The Canadian government continues to try to contain
the furor provoked by diplomat Richard Colvin's allegations on
November 18 that Canadian defense personnel in Afghanistan
transferred Afghan prisoners to Afghan authorities in 2006 and 2007
despite misgivings they would be tortured or subject to abuse.
(reftel). Former senior military and civilian officials
responsible for Afghan policy have emphatically refuted Colvin's
allegations. The issue has dominated this week's political and
media coverage, and an early poll suggests that 51% of respondents
believed that detainees were likely abused. The government has
flatly rejected claims of a "cover up" of torture allegations and
is resisting calls for a public inquiry.
Colvin had alleged that Mulroney specifically had warned him not to put his
concerns over torture in writing.
http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/11/09OTTAWA906.html
