The unequal value of an Afghan child
February 25, 2010 by
Filed under Journey Updates
As civilian casualties rise in the escalating Afghan war, listen to an Afghan child think about the value of life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CG6_zMH4NA
The value of working people
The Associated Press 15th of Feb 2010 : U.S. Army units fighting the Taliban in Helmand province have a compensation system for any death, injury or damage to crops and buildings…. The death of a child or adult is worth $1,500-$2,500, loss of limb and other injuries $600-$1,500, a damaged or destroyed vehicle $500-$2,500, and damage to a farmer’s fields $50-$250.
Transcript of Video
Zekerullah Jan, what are you doing?
Teacher, I am peeling potatoes.
Is having work good?
Yes, it’s very good for the people. Not having work is a disease.
How old are you?
13 years old
In 2009, 3 Afghan children were killed daily in war, children like yourself
This is ‘vulgar’ and bad news….
Bad because there’ll be less Afghans, the people of Afg will no longer exist…
When an Afghan child is killed in war, foreign & local leaders express their ‘regret’. Is their ‘regret’ appropriate?
No, their ‘regret’ seems to mean that however much the ‘regret’, children will still be killed again, so their regret isn’t acceptable
If your younger brother was killed by a bomb & you were offered money in compensation, would you accept the money?
No, I won’t accept the money because firstly, why was he killed? Secondly, those responsible should be punished so they won’t infringe on the rights of other people
The monetary compensation shouldn’t be accepted as money doesn’t match up to the value of a person
Is your life as valuable as the life of Obama’s daughter?
Her life is very good because she’s the child of a minister or king
Aren’t you as valuable as Obama’s daughter?
In terms of humanity, both of us are human beings
Zekerullah, never forget that you are as valuable as every other child, whether in Afg, America or Europe.
Okay…
And all of us love you.
Be alive and be at peace, teacher…
Afghans hope for humanity sometime somewhere, TOGETHER
February 17, 2010 by
Filed under Journey Updates
Please watch Mohd Jan describe Afghan war and dehumanization
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQFXCgTXknc
Man fleeing Man
Transcript of video
Mohd Jan, during the Soviet & Taliban wars, where did the people flee to?
In the war, I also fled, everyone fled to safe places as they could. I fled over the mountains you can see behind, to Gandhak.
When we were fleeing, one problem was going on foot over a distance of about 20 to 30 km…
Secondly, it was cold ; it was spring but there was snow to about our waist. There were mines & those who were fighting were firing from behind us & we feared being killed
Now, in the south, foreign forces are fighting in Operation ?????, or Operation Together. People there are fleeing ; do you understand their pain?
Yes, we’ve also seen those days. They are having a tough time, they fear being killed & have nothing with them to solve their problems.
Civilians have been killed in Marjah. How do you feel when you hear such news?
I feel…sad because everyone is a human being and has the right to life. Peace cannot be brought with their deaths.
People fear suicide bombers & acts of terrorism. What is the way of salvation from this? Can we escape such terror?
We should make peace with them. For how long can we flee from terror?
But all the leaders of the world agree to fight in Afg.
You & I have seen much war in Afg. Every group comes by turns to fight but none of them have managed to bring peace. Instead of Operation Together for war, they should have an Operation Together for peace. They don’t think about how many people will be killed. We should think, “Till when can we fight?”
A country cannot be secure from war because war is war.
No country has been built or developed through war.
The people of the world think badly of the people of Afghanistan.
I think that people don’t know us at all. If they know us, they’ll know that we are also humans. We’re also born of mothers & we’re so poor we can’t even improve our lives.
Even if wars work, after 30 years of armed foreigners in your backyard, wouldn’t you wish that they’ll leave you to find your own better world?
Mohd Jan with pain
Afghan youth in operation TOGETHER against violence
February 8, 2010 by
Filed under Journey Updates
Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers saddened by Operation Moshtarak ‘ TOGETHER ’
Please watch them speak clearly to the world, against militarism and violence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kIjfLz-Si0
together in non-violence
Please, do not fight anymore.
We should stand TOGETHER in non-violence
No one wins in war, neither men nor women
together in kindness
We should stand TOGETHER to stop our world’s militarism
We the people of Afghanistan are tired of war & don’t want this war
together in humanity
We are not willing for the Taliban, or international & Afghan soldiers or Afghan civilians to be killed
We the youth of Afg say to Obama, Gordon Brown & the world, let’s be TOGETHER in the way of humane-ness & non-violence ‘cos love is how we’ll ask for peace.
together in love
Love is how we’ll ask for peace.
The Afghan youth peace volunteers
‘Their flesh is my flesh, their blood is my blood, their pain is my pain, their SMILE is my SMILE.’ Henri Nouwen
International peace volunteers in Olympia USA & across the globe. ‘Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.’ Mother Teresa
The picture with our peace message Reconciliation of Civil Hearts for the Nobel Peace Laureate President Obama.
We have hope that love has a value which overcomes even death.
We know that we’re not alone.
We’re waiting historically with the rest of the world.
Love is how we’ll ask for peace
.
Afghans desire peace whatever the walls
February 6, 2010 by
Filed under Journey Updates
Please watch how Afghans in Kabul desire peace so much they’d scribble it on the walls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H_ADb4SUag
Peace is our desire
I was in Kabul recently and as I was passing by the high, barbed-wire walls surrounding the Ministry of Finance, I noticed the deep wishes of Afghans ‘graffiti-ed’ on the grey walls, declaring :
Peace is happiness
Peace for security
Peace is mutual respect
Peace is friendship
Peace is our hope
Peace is our desire.
I couldn’t capture all the ‘graffiti’ in time, but need we demand more Afghan ‘graffiti’ to prove their desperate desire for peace, while the world gets un-imaginatively stuck in the tiring idea that bombs and bullets can meet the needs of their hearts?
Making a living in Afghanistan
Transcript of Video
For those who would remember Afghanistan
Don’t just remember its ruins
Remember the writing on its walls saying, “ Peace for security”
And most of all, remember her people
Afghans who want to make human contact with others
Radio : I want to speak more to my daughter but telephone expenses are high…
Afghan wall wish: Peace is good fortune
Afghans declare on the walls : Peace is happiness
And most of all, remember her people…
Afghans who wish it so much they’ll write it on the walls : Peace is our desire
Peace, so we can work
