Afghan peace needs a human face VI : Zahra an Afghan girl speaks, rather nervously
July 16, 2009 by
Filed under Journey Updates
Do you commonly hear and see a young Afghan girl speaking?
We have been trying to give voice to the ordinary Afghan girl. We are grateful to Zahra for her humble and dignified words.
Zahra an Afghan girl speaks, rather nervously
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89TW-MM2qzU
In the Name of God the Forgiver
Peace to all friends in all corners of the world
Peace. Without peace, there won’t be any kind of happiness on earth.
Peace is a desired condition that makes possible an inner life of rest.
In your opinion, is peace possible in Afghanistan?
Yes!
Who can bring peace to Afghanistan?
The youth and people of Afghanistan.
What message of peace do you have for youth in other parts of the world?
My message is: everyone in the world should be peace-loving & be committed to work for peace and a world that’s peaceful.
Zahra the Afghan girl speaks for peace!
You can write to Zahra at journeytosmile@gmail.com
Note : Afghanistan has the second highest rate of maternal mortality in the world, after Niger. 1,600 out of every 100,000 pregnant women die in Afghanistan each year because of poor health facilities.
Afghan peace needs a human face I toV : Thanks from Afghan faces of peace Abdulai, Raziq, Aziz and Shir Ali
July 12, 2009 by
Filed under Journey Updates
On behalf of our Afghan friends, thank you so much for encouraging them with your emails.
Please watch them say their heartfelt thanks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyZHhZoWYpU
Abdulai : Thank you for sending the letters
Raziq : Thank you for your emails.
Aziz : Thanks for the emails you sent.
Shir Ali : Thank you for sending me letters. Made me happy.Thanks!
What you’ve done for them is invaluable.
Because though these ‘forgotten’ friends don’t expect anyone to think about them, they yearn to be remembered.
Because though peace is ‘an elusive exasperation’ when war is all around, Afghans long for those quiet and warm connections that make us human.
I’ve posted some of these wonderful ‘connections’ below.
We ask for your understanding as we always need time to get replies from our Afghan friends; they do not have internet access or computers and no easy access to electricity.
Abdulai growing some seedlings in used tyres
Dear Abdulai,
I really enjoyed your video and all the videos from Our Journey To Smile. I am 14 years old from the United States and on our news channels they never show any of Afghanistan‘s children speaking. This is the first time I have heard voices of the Afghan people and seen the beauty of Afghanistan. Someday, I wish I can travel to Bamiyan to see the beautiful place in these videos. Please keep smiling and never give up your hope, because all youth are the future of the world.
Peace be with you.
Elisa
Dear Elisa,
I was very happy to receive your letter.
Thank you for enjoying the video.
I am about 13 years old. Afghan children, like myself, don’t know their dates of birth.
I hope that you will come to visit me in Bamiyan. I will serve you some black tea. 
Take care and God bless you.
Abdulai
Raziq with his brother and beloved flowers
Dear Raziq,
Oh that everyone in the world were friends. War is bad and we hate to hear of people in Afghanistan suffering because of war. Flowers make me happy. When I look at a flower I thank God for the beauty of creation. I love growing flowers and vegetables.
Your friend,
John Broadbent
Dear John,
Thank you for your email.
Where are you from? I am very happy to have a new friend!
I planted cauliflowers, onions, turnips, radish, cabbages and flowers this year.
God bless and take care.
Hope to see you someday.
Raziq
Aziz through the trees
Afghans are undefeatable because they are very special
Rashida B Syed
Hello Rashida,
Thank you very much.
Peace!
Aziz in Afghanistan
Shir Ali in the cold
I find responses like these from everyday Afghani’s to inspirational and uplifint :] It feels my soul with happiness and hope.
Tali Sakamoto
Dear Tali Sakamoto,
Thank you. I am happy that you saw my video. I wish you peace.
Shir Ali in Afghanistan
You can write to Abdulai, Raziq, Aziz or Shir Ali at journeytosmile@gmail.com
Afghan peace needs a human face V: Shir Ali the Afghan human person speaks
July 4, 2009 by
Filed under Journey Updates
Please watch Shir Ali the Afghan human person speak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgPCMb9SBbU
Shir Ali, in your opinion, is peace possible in Afghanistan?
