[fse-esf] Invitation Afghanistan-conference 7-8 June 2008

[Christine Buchholz]

Dear friends,

I would like to inform you about the debate in the german peace movement and possabilities of linking your discussions and activities with ours. To be honest, the peacemovement isnt very much involved in the preparatory process of the ESF, which does neither mean that we are not active nor that we are not interested in the ESF.

You will come to Berlin in a situation, where the debate of enlarging the german participation in Afghanistan-war is going on. Robert Gates, but also politicians and military people from Germany are increasing the pressure on the german governement to send troops to the south of Afghanistan (at the moment they are just in the more secure north).
The governement, the liberals and the green party are also going for sending a quick reaction force to northern Afghanistan, to replace norwegian troops, even thougt there is a majority of 86% of the german populatiom against it

As I told you in a mail in september, there is a common initative of the german peace movement to stop the german participation in the Afghanistan war.
In the end of January we decided to enforce our efforts and to collect signitures for a petition against the troops in Afghanistan, to organise an international afghanistan conference and to mobilise big protests next autumn. The first step will the easter-marches that take place around easter weekend traditionally.

Below, there is a translation of our invitation to the conference. We will spread it on the demonstrations around the easter-weekend in Germany. We would be happy if you spread it in your networks internationally.

We are not sure if one of our initative will participate in the EPA this weekend.  If not, we would be glad, if you could take up the issue of Afghanistan in your preparations.

All the best,
Christine Buchholz 



GIVE PEACE A CHANCE - TROOPS OUT OF AFGHANISTAN
INTERNATIONAL AFGHANISTAN CONFERENCE, 7-8 JUNE 2008, HANNOVER/GERMANY
 
Germany is sinking increasingly deeper in the swamp of the brutal Afghanistan war.
In summer this year, the Rapid Reaction Force of the German army will be sent to
strengthen the ISAF troops who are already stationed in Afghanistan. And in Berlin,
it is common knowledge that the extension of the troop assignment in autumn will
lead to a massive troop surge.
 
The war in Afghanistan, started by the USA and its allies nearly 7 years ago,
violates international law and rides roughshod over all laws of humanity. Most
regions of the country are ruled by warlords and drug barons. Violence, terror and
drug trafficking shape everyday life. The Afghan people live in permanent terror and
under ignoble social conditions. The foreign troops are not seen as liberators, but
increasingly as enemy occupiers, against whom all resistance is valid.
 
What Afghanistan needs is peace as a prerequisite for a sovereign democracy. Civil
reconstruction and social development are only possible if the war is stopped and
the foreign troops are withdrawn, in order to make the materials for humanitarian
work available to improve the living conditions. Charitable and humanitarian aid
organizations repeatedly confirm that aid has most effect where there is no military
presence. It is a scandal that so much more money is given for war than for civil
reconstruction.
 
Withdrawing the German troops is no guarantee. Nevertheless it offers a chance for
peaceful development in Afghanistan. It will put pressure on other countries to also
withdraw their troops. 
 
We invite everyone to an international Afghanistan conference on 7-8 June in
Hanover. The conference has the slogan: “Give peace a chance – troops out of
Afghanistan”. With experts from Germany and abroad, with involved parties from
Afghanistan, with conscientious objectors and peace activists from Europe and
elsewhere, we want to turn around the lies and misrepresentations from the ruling
politics from Washington to Berlin, and give a voice to the worldwide resistance
against the war.

***If you are interested in participating in the conference - please contact us.



-- 
Christine Buchholz
0178/3150968