A strong majority of Americans agree that the United States should provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan civilians mistakenly hurt during the US-led military campaign, according to a new public opinion poll. The survey, which was conducted by the polling firm Zogby International, shows that 69 percent of Americans think the US should, as a gesture of goodwill, offer humanitarian assistance to Afghan war victims. The polling results will give new momentum to calls for creating a US government fund to help the civilian casualties of the war in Afghanistan.

"This survey confirms what we have been hearing for months as we talk to communities around the country about this issue," says Medea Benjamin, founding director of Global Exchange, the international human rights organization that commissioned the poll. "When we tell people about Afghans who were left homeless, without medical care, and widowed or orphaned as a result of errant US bombs, they are moved to tears and feel the US government should do something to help. Americans understand that assisting Afghan civilians hurt during the US bombing is the morally right thing to do."

Calls for creating a US government fund to assist civilian victims of the military campaign are gaining momentum on Capitol Hill, among some Sept. 11 victims' families, and with political leaders in Afghanistan.

In May, 38 members of Congress signed a letter sponsored by Representatives Jim Leach (R-Iowa) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) asking Congressional leaders to set aside $20 million in the upcoming budget for an Afghan Victims Fund.

"The results of this poll, together with the call that I and others in Congress have made to fund humanitarian assistance for the civilian victims in Afghanistan, sends an extraordinarily powerful signal to the Afghan people and the world," says Representative Blumenauer. "It demonstrates that the American people are well-intentioned and committed to helping build a new society in Afghanistan."

Peaceful Tomorrows, a group of Sept. 11 families dedicated to breaking the "cycle of violence and retaliation engendered by war," is actively campaigning to create an Afghan victims fund. And Hamid Karzai, the interim leader of Afghanistan, also supports the plan. Karzai told a March Global Exchange delegation to Kabul: "People have suffered, let us help them out of compassion."

But President Bush, who could immediately create a victims fund, has refused to address the issue or even to meet with Sept. 11 victims' families who are advocating for humanitarian assistance. "I hope this poll will convince the president that this is the right thing to do," says New York resident Colleen Kelly, whose brother died in the World Trade Center. "The American people have heard his call for a multi-faceted approach to terrorism, and the creation of an Afghan Victim's Fund would go a long way in that fight."

The results of the Zogby survey will boost the drive to establish an Afghan Victims Fund.

The poll, which questioned 1,012 registered and likely voters between June 7 and June 9, asked:

Hundreds, if not thousands, of civilians have been wounded or killed, and their property destroyed by the US-led military mission in Afghanistan.

Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree that the US government, as a goodwill gesture, should provide humanitarian assistance to the innocent Afghan civilians mistakenly hurt during the war?

Thirty percent of respondents strongly agreed; 39 percent somewhat agreed; 11 percent somewhat disagreed; and 13 percent strongly disagreed. Seven percent of respondents were not sure. Overall, 69 percent of people agreed while 24 percent did not—practically a three-to-one margin.

The response was even along party lines. Two-thirds (67 percent) of both Democrats and Republican strongly and somewhat agree; 74 percent of Independents agreed. The survey has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3.2 percent.

"As a majority of Americans realize, the foundations of a safer world will be built through compassion," says Benjamin. "We have a responsibility to help those people who played no role in the Sept. 11 attacks but who are now in pain because of our actions. This is a case where a small amount of money can go a long way toward helping thousands of needy people and enhancing our own security. Hopefully President Bush will join with the American people and take immediate steps to help the Afghan victims."

For more information on the Zogby poll results, or for other details about the campaign to establish a US government Afghan victims fund, contact Jason Mark at 415-558-9490 or jason@globalexchange.org.

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