In my personal opinion, perhaps.
Perhaps?What percentage chance? 80% chance of peace
But you are 20% doubtful?
Yes, I’m 20% doubtful.
Why? I’m 20% doubtful about peace cos foreign countries transgress our country.
If they don’t transgress, if they truly serve with compassion, there’d be another 20% chance of peace
But they transgress & won’t allow another 20% chance for peace in Afghanistan
What does life mean to you?
Life is love.
So, love is important to you?
Yes, love is very important.
Why is love important?
We can, with peace, be friends of all, regardless with whom
80% chance of peace in a life that finds meaning in love
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You can write to Shir Ali at journeytosmile@gmail.com
Afghan peace needs a human face III : Aziz the Afghan human person speaks
June 30, 2009 by
Filed under Journey Updates
Aziz the Afghan human person speaks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEzk4knM_WY
Salam ( peace ), Hakim.
Aziz, where do you live?
In Bamiyan, Blacksmith Village.
What’s the river behind you?
It’s the Blacksmith River.
Do you fish here?
Yes.
Do most people in Afghanistan like war?
No, all are keen to have peace.
In my opinion, we want peace. We do not want war.
Why? Because war brings misfortune to people and society.
When asked what his wish in life was,
Aziz had said “ I wish to love people.”
Abdulai the mountain boy
Raziq works
Aziz loves people and sheep
Do Abdulai, Raziq, Aziz and other humans matter at all in war?
The purchasing power of peace BBC News 4/6/09
Defence companies, whose main task is to aid governments’ efforts to defend or acquire territory, routinely highlight their capacity to contribute to economic growth and to provide employment.
Defence spending 2008
US $374bn
Asia $173bn
European Nato members $144bn
Source : International Institute for Strategic Studies
António Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister, has been UN High Commissioner for Refugees since 2005. Al Jazeera News 20/6/09
The number of people forcibly uprooted by conflict and persecution worldwide stands at more than 42 million.
Major countries of origin for refugees included Afghanistan (2.8 million) and Iraq (1.9 million), which together account for 45 per cent of all UNHCR refugees.
Just as the international community felt an obligation to spend hundreds of billions rescuing the international financial system, it should feel the same urgency to rescue some of the most vulnerable people on earth – refugees and the internally displaced.
And the amount needed is only a fraction of that spent on financial bailouts.
US admits Afghan airstrike orders BBC News 20/6/09
Failure by US forces to follow their own rules was the “likely” cause of civilian deaths in Afghan airstrikes last month, a US military report says.
Ex-detainees allege Bagram abuse BBC News 24/6/09
Allegations of abuse and neglect at a US detention facility in Afghanistan have been uncovered by the BBC.
Former detainees have alleged they were beaten, deprived of sleep and threatened with dogs at the Bagram military base.
Interview with Marjorie Cohn, National Lawyers Guild president and Thomas Jefferson School of Law professor Marjorie Cohn, Truth Out 22/6/09
I have testified as an expert witness in military hearings on the illegality of today’s wars.
There is a duty to obey a lawful order, but also a duty to disobey an unlawful order.
An order to deploy to an illegal war is an unlawful order, so it is lawful to resist the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
You can write to Abdulai, Raziq or Aziz at journeytosmile@gmail.com
On fighting while on the road in Afghanistan
May 19, 2009 by
Filed under Journey Updates
Please watch this video at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OeA_4_uT7Y
Habib Jan, good morning!
Good morning!
Habib, in your opinion, is fighting good?
Fighting? No ‘wallah’(in God’s name)
We are not happy with fighting anywhere in the world. There shouldn’t be fighting.
EVERY individual, under the effects of war, would react in a way that brings greater misfortune to that society.
What good is fighting. No, peace is good.
You..what do you think about fighting?
What good is fighting.
Fighting is good?
No, it’s bad.. fighting is not good.
Good morning, Jagbar.
Good morning. Jagbar, what do you think…
About fighting? Yes, about fighting.
Fighting is bad. It has no benefit. What’s the benefit in fighting?
Khamad, good morning.
Good morning.
Khamad Jan, what do you think about war? Is it good or not?
No, it’s not good.
Why?
It’s not good, it’s bad.
What happened because of war?
My father ‘left the world’ ( was killed in war )…….
No to fighting.