Dear Prime Minister Harper,
this response (below) from your office is wholly inadequate and, frankly, disturbingly dismissive of extremely serious accusations that have yet to be satisfactorily investigated. The fact that I have received such a perfunctory response at a time when you have prorogued parliament — and thus disrupted the inquiry that was underway — would be shocking, if it did not fit so neatly into the pattern of contempt that your administration has established.
I wish to reassert my support for a thorough inquiry into the allegations of Canadian complicity in torture. I also call on you to publicly acknowledge that your administration's failure to prioritize this inquiry is totally unacceptable.
I look forward to a more serious reply.
Sincerely,
ryan andrew murphy
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On 01-12-2010, at 7:08 AM, Prime Minister/Premier ministre wrote:
On behalf of the Prime Minister, thank you for your recent correspondence regarding the handling of Afghan detainees. Our office has noted your concerns. Please rest assured that your comments have been carefully reviewed.
On the occasions when our military and officials have been presented with credible, substantiated evidence of mistreatment, they have taken appropriate action. In May 2007, in response to concerns regarding prisoner treatment, we signed a new Afghan detainee transfer agreement enhancing the previous Liberal arrangement and ensuring a more robust monitoring mechanism.
Our soldiers serving in Afghanistan have done an excellent job in extremely adverse circumstances. Accusations that our troops are complicit in war crimes are wholly inappropriate and constitute nothing more than second-guessing the Canadian Forces almost four years after the fact and 12,000 kilometres away.
Thank you for taking the time to write.
Sincerely,
Susan I. Ross
Assistant to the Prime Minister
