Afghani life or injury?: Worth $60 compensation

In a week which has seen 16 Afghanis killed in a rampage by what the Americans say was the act of a single soldier - although more and more reports now surfacing are saying that there were many US military people involved - the revelation today, in Australia, that its Government pays some $60 to a family for a death linked to Australian "action" or to someone injured, clearly highlights how the Governments with forces in Afghanistan consider the "value" or worth of the locals.

"Afghans whose families have been killed or injured by Australian troops, or who have had their crops and properties damaged, are receiving an average of less than $60 in government compensation, an internal Defence Department briefing shows.

The Australian government has paid $84,836 to 1474 Afghan civilians from late 2009 to January this year. The briefing does not report on the number of compensation cases still outstanding.

Compensation amounts vary and include many minor property damage payments, but the department refuses to release a breakdown of the payments for fear of creating a market for compensation seekers in Afghanistan.

The Tactical Payment Scheme is designed to quickly give sums of cash to Afghans who have suffered loss in incidents involving Australian defence personnel.

The ''no-liability'' payments do not mean the Australian Defence Force necessarily accepts responsibility for what happened."

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