Seven children were killed in an explosion caused by a device left behind on a New Zealand firing range in Afghanistan, a Stuff Circuit investigation has revealed.
The children are among 17 civilians killed or injured in incidents connected to unexploded ordnance on New Zealand's firing ranges.
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The Defence Force refused to be interviewed, but in a statement said it "takes its responsibility to ensure areas used by New Zealand forces are free of unexploded ordnance very seriously".
Defence was in talks with the Afghan government to clear the ranges, and had set aside $10 million to do so, the statement said.
But locals point out it is now six years since New Zealand left Afghanistan and question why the work hasn't been carried out already.
NZDF's statement is the usual arse-covering, saying their negligence was all within the rules, and trying to point at the finger at others (again: so much for the supposed military ethos of taking responsibility). But as the article points out, the clearance was clearly inadequate, and there was a spike in injuries and deaths after NZDF had used the ranges. And frankly, its their responsibility, our responsibility, and they have failed. Its also appalling that we're only learning about this now, and it just smacks of the institutional behaviour currently under examination in the Operation Burnham inquiry: keep the public in the dark, shuffle everything under the carpet, and deny, deny, deny (next they'll no doubt be attacking the journalists as well). If NZDF is wondering why people don't trust them, and look at them as liars and criminals, then they simply need to look in the mirror.
As for what to do about it, there needs to be an immediate cleanup, and compensation for the victims. Anything less is simply failing our responsibilities.