November 30 - More than 25 protesters took to downtown Vancouver's snow covered streets once again to rally against Canada and NATO's war on Afghanistan. The 23rd emergency protest at the Canadian Armed Forces Recruiting Centre was called by MAWO in response to the last weekend of destruction and fighting in Afghanistan that killed more than 50 Afghan people. Two more Canadian soldiers and two NATO soldiers also died in the weekend fighting.

A sea of banners and signs were held in front of the recruiting center by protesters who gathered to hear the MAWO press statement. It read: "Afghanistan is said to be going through its bloodiest period since the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2001. Afghans were quoted in the Canadian news this week to have said that the Canadian military is 'killing everyone' in the Kandahar region-that the Canadian military specifically is notorious for its ruthless carpet bombing of entire areas over southern Afghanistan, where Canada's 2300 soldiers are stationed. These operations have killed unknown thousands of men, women, and children in the last month alone."

The statement finished with a call for an immediate end to the occupation and a call for an Independent Public Inquiry into Canada's war drive in Afghanistan, to ask why decisions to begin, expand and prolong Canada's occupation of Afghanistan have gone on without public consultation or debate.

Alison Bodine, president of Coalition Against War on the People of Iraq & Internationally at the University of BC and a member of the UBC Social Justice Center spoke about the growing crisis that Canada and NATO face in Afghanistan as they try to crush a growing anti-occupation resistance. Alison noted that this multi-billion dollar war drive continues while students and other oppressed people bear the brunt of government cuts at home. The picket came on the heels of the NATO alliance summit meeting this week in Latvia, where Canada and other participating countries discussed how to maintain the occupation of Afghanistan amidst their growing crisis there.

Aaron Mercredi, a Metis youth and Board Member of Redwire Native Youth Media connected Canada's genocidal history against Indigenous people to the colonial occupation underway in Afghanistan today.

Hundreds of thousands of people in the Lower Mainland will get news of the successful protest and growing number of people demanding "Canada out of Afghanistan!" thanks to an article about the picket published in the 24hrs newspaper December 1st. More than 12,000 Lower Mainland residents have already signed the MAWO petition campaign calling for "Canada Out of Afghanistan Now!" MAWO's next event is the 4th Annual Anti-war film festival "Us vs. Them" Dec. 16th & 17th at the Britannia community center.

Canada Out of Afghanistan Now!
NATO Out of Afghanistan Now!
Call for an Independent Public Inquiry!

Kira Koshelanyk, MAWO Co-chair
Mobilization Against War and Occupation - MAWO
www.mawovancouver.org
Statement to the Press
November 30th, 2006

On Monday November 27th, Canadian soldiers Chief Warrant Officer Robert (Bobby) Girouard and Cpl. Albert Storm were killed in an attack on occupation forces in the Kandahar province of Afghanistan. This attack brings the total number of Canadian troops killed in Afghanistan to 44—36 in the last year alone.

Afghanistan is said to be going through its bloodiest period since the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2001. Afghans were quoted in the Canadian news this week to have said that the Canadian military is 'killing everyone' in the Kandahar region—that the Canadian military specifically is notorious for its ruthless carpet bombing of entire areas over southern Afghanistan, where Canada's 2300 soldiers are stationed. These operations have killed unknown thousands of men, women, and children in the last month alone as part of Canada’s ongoing "Operation Medusa" campaign. These killings are all part of the 5 years of criminal occupation of Afghanistan, which has stolen the lives of unknown tens of thousands of Afghans.

Our picket today also come on the heels of the NATO alliance summit meeting this week in Latvia. At the top of their agenda, Canada and other participating countries discussed how they are going to maintain the occupation of Afghanistan amidst a crisis of the every-day worsening social and economic conditions for Afghan people; a crisis of plummeting popular support for the war on the home front-all in the shadow of a growing anti-occupation resistance from the Afghan people.

NATO commander Gen. David Richards recently commented that, if life doesn't improve for people in Afghanistan in the coming months, he expects over 70% of Afghan people to support the Taliban. This is undeniable proof of the worsening life conditions in Afghanistan, and the rising anti-occupation resistance of people there. This is why a Canadian soldier serving in Afghanistan is SIX TIMES more likely to die than a U.S. soldier serving in Iraq. This is why these deadly battles will continue as Afghan people fight to rid themselves of this destructive occupation.

Five years of occupation, and neither Canada nor NATO as a whole, is making any 'progress' for Afghan people. The occupation has failed to bring the promised 'reconstruction', 'peace' or 'stability' to the country. They are engaged in a WAR on Afghanistan—a war that, according to top Canadian military officials, the Canadian military is leading, and a war that is going to last 20 years.

How many Afghan lives will be taken from this war drive? How many more Canadian soldiers will be killed and wounded in this war drive?

And for people in Canada? It means that funding for services like women's centers and childcare for Indigenous children is being drawn and quartered, sacrificed more and more for a military budget that increases every year. How much more money will the government spend on sending young people from Canada away-only to return in body bags? How much more will be spent on killing innocent people in Afghanistan?

MAWO calls for an Independent Public Inquiry into the Canadian occupation of Afghanistan to ask and answer why 2,300 Canadian troops are occupying the country and why this and other decisions in carrying out this war drive were rammed through and then hurriedly extended by parliament without public discussion and consultation.

We have already collected more than 12,000 signatures from people throughout the Lower Mainland against the occupation of Afghanistan and today we are picketing the Canadian Forces Recruitment Centre-rain, snow or shine-to demand that Canada and NATO get out of Afghanistan now!

Canada out of Afghanistan!
NATO out of Afghanistan!
Bring All Troops Home Now!
Call for an Independent Public Inquiry into the Canadian War Drive!

MAWO's Anti-war Picket
Action Receives Coverage in Vancouver's 24 Hours Newspaper!

Click here to read!