I asked the DND about detainee policy in Afghanistan a while back.

[gerryhatrick]

Hello Mr. (me),

Thank you for contacting the Department of National Defence, and please accept our apologies for the delay in responding to your inquiry.

To read the policy concerning the transfer of detainees, please go to www.forces.gc.ca and click on 'What's New', or click on the link below:

http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Operations/ar...agreement_e.asp

If you have any other questions, please contact us via [email protected].

Kind regards,

name removed.

Inquiries Officer, ADM (Public Affairs)

I followed up with:

Thankyou

I have a follow up, so I hope you don't mind me contacting you directly. I also copied the suggested email address.

In the agreement between the Afghanis and Canadians, it reads:

"The Detaining Power will be responsible for classification of detainee's legal status under international law. Should any doubt exist whether a detainee may be a Prisoner of War, the detainee will be treated humanely, at all times and under all circumstances, in a manner consistent with the rights and protections of the Third Geneva Convention, even if subsequently transferred to the custody of an Accepting Power."

This language is a little confusing for me, but it seems to imply that a detainee might be treated differently depending upon a legal status.

Can you confirm that all parties are obliged to Paragraph 3 of the agreement in all cases?

And I'm concerned about the track record of one of your allies in the region and would like to know if any agreements are signed (umbrella agreements or individual case agreements) regarding the transfer of detainees to forces other than Afghani.

Thankyou in advance.

Well, NOW we have a detainee agreement! Not perfect, but it's a start. I don't want to be overly modest, but I doubt my pestering to the government, DND, and letters to the editor had anything to do with it!

[GostHacked]

Good stuff Jerryhatrick! At least there is some clarification on things. I am gonna read this at work tonight. Keep us posted!

[gerryhatrick]

Good stuff Jerryhatrick! At least there is some clarification on things. I am gonna read this at work tonight. Keep us posted!

Thanks, I will!

Makes me proud to be a Canadian to see the DND taking steps. It would be nice to hear Harper talk about this agreement out loud so all Canadians become aware of it.

[geoffrey]

I'd like to do a stand up routine as well, but the relevance has been question.

Good research work there though Gerry, good to have that spelt out clearly.

[Montgomery Burns]

Gerryhatrick:

And I'm concerned about the track record of one of your allies in the region

Whoever could Gerry being talking about?