[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 14 (Tuesday, February 1, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S405-S406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE AFGHAN CIVILIAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I want to take a minute to call the 
Senate's attention to a small U.S. aid program in Afghanistan that has 
a big impact, which I suspect few people here know about.
  Shortly after 9/11 and the U.S. invasion to topple the Taliban, a 
young Californian woman named Marla

[[Page S406]]

Ruzicka traveled alone to Afghanistan where she soon learned about 
incidents where U.S. bombs had missed their targets and killed 
civilians. The international press ran stories about those tragedies 
but nothing was being done to take responsibility for what had happened 
or help the families of the victims.
  Marla decided to do something about it, and she organized protests at 
the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, rallied the media, and not long after was in 
Washington urging Congress to help the families and show that the 
United States does not turn its back on innocent victims of our own 
mistakes.
  It was because of Marla that we started a new program, now known as 
the Afghan Civilian Assistance Program, ACAP, which is managed by the 
U.S. Agency for International Development and implemented by the Afghan 
staff of the International Organization for Migration. Over the past 8 
years, ACAP has provided millions of dollars in small grants to 
families and communities that have suffered losses as a result of the 
military operations. The funds have been used for such things as to 
rebuild a house that was damaged or destroyed, buy a herd of sheep, 
start a small grocery or weaving business, or provide medical care or 
vocational training.
  After the invasion of Iraq, Marla moved on to Baghdad and, to make a 
long story short, again thanks to her advocacy we started a similar 
program there. Tragically, on April 16, 2005, she too became an 
innocent victim, and died, along with her Iraqi colleague Faiz Ali 
Salim, in a car bombing. That program is now known as the Marla Ruzicka 
Iraqi War Victims Fund, and it has helped the families of thousands of 
innocent Iraqi victims rebuild their lives.
  Earlier this week I received from USAID some descriptions of recent 
ACAP assistance to Afghan families. While they describe exceedingly 
tragic losses of innocent life, they also illustrate the difference a 
program like this makes and why it is so important to our larger goals 
in that country. I ask unanimous consent that they be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                            Northern Region


             Dawri Rabat Village, Chardara District, Kunduz

       School teacher Ghulam Sakhi was shot dead during a 
     firefight between international military forces and the 
     Taliban. The incident happened in the village of Nahri Suf, 
     Chardara District, in February 2010. Ghulam Sakhi was the 
     breadwinner for his family. He left behind his wife, four 
     daughters and five sons.
       His eldest son Zabihullah is 20 years old and a student. 
     After the death of his father, Zabihullah was forced to take 
     responsibility for his family. He decided to leave school in 
     search of work. He was unsure how he would be able to support 
     his family.
       ACAP provided Ghulam Sakhi's family with a livestock 
     business, together with the full range of standard kits, plus 
     a livestock kit.
       Zabihullah said: ``After my father was killed, life was 
     very hard for us. We asked for help from Allah. We were very 
     happy when a worker from ACAP came to interview us and 
     offered help. We were told we would be given help setting up 
     our own small business. We chose a livestock business because 
     my mother, sisters and brothers could take care of the 
     animals, leaving me with the time to resume my education. We 
     sell the milk from the cows to a dairy and make enough money 
     not to be worried. Without this help, my family would find it 
     very difficult to live. Now we can earn a living for 
     ourselves.''

