Jones Works to Stop Flow of Taxpayer Money to Child Rapists in Afghanistan | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Release:

    WASHINGTON, DC     This week, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) is calling for action in response to reports of human rights violations committed by the Afghan National Security Forces (ANDSF), and reports of how these violations were handled by U.S. forces.

    In a letter to the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman Jones is asking that their FY2018 bill include language to close the loophole that the Defense Department (DOD) has been using to keep American taxpayer money flowing to Afghan Security Forces implicated in the sexual assault of young children.

    "DOD has used a loophole to continue funding Afghan security forces implicated in gross human rights violations, including the rape of children," Congressman Jones wrote in his letter. "Congress has allocated billions of dollars to the Afghanistan Security Forces over the years, and yet, these human rights abuses appear to be continuing. We, as stewards of the American taxpayers' money, must not be a party to funding those who are committing these heinous acts against children."

    In a second letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Congressman Jones asked the DOD to review the manner in which they treated service members who intervened in cases of human rights violations while deployed.

    "I am aware of two cases in which individuals who attempted to report or intervene in these human rights violations were later targeted for involuntary discharge," Jones wrote in reference to Sergeant First Class Charles Martland, USA, and Major Jason Brezler, USMC. "It appears that in both these cases there existed a link between their attempts to stop this abuse, and the service's decision to discharge them."

    "The manner in which these cases were handled is distressing," concluded Jones, "and I fear that in the future, this may result in an aversion by U.S. members to report human rights violations."

    For additional information, please contact Allison Tucker in Congressman Jones' office at (202) 225-3415 or allison.tucker@mail.house.gov.