Flying Kites for Peace + Afghans protest against the killing of civilians + Befriending a potential Afghan insurgent

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/

Love is how the kites in Gaza, Afghanistan and the world will fly

http://ourjourneytosmile.com/blog
December 31, 2009

Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers flew kites
for the people of Gaza
photo by Hakim

At about 1pm Afghanistan time ( 10.30 am Gaza time when the planned Gaza Freedom March was supposed to begin ) on the 31st of December 2009, the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers had a tele-conference with these friends (the conversation with Baseem and Yaniv was short but priceless).

Palestine Baseem

Israel Yaniv

Iraq Skala

USA Douglas Mackey, Jody Tiller, Cindy Corrie, Josh Steiber, Margo, Andrea Le Blanc, Al

In the telephone conversation, we encountered the human souls in each other through our voices and we encouraged each other towards peace and those beautiful and important things in the hearts of all humanity. Thanks to all!

11 Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers then flew kites at Bamiyan Peace Park, to let our Palestinian friends in Gaza and peacemakers of Gaza Freedom March now standing in Cairo Egypt know that Love is how the kites in Gaza, Afghanistan and the world will fly!

The freedom which we youth, the future of the world, urgently desire is a freedom from those built-up grievances heaped upon us or within ourselves,

grievances that separate us constantly,

a freedom from hate and un-kindness.

Love is how the kites in Gaza, Afghanistan and the world will fly!

Love is how we’ll ask for peace!

We will follow up with a video in the New Year. Happy 2010 to all!

***

Afghans protest against the killing of civilians resulting from a NATO attack

nocommenttv
December 31, 2009

Hundreds of Afghans have joined the street rallies to protest against the killing of 10 civilians, most of them teenage students, in a military raid by NATO forces.

***

Befriending a potential Afghan insurgent in Quetta

ourjourneytosmile
December 27, 2009

In short, I learnt form Najib that the world needs to build wide-scale humane relationships across all barriers so ‎as to turn the tide on an increasingly proud and violent regression of humanity.‎

I was wondering if I could be of help. How proud that thought turned out to be, especially with the forgotten ‎destitute like Najib. He was the soul who helped me understand what humanitarian workers need to live out, that ‎we can only begin to be of some transient help when we understand the practice of love.‎

Love is freed through friendship thats oblivious to race, class and religion.‎

Love is impossible in war because war destroys and kills.‎

Love sees that we have the same dirt in our lives and that we need to somehow recover together from our ‎frailties.‎

Ive no idea if Najib is still alive today. Or if he has not become the hunted and demonized Afghan insurgent. ‎

In season, I invited Najib and his aged grandma ( both his parents had been killed in the war ) to share some ‎delicious Pakistani mangoes. I was overjoyed to wash Najibs soiled hands and feet before the meal. When I ‎asked to take a photo with Najib and his grandma, I asked Najib to smile.‎

Najibs grandma chided me in Kandahri Pushto, Why are you asking Najib to smile? He doesnt have any ‎reason to smile.‎

Then ,on a dreary late afternoon, Najib informed me with teary eyes that he was leaving to cross borders again, ‎this time into Iran, because life in Quetta was difficult.‎
How I wish I could meet Najib again.‎

***

Updated: Jan 3, 2010

Gaza Freedom March in Afghanistan ; Love is how the kites in Gaza, Afghanistan and the world will fly

Love is how the kites in Gaza Afg & the world will fly

ourjourneytosmile
January 02, 2010

Abdulai, the Taliban killed your father. Do you want to take revenge?‎

No, we should make peace & not take revenge. If we take revenge, war will increase.‎

Faiz, your brother was killed by others. Do you bear a grudge in your heart?‎
No, weve made peace with them.‎

But, in the world today, everyone who has a family member will usually take revenge. ‎
How do we end the thought of revenge?‎
We cant go on killing one other in revenge. If we do, the world will end one day. ‎
Blood cannot wash away blood. We should practice love, so such horrors can be forgotten.‎

My name is Bassam, Bassam from Palestine.‎
Douglas : Bassam, I know I speak for everyone, calling in solidarity‎
I know that the Corries would like to speak to you.‎

Cindy Corrie : Hello, Bassam, its good to hear your voice. And I hope that we have good things happen for ‎all of us.‎

I notice that we also have someone from Israel. Can you go ahead?‎
Hi everybody, my name is Yaniv. Nice to meet you.‎
Nice to meet you too!‎

And then from Washington D.C. Go ahead!‎
This is Josh Steiber. ‎

The freedom which we youth, the future of the world, urgently desire is a freedom
‎ from those built-up grievances heaped upon us or within ourselves, ‎
grievances that separate us constantly,‎
‎ a freedom from hate and un-kindness.‎
Love is how the kites in Gaza, Afghanistan and the world will fly
Love is how well ask for peace.‎

see

Galloway: Deal Reached + Activists reject Egypt’s Gaza offer + Roger Waters Speaks Out

Welcome to Orwell’s World 2010 By John Pilger

Richard Engel: New Pentagon Report + Afghan soldier opens fire, kills US trooper

Afghan youth release ‘doves’ in support of World March for Peace