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UN:
TOP UN ENVOY IN AFGHANISTAN CALLS FOR TOTAL CESSATION OF VIOLENCE TO MARK
PEACE DAY: 11/9/2007 (MaximsNews.com, U.N.) |
UNITED NATIONS - / www.MaximsNews.com@
U.N./
- 11 September 2007 – The
top United Nations envoy in Afghanistan today appealed for a total cessation of
violence across the country on 21 September, marked around the world as
International Day of Peace, and for days of tranquillity ahead of that date to
allow for vital humanitarian initiatives to be carried out.
“In
Afghanistan, we all know about conflict and insecurity,” Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon’s Special Representative Tom Koenigs told a news briefing in Kabul,
the capital, where he was joined by representatives of almost every UN agency
working in the country. “But what we have seen in these past weeks is that
Afghanistan wants peace.”
He
called on all groups, all individuals, and institutions to support the peace
effort in a country that has suffered nearly 30 years of war, and in the past 18
months has seen a rise in a Taliban-led insurgency. Although 21 September is
marked worldwide, this year in Afghanistan, a special effort has been underway
for nearly two months to promote support for an actual day of peace and
non-violence.
Adding
their support to the appeal, several agencies stressed the need for a week of
tranquility to precede the actual Peace Day, to allow for essential humanitarian
activities, including polio vaccination drives and food deliveries to people in
insecure areas of the country.
Scores
of groups have pledged support and action for the campaign, including business,
civil society groups, media organizations, government ministries and regional
authorities. The campaign has grown to encompass every region of the country,
and numerous activities are planned over the remaining 10 days.
These
include special prayers in mosques around Afghanistan, and cultural events such
as poetry readings, painting and writing competitions. Radio and television
stations are programming round-table discussions and phone-ins to discuss peace.
There
are also arms handover ceremonies, immunization campaigns, town and district
clean ups, and a ceremony to hand over a large tract of land that has been
cleared of mines. The major wireless networks have committed over the next 10
days to sending text messages of peace to all Afghan mobile phone subscribers.
“The
response has been vast and it continues to grow,” Mr. Koenigs said. “Help us
make Peace in Afghanistan real.”
Labels: United
Nations, U.N.,
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