This Sunday will mark the 17 year anniversary of a UK backed war on Afghanistan. What has been achieved? – At least 217,000 Afghans have been killed – An average of 28 Afghan civilians are killed or injured everyday – 3,546 foreign troops have been killed, 456 of which were British – It’s estimated that the UK has spent £40bn, and the USA $2tn – The Taliban currently threaten 70% of the country – The Afghan Government is made up of warlords  – 1 million Afghans are now addicted to opium – 1.2 million are internally displaced – 1.2 million Afghan children are engaged in ‘hard labour’ – Only 27% of Afghans can access clean water – Afghanistan is still one of the most dangerous places in the world – The list could go on…. VCNV is still working in solidarity with Afghan peace activists who are now demanding a ceasefire and a withdrawal of foreign troops.Please join us this weekend in taking part in some simple but poignant actions to remember Afghanistan. In solidarity, Mary & Maya

Join Maya Evans 5th October 6pm Oxford, New Road Baptist Church for a talk on global U.S. bases & USAF Croughton 6th October 12-4pm Keep Space for Peace

Organise a surgery appointment with your MP and ask:  · Why has the UK Government deployed 1,000 additional British troops to Afghanistan? ·  Would they support to end UK involvement? ·  As the UK has already spent at least £40 billion on war in Afghanistan, could future allocated money instead be spent on reparations?  ·  Would they sign the petition?

Download the petition End the War in Afghanistan

Rethinking the Institution of War by Dr Hakim in Kabul Their action of walking without shoes suggest to us that, for us to survive today’s militarized and profit-driven norms, we have to live each day differently, and with clarity and compassion.We’ve been thinking that we need armies to stop ‘terrorists’, but armies don’t stop ‘terrorists’. Instead, they give ‘terrorists’ reason to keep fighting.We need to think anew.Moreover, the roots of ‘terrorism’ lie within ourselves. We are our own source of wars.Iqbal Khyber, a representative of PPM, told the Afghan Peace Volunteers ( APVs ) about how violence has taken root in all of us. “A blind member of our group, Zindani ( a name he gave himself after he was blinded by a Taliban-planted roadside bomb, meaning ‘imprisoned’ ) had so much pain in him that, one evening, when we were camped outside the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, he pleaded with me, ‘Can I throw a pebble at the fence?’ ” Read more…

Afghan Peace Volunteers meet The People’s Peace Movement – photos by Dr Hakim

Chalk or read the names of Afghan war dead This represents just a few names collected in 2008/9 by Professor Marc Herold, however his database is no longer online. It is still unknown how many Afghans have been killed in the last 17 years, 217,000 is a conservative estimate. Faiz Mohammad, 79, Killed in the village of Shagay, Farah Province, Afghanistan, on the night of 3 February 2008.  Mauladad, Killed in the village of Shagay, Farah Province, Afghanistan, on the night of 3 February 2008. Allahdad, 10, Killed in the village of Shagay, Farah Province, Afghanistan, on the night of 3 February 2008.  Shah Wali, Killed in the village of Shagay, Farah Province, Afghanistan, on the night of 3 February 2008.  Ahmad Shah, 14, Killed in the village of Shagay, Farah Province, Afghanistan, on the night of 3 February 2008.  Haji Saleh, Killed in the village of Shagay, Farah Province, Afghanistan, on the night of 3 February 2008. Malok, Killed in the village of Shagay, Farah Province, Afghanistan, on the night of 3 February 2008.  Janan, 11, Killed in the village of Shagay, Farah Province, Afghanistan, on the night of 3 February 2008. Mohammad Wali, 7, Killed in the village of Shagay, Farah Province, Afghanistan, on the night of 3 February 2008.  Saeed Rasul, 50, Killed in Do’ab district, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, on 6 April 2008 Rahmatullah, 45, Killed in Do’ab district, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, on 6 April 2008 Shahnaz, 11, Killed by US airstrikes while part of a double wedding procession on the way to one of the groom’s houses in the village of Ka Chona, Nangarhar Province, on 6 July 2008. Badam, son of Saeed Hanif Killed in a night-time U.S. air and ground attack in the Garoch region of Laghman Province, on Saturday, October 18, 2008 Marjan Killed by ground fire from foreign forces in the Khwaja Gar area of the Deh Sabz district northeast of Kabul on on January 2, 2009 Haji Sardar Killed along with seven of his family members in a U.S air and ground attack in the Sahak area of Zormat district, Paktia Province. December 2008. Shekh Anwar, family father Killed, along with his wife and infant son, in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009. Sheri Ali Killed in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009 Norullah  Killed in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009 Noral Killed in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009 Torgul, son of Mohammad Masom Killed, along with two of his siblings, in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009 Feda Mohammad, son of Akam Khan Killed in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009 Abdullah, son of Akam Khan Killed in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009 Haji Dastangul, family grandfather Killed in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009 Basgul, wife of Haji Dastangul Killed in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009  Mohammada Gul, son of Haji Dastangul Killed in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009 Sayeda Gul, son of Haji Dastangul Killed in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009 Denar Gul, grandson of Haji Dastangul Killed in a U.S. air strike on the village of Garoch, at 3am on 24 January 2009 Amir Painda, tribal leader Killed by U.S. forces’ ground fire near Orgun-e in Paktika Province on January 31, 2009 Haji Abdul Qadoos Killed, along with 3 children and two women, in a U.S. air strike called-in by Polish occupation forces on 1 February 2009 in Ghazni Province. Abdul Rauf Killed in a U.S. air strike called-in by Polish occupation forces on 1 February 2009 in Ghazni Province. Qabol Khan, a middle  school principal Killed by US ground forces during the evening of February 6/7 2009, in the Khabidi area of Khost city, Khost Province. Abdul Khaliq, father Killed in a ground raid by US forces on night of February 20/21, 2008 in the village of Deh Naw, Logar Province. Abdul Rashid, a father Killed in middle of night by U.S. Special Operations Forces on 14 March 2009 in Logar Province. Abdul Shakir, son of Abdul Rashid Killed in middle of night by U.S. Special Operations Forces on 14 March 2009 in Logar Province. Abdul Nasir, son of Abdul Rashid Killed in middle of night by U.S. Special Operations Forces on 14 March 2009 in Logar Province. Abdul Qadir, son of Abdul Rashid Killed in middle of night by U.S. Special Operations Forces on 14 March 2009 in Logar Province.   Abdul Latif, son of Abdul Rashid Killed in middle of night by U.S. Special Operations Forces on 14 March 2009 in Logar Province. Nadia, 17, daughter of Awal Khan Killed by U.S. occupation forces in a night-time assault on hamlet of Ali Daya in Gorbaz (Gurbuz) district on 9 April 2009 Aimal, 15, son of Awal Khan Killed by U.S. occupation forces in a night-time assault on hamlet of Ali Daya in Gorbaz (Gurbuz) district on 9 April 2009 Safia, a girl aged 3 Killed, alongside a woman, a boy and three adult men during a  midnight “precision” U.S air strike on Tangar village, Watapur district of Kunar Province on 12 / 13 April 2009 Zia-ul-Haq, 35, son of Haji Abdul Wahid Killed with his wife and driver by a helicopter attack in northern Helmand on 17 April 2009 Malem Mohammad Nader, 55 Killed and wounded in a combined air & ground attack in Helmand province on 27 April 2009. Mohammad Musa Khan, 60 Killed and wounded in a combined air & ground attack in Helmand province on 27 April 2009. Behnooshahr, a girl, aged 12 Killed by ground fire from Italian forces in Heart province on 3 May 2009

Chalk or read the names of British war dead Full list found here