July 27, 2006
Vancouver anti-war activists hold emergency picket to demand:
CANADA OUT OF AFGHANISTAN!
Call for an Independent Public Inquiry Into the Canadian War Drive!
ISRAEL OUT OF LEBANON and GAZA!
Picket Report | Public Statement | Photos
Picket Report >>
On Thursday July 27th, Mobilization Against War and
Occupation held its 16th picket demanding, “Canada Out
of Afghanistan!” “Self-Determination for Afghanistan!”
and, “Call for an Independent Public Inquiry into the
Canadian War Drive!”.
This emergency action was called in response not only
to Canada’s ongoing and criminal occupation of
Afghanistan, but to two major international
developments in imperialist war, occupation, and
destruction: first, to the deaths of two Canadian
soldiers and the death of 1 Canadian aid worker in
Afghanistan in the last week; second, to demand an
immediate end to the brutal siege on Lebanon and Gaza
by the Zionist state of Israel.
Before picketing, activists were welcomed to the
territory with a song by Coast Salish elder and
Indigenous media activist Kelly White. Her powerful
words supported the struggle to end Canada’s war drive
in Afghanistan, and to stop attacks at home and
abroad. MAWO co-chair Kira Koshelanyk then opened the
picket by reading the coalition’s July 26th public
statement on Canada’s occupation of Afghanistan and
the Canadian government’s approval of Israeli attacks
on Lebanon and Gaza.
Protesters picketed while chanting, “Canada Out of
Afghanistan! Stop the Canadian War Drive!”, and
“Israel Out of Lebanon! Israel Out of Gaza!” Cars
honked their horns in support as passerby pedestrians
stopped at the materials table to get more
information.
Jane Ivanova, an organizer with MAWO, spoke about the
effect of the occupation for both Afghans and people
in Canada. “The total number of Canadians that have
died in Afghanistan has now reached 21,” She said.
“While we know this, we do not even know how many
Afghans have died in Afghanistan. With the deaths of
these soldiers, it is now more clear than ever to us
in Canada that this country is at war, and that this
occupation has repercussions at home.”
The picket was closed by Nita Palmer, acting secretary
of MAWO, who condemned Israel’s invasion of Lebanon
and Gaza, and the Canadian government’s support for
these brutal attacks.
“In less than a month, Israel has brought the same
devastation to Lebanon that we see in Iraq,
Afghanistan and Palestine, as the imperialist war
drive of pushes its expansion to new territory,” she
said. “Israel’s bombs have now crippled the homes,
cities, and lives of thousands of Lebanese and
Palestinian civilians. In response, we must add new
demands to our work the anti-war movement. Canada Out
of Afghanistan! Israel Out of Lebanon and Gaza!
Self-Determination for all Oppressed Nations now!”
Mobilization Against War and Occupation will be back
at the Recruitment Centre in a week’s time, to
continue our opposition to these developments. The
picket will be held on Thursday August 1st, from
12:30pm – 1:30pm at 1070 W. Georgia Street, Downtown
Vancouver.
Public Statement >>
July 26th, 2006
MAWO Statement on Canadian War Drive in Afghanistan &
Canadian Government Approval of Israel's Attacks on
Gaza & Lebanon:
CANADA OUT OF AFGHANISTAN!
SELF DETERMINATION FOR AFGHANISTAN!
CALL FOR AN INDEPENDENT PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO THE
CANADIAN WAR DRIVE IN AFGHANISTAN!
On Saturday July 22nd, two Canadian Soldiers were
killed in Afghanistan in an attack against the
occupying troops near their Kandahar base. These two
deaths bring the rapidly rising toll up to 20
Canadians killed in Afghanistan. Three days later, on
July 25th, Mike Frastacky, a Canadian working in
Afghanistan, was killed. The death toll for Canada in
this mission has now reached 21. Afghanistan is
undeniably a war zone.
According to Col. Tom Putt, deputy commanding officer
of the Canadian Task Force Afghanistan the two deaths
are "the price Canada has to pay today for a brighter
future for the people of Afghanistan,"
Contrary to what Col. Putt is alleging, this
occupation is not bringing any future for Afghanistan.
The death toll for Afghan people is many thousands.
Thousands more are wounded and hundreds of thousands
on top of that have been devastatingly impoverished
and made into refugees. Schools are not functioning.
Afghans have no control over the political process and
state machinery that they need to create a future in
the interest of the people of Afghanistan.
Stephen Harper met the deaths of the two Canadian
soldiers with these comments, "we are proud of
the men and women of the Canadian Forces, who continue
to stand on guard for Canadian values around the
world"
What the policy of the Stephen Harper and the Canadian
Government has shown is that "Canadian values"
include denying the democratic, political and legal
rights of an entire country of people in Afghanistan.
"Canadian values" mean military suppression of a
resistance movement demanding their right to
sovereignty. "Canadian values" mean air strikes,
house raids, checkpoints, arrests and torture. No
wonder that Afghan people have rejected Stephen
Harper's "Canadian values"!
For Afghanistan to have a chance to build a future
that will benefit the needs of Afghans, they first
need self-determination. Occupation troops must
immediately withdrawal and Afghans must be left to
determine their own future.
ISRAEL OUT OF GAZA AND LEBANON!
While Prime Minister Harper was commenting on
spreading "Canadian values" through Afghanistan,
out of the other side of his mouth, he was defending
the spreading of Israeli bombs throughout Lebanon and
Gaza. "Israel has the right to defend itself." said
Stephen Harper in a press scrum on July 13th.
On July 12th, under the guise of rescuing an Israeli
soldier kidnapped by Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel
began a massive military campaign against southern
Lebanon. In the past 2 weeks this has meant aerial
bombardment of civilian areas by the Israeli Air
Force, a naval blockade of Lebanon, a force of tanks
and armored personnel carriers, and raids into
southern Lebanon by Israeli Defense Force ground
troops. Over 400 people have been reported dead in
Lebanon and hundreds more have been wounded. Over
700,000 Lebanese have been made refugees, with an
unknown number of missing civilians in the south.
This round of Israeli criminal agression comes on the
heels of the ongoing seige of Gaza, which began on
June 28, again with the excuse of avenging a
kidnapping. In Gaza Israel launched a large-scale
military operation which targeted the main electric
plant, leaving over half of the Gaza Strip without
electricity. Israel continues this siege alongside the
attacks on Lebanon. On July 23rd in one attack alone
they killed 6 Palestinians in an aerial bombardment in
the Northern Gaza Strip.
Stephen Harper's response to Israel's attacks? "I
think Israel's response under the circumstances has
been measured." He is right yes, it has been
"measured". It measures a death toll for hundreds
of innocent people.
Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO) is
staunchly opposed to Israel's criminal killing
machine in Lebanon and Gaza. We demand the immediate
and unconditional withdrawal of Israeli troops from
the Gaza Strip and Lebanon and the immediate end to
state-terrorism by Israel. We echo the demands of the
Palestinian people for self-determination, for an end
to the 58-year occupation of historic Palestine, and
for the right of return for the millions of
Palestinians refugees. We call on all peace-loving
people and humanists to stand behind our sisters and
brothers of Palestine as they wage a historic fight
against the oppressive Apartheid State of Israel for
their dignity and sovereignty for Palestine and
Lebanon.
CANADA OUT OF AFGHANISTAN!
ISRAEL OUT OF GAZA AND LEBANON!
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