                             Western Region


             Eshaq Suleiman village, Injil District, Herat

       Widow Zubaida lost her son during an air strike on her 
     village in October 2001. A total of 26 civilians were killed 
     and 62 injured in the incident. Fourteen families suffered 
     serious damage to their property.
       ACAP was informed of the incident several years later and 
     recently completed a monitoring report in order to measure 
     the impact of assistance on one widow's life.
       Zubaida had received a small livestock business. Her 
     children and grandchildren received educational lessons. ACAP 
     also provided Zubaida with the full range of the program's 
     standard kits, which include household goods, as well as 
     educational, tailoring, and livestock items.
       She told the ACAP monitoring assistant: ``After the death 
     of my husband in an IED explosion in late 2000, my son 
     Abdullah was the only supporter of our family. He was running 
     a shop and we could handle the difficulties of life. Abdullah 
     and I were living in a small rented house happily but it did 
     not last long.
       ``One year later there was a conflict in Eshaq Suleiman, 
     where I am originally from. We were bombarded due to the 
     presence of Taliban fighters in the area. In the morning 
     Abdullah left the house to work but he did not come back 
     again. After the death of Abdullah I not only lost my son but 
     my only supporter.''
       She added: ``I was not able to pay the rent any more so I 
     left the house and went to live in my daughter's house. I 
     tried to find a job. I did everything I could. I worked as a 
     housemaid--cooking, cleaning, and washing. Life was passing 
     with difficulties but then your colleague came to meet me six 
     months ago.
       ``I received the livestock through which I now earn my 
     living. Before I felt that I was a burden on my daughter and 
     resting on her husband's shoulder but now I have a source of 
     income that pays for the house expenditures. Farzanah and 
     Khalil Ahmad, my granddaughter and son, are enjoying the 
     education assistances of your office. They are both attending 
     an English course. I received all the needed equipment for 
     keeping my livestock. Receiving the assistance from ACAP has 
     changed my life and that is why I am really grateful for this 
     program.''
       Another victim of the incident whom ACAP has helped is 
     mother-of-three Rezagul. She lost her husband in the fierce 
     bombardment. Rezagul has two sons and one daughter. After her 
     husband died, her eldest son Gul Ahmad, who was 13 at the 
     time, was forced to abandon school to become the breadwinner 
     for the family. He tried his best to continue his education 
     in his spare time but it proved too difficult for him.
       He was responsible for financially supporting his mother as 
     well as his younger brother Basir Ahmad and sister Sima Gul. 
     He knew that if he did not work full-time then his family 
     would face severe hardship.
       An ACAP field assistant assessed the family's requirements. 
     A small business grant was approved which was used to set up 
     a grocery shop. Rezagul's daughter Sima Gul received English 
     lessons. ACAP also provided standard kits.
       Sima now helps her brother run their family grocery 
     business. She packs the dry fruit which is sold to export 
     companies. Rezagul told how she no longer has money worries. 
     She said: ``My husband was the only financial supporter of 
     the family. Losing him was extremely difficult. My son did 
     not have a fixed job.'' She added: ``We always wanted to have 
     a family business where my younger son and I could help in 
     the absence of my eldest son. But we could not afford that. 
     But we have been given that opportunity through your 
     generosity.''

                            Northern Region


              Omarkhil village, Ali Abad District, Kunduz

       An ISAF air-strike on two oil tankers captured by the 
     Taliban resulted in a high civilian death toll. It is 
     estimated that 70 civilians were killed and dozens injured. 
     ACAP has helped 59 families affected by the incident. One 
     beneficiary said that assistance from ACAP helped prevent up 
     to 600 men from joining the Taliban. The air-strikes took 
     place in September 2009 in Kunduz province. The Taliban had 
     hijacked two NATO oil tankers but one of the vehicles became 
     stuck in mud at a riverbank. German forces called in air 
     support and a U.S. Air Force F-15E was dispatched to destroy 
     the tankers. Local villagers had flocked to the abandoned 
     tankers in order to siphon off fuel. They were mistaken for 
     insurgents.
       One of the affected families which ACAP helped is that of 
     widow Lailoma. When her husband was killed in the air-strike, 
     she was left unable to financially support her five children.
       Lailoma had to rely on friends' charity until ACAP stepped 
     in. Lailoma received the full range of standard kits, which 
     include household goods, as well as educational, tailoring, 
     and livestock items. Lailoma decided to use her ACAP small 
     business grant to buy a pick-up truck. She teamed up with a 
     business partner and now the business generates enough money 
     so that she can comfortably support her family.

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