for the released men pledging to monitor the released detainees, support their return to the community and supervise their conduct.
General Marjan and his staff work closely with U.S. officials as CJIATF-435 works to transition detention operations to Afghan control. This conditions-based transfer is consistent with the memorandum of agreement signed by the Afghan Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Justice, Supreme Court, Attorney General’s Office, National Directorate of Security, High Office of Oversight, and the Ministry of Interior on Jan. 9, 2010.
The DFIP, a state-of-the-art theater internment facility in Parwan, located several kilometers from Bagram Airfield, was completed in September 2009 and occupied by detainees in late December 2009. The design of the DFIP accommodates detainee reintegration efforts and enables CJIATF-435 to better align detention operations with the overall strategy to defeat the extremist insurgency in Afghanistan.
The DFIP enables security, transparency and rule of law in Afghanistan both now and when the facility is transferred to the Afghan government.
The design of the DFIP allows for safe, humane and effective management of the detainee population, and allows eligible detainees to participate in group activities, educational and training programs. The detention facility is equipped with modern medical facilities, an on-site family visitation area, video teleconferencing capability, large recreation areas, vocational-technical training and education classrooms, and additional space to conduct legal proceedings.