On Oct. 22, some people in Gangjeong had the chance to talk with Afghanistan peace volunteers through skype interview. See the link here. The talk was thanks to the bridge efforts by Regis Tremblay, Kathy Kelly, and Hakim Young. Many of the Afghanistan Peace Volunteers are youths and they are eager to have peace talk with the youths in Gangjeong as well.
‘The Afghan Peace Volunteers protesting in the streets of Kabul against the killing of two Afghan cattle-herding children by U.S./NATO forces’ (source)
Recently, they sent a short moving solidarity message for Sr. Soh Stella who stood in the court despite her ill health on Nov. 14, for her opposing activities against the Jeju naval base project. It is for the 1st time in the 200 years of Korean Catholic history that a Catholic nun stands in the court. Here are their message sent:
سلام
تشکر از شجاعت شما ما خبر شدیم که شما ازخا طر اعتراض به پا یګاه نظامی همرای
دولت دعوه دارد.
ما جوانان رضاکار صلح همرای شما هستیم.
محبت
همرای
شما
Dear Sister Stella,
Salam!
Thank you for your courage. We know you have a court trial as a result of your protests against the U.S. military base, [in content].
We, the youth of the Afghan Peace Volunteers are with you!
Love, with you,
The Afghan Peace Volunteers
(* The Jeju naval base project is officially called the South Korean base. However, as many critics have pointed out, the base would serve in fact, for the US purpose of ‘Asia Pivot.’)
‘The Afghan Peace Volunteers at Band-i-Amir,
‘Afghanistan’s first National Parkand also on UNESCO’s world heritage list.’ (source)
An Afghan peace volunteer, Faiz, said in the skype interview as the below: (See the link)
‘The mainstream media has generally given the impression that there would be a withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2014, and that the war will wind down. There won’t be a withdrawal. The U.S. military is not withdrawing from Afghanistan. Instead, the U.S. and Afghan governments are currently negotiating the Bilateral Security Agreement , which would establish the long term presence of U.S. troops on at least nine military bases across Afghanistan , and which would grant legal immunity to U.S. soldiers.’
‘We understand that the South Korean soldiers have no choice. Likewise, U.S. soldiers need their jobs to earn a living. How difficult it is for them psychologically, doing something they’re not willing to do; 22 U.S. veterans commit suicide every day!‘
Afghanistan has suffered from the attack by the United States and NATO forces since Oct. 7, 2001. We hope our peace talks would be a part of hope and dream a peaceful world without war. The youths in Afghanistan also want to have talks with many people in the world through the Global Listening program.
End Afghanistan Occupation
No Syria Attack
Stop the Drones Surveillance & Killing
No Missile Defense
No to NATO Expansion
No Nuclear Power in Space or on Earth
End Corporate Domination of Foreign/Military Policy
Convert the Military Industrial Complex
(Slogan source: Keep Space for Peace Week)
# Korean version is here.
