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Aug 03, 2006

4 CDN Soldiers Killed in 24hrs:
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 August 3rd MAWO organized an emergency picket action, for the 17th time in the past year, to demand an end to the occupation of Afghanistan. August 3rd was a significant and precedent setting day in the Canadian war drive in Afghanistan with 4 soldiers killed within the last 24 hours and more than 10 wounded.

More than 25 picketters gathered on very short notice, at the Canadian Forces Recruitment Centre to voice opposition to Canada's bloody war in Afghanistan. Alongside the demands against the occupation of Afghanistan, protesters also raised demands against the Israeli siege on Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, highlighting the Canadian government's support of Israel's criminal attack.

Shannon Bundock, Co Chair of Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO), read a statement from the antiwar coalition demanding an end to the occupation of Afghanistan and an end to the Israeli siege on Lebanon and Gaza. "Who is responsible for the destruction, death and crisis facing the people of these countries? Who is the true “Axis of Evil” bringing hell on earth to millions of Afghans, Iraqis, Lebanese, Palestinians? US, Israel, and yes, Canada, have all earned themselves this title. The US, Israel and Canada are truly the “Axis of Evil” in this world today." She said to the print, TV and radio media that had gathered to cover the picket protest.

The protest continued into the afternoon with chanting and speakers. Two MAWO members spoke at intervals throughout the picket action. Nicole Burton, MAWO Organizer and Douglas College student expanded on Canada's crimes in the occupation of Afghanistan. Ivan Drury, MAWO organizer, condemned the Israeli military killing machine in Lebanon and Gaza.

MAWO plans to continue such protest actions, with a march and rally on Saturday, August 12, at 3pm at the Vancouver Art Gallery (Robson St & Howe St – Downtown Vancouver). August 12 demonstrations have been called by International ANSWER throughout the US, and Vancouver's protest has been organized by MAWO in collaboration with the Canadian Muslim Alliance. August 12th protest will demand DEFEND THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE & LEBANON! STOP THE U.S.-ISRAELI WAR!



Press Release >>

August 3, 2006

NEWS ITEM: For Immediate Release

Emergency Anti-War Picket Action responding to Canada’s deadliest day in Afghanistan and Israeli war crimes in Lebanon and Gaza


MAWO STATEMENT:

Four soldiers killed in Canada’s deadliest day in Afghanistan while mass bombing of Beirut resumes – and in Vancouver Anti-War picketers return to the Canada Forces Recruitment Centre: CANADA, US, AND ISRAEL ARE THE AXIS OF EVIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST!

Before daybreak on the morning of August 3rd, Canadian Cpl. Christopher Jonathan Reid died when a roadside bomb struck his LAV-3 while carrying out his troops’ search and destroy mission in Southern Afghanistan. Just hours later, three more yet unnamed Canadian soldiers were killed in a rocket attack on the outskirts of Kandahar City. Additional bombing attacks left at least four more Canadian soldiers wounded. These deaths bring Canada’s death toll in Afghanistan to 25, of which, 17 have died in the last six months, since Canada’s deployment of 2,000 troops to Southern Afghanistan was carried out.

Also on August 3rd, just one day after Israel began a massive 10,000 ground-troop invasion of Lebanon, Israel resumed its bombing of Beirut. And at the same time, Israel deployed 50 tanks and armoured bulldozers into Gaza, leveling homes and vital civilian infrastructure while fighter planes fired missiles at ‘targets’ that had not yet been destroyed by targeted Israeli bombs.

“The savage war drive of Stephen Harper and Peter MacKay in Afghanistan plus their unconditional support of Israel’s brutal war crimes in Lebanon and Gaza has earned the a place for the government of Canada along with the US and Israel as the ‘Axis of Evil’ in the Middle East,” said MAWO Co-Chair Shannon Bundock.

She continued, “Stephen Harper claims that Canada is waging a ‘war on terror’ in Afghanistan and supporting Israel’s ‘war on terror’ in Lebanon and Gaza. In Afghanistan this ‘war on terror’ means air strikes, house raids, checkpoints, arrests, murder, and torture. The results of this ‘war on terror’ are the deaths of unknown and untold numbers of innocent Afghan people, and the unnecessary deaths of four Canadian soldiers today alone. That makes almost three Canadian deaths a month since Canada’s Kandahar combat mission began just six months ago.”

On August 1st, in response to a world uproar against the Israeli bombing in Qana, Peter MacKay, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Canada, called Hezbollah a “cancer” and echoed the US and Israel’s ‘ceasefire’ conditions as the destruction of Hezbollah for a ‘lasting peace.’

Bundock continued, “In Lebanon this ‘war on terror’ means that more than 900 innocent people have been killed, 3,000 injured, and over 700,000 Lebanese have been made refugees since the Israeli invasion began on July 12th. In Gaza, Israel’s ‘war on terror’ means that more than 119 people have been killed since the Israeli invasion of Gaza began a month ago. This is what terrorism looks like.”

Bundock concluded, “We can name the source of the terrorism that is costing thousands of lives and such tremendous human suffering in Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Gaza – the US, Israel and the government of Canada make up the axis of evil in the Middle East. For an end to terrorism and a ‘lasting peace’ in the Middle East, Canada must get out of Afghanistan, Israel must get out of Lebanon and Palestine, and the US must get out of Iraq.”

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