Issued by Afghans for Peace, March 12, 2012:
It is a quiet night in the village of Panjwai, Kandahar. Children are sleeping next to their mothers in simple mud homes. The quiet night is disturbed by a sudden loud explosion. A terrorist has entered one of the homes. He sprays a rain of bullets on the unsuspecting children and mother. He is on a killing rampage, as his bullets splatter the children’s blood on the walls and floor. He does not even spare the two year old clinging on to his mother for dear life. He then proceeds to burning the deceased bodies by pouring chemicals on them. This terrorist does not wear a black turban on his head nor a beard on his face. Instead he wears US military fatigues with the American flag sewn next to his US staff sergeant badge.
On March 11th, at 2am in Panjwai, Kandahar, another massacre has taken place in the name of American democracy. In the next few hours, the mainstream media along with NATO’s propaganda arm attempt to paint this as an “isolated” incident by a “lone rogue soldier”, but the surviving witnesses tell a very different story. They mention several soldiers being present during the massacre. As disturbing facts and photos of scorched bodies of children emerge it is evident that there is more to this act of terrorism by soldiers from the same troubled base (Joint Base Lewis-McChord) as the “Kill Team” soldiers. Looking at these repeat massacres over the last decade it is evident that these are not isolated incidents and, in fact, a direct result of not only the “training” of these soldiers but the very nature of war and militarism itself.
Once again, just like the “Kill Team”, we the Afghan people receive shallow apologies from US and NATO officials with no real accountability of the system that creates these monsters.
It hasn’t even been over 24 hours since this bloodbath occurred so how can we accept apologies for an intended massacre? Our tears have not dried up yet, and they never will. The blood splattered on the walls of our houses, the scorched bodies of our children, and the pain in our hearts will always be a reminder of the slaughter that took place in order to “liberate” us. We hope you hear this loud and clear that in the process of our “liberation” you have made sure we can never be FREE from this misery unless you leave. We are living, breathing, dead bodies that have died with the ones we loved; although we still have not lost hope for unshackling our nation from these repressive hands that drop bombs not food, that kill not save lives, that take everything in exchange of a promise we never asked them to make. We do not wish to “endure” this “freedom” you have imposed upon us. The masses see this conflict through the eyes of the occupier, and it’s time you see this pain through the eyes of the occupied.
Over 16 dead and 9 of them children. We are enraged by these ongoing atrocities. We are left with our throats dry as we choke behind tears. And so, we grieve worldwide as we hold vigils in multiple cities around the world to mourn our dead. We the people of the world are refusing to let this act of terrorism go unnoticed.
Please join us in one of the following cities listed below or hold your own vigil if your city in not listed:
http://www.facebook.com/events/249809021778604/