[antiwar-van] MAR 6: Picket against Canada's occupation of Afghanistan draws major support and attention

[shannon]

IN RESPONSE TO DEATH OF 10TH CANADIAN SOLDIER IN
AFGHANISTAN MAWO ORGANIZES PICKET, DEMANDS:
“CANADA OUT OF AFGHANISTAN”

On Monday March 6th, at 12noon, Mobilization Against
War and Occupation (MAWO) responded to an
unprecedented week of crisis in the Canadian
occupation of Afghanistan with the second of two
emergency picket actions in five days at the Canadian
Forces Recruitment Centre in downtown Vancouver. Forty
people gathered to march in front of the Military
Recruitment Centre and CALL FOR AN INDEPENDENT PUBLIC
INQUIRY INTO CANADA’S OCCUPATION OF AFGHANISTAN and
demand CANADA OUT OF AFGHANISTAN NOW!

The depths of Canada’s crisis in the occupation of
Afghanistan began to be revealed within 48 hours of
Feb 28th. Feb 28th was the date marking both the
completion of the 2,300 Canadian troop deployment to
combat in Kandahar and the handing over of command of
the NATO occupation forces in southern Afghanistan to
Canadian Brigadier-General David Fraser. On the
morning of Thursday March 2nd, Canadian Cpl. Paul
James Davis of Bridgewater Nova Scotia was killed when
his military vehicle “flipped over” during a “routine
patrol” in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Seven others were
injured in the crash.

MAWO Co-Chair Shannon Bundock At 4pm the same day MAWO
organized an emergency press conference and picket
line in front of the Canadian Forces Recruitment
Centre, gathering Canada-wide media attention. In the
days of crisis for the Canadian occupation that
followed, coverage of MAWOs emergency picket played
constantly on CKNW news radio in Vancouver, and on CBC
Radio One across Canada. 

In the next 3 days 6 more soldiers were injured in
attacks each day, including Saturday’s attack by axe,
and on Sunday March 6th Canadian Master Corporal
Timothy Wilson succumbed to his injuries from the same
March 2nd incident that killed Paul Davis. 

Speakers at the press conference and picket line in
front of the recruitment centre on Monday March 6th
included Shannon Bundock, co-chair of MAWO; Lisa
Barrett, Council Member and former Mayor of Bowen
Island and local organizer for Code Pink Women for
Peace; Nita Palmer, MAWO’s Acting-Secretary; and Aaron
Mercredi, Board Member of Redwire Native Youth Media
and MAWO organizer. At the press conference and
throughout the picket, these speakers called for an
Independent Public Inquiry into Canada’s occupation of
Afghanistan and explained that it is no coincidence
that Canadian troops are coming under daily attack in
the increasingly violent “combat mission” that is
Canada’s occupation of Afghanistan.

On Monday morning, the Government of Canada revealed
that the cost of the occupation has already reached
over $2Billion, and that they refused to reveal the
full cost or estimates of the cost of the occupation
this year. Speakers at the picket demanded that the
Harper government open the books. 

MAWO Co-Chair Shannon Bundock explained, “Why are they
stalling on releasing these numbers? Afghan peoples’
lives and Canadian soldiers’ lives are being destroyed
with an unknown amount of taxpayers’ dollars. The
Government must reveal the full cost of Canada’s war
drive!” 

MAWO plans to return to picket in front of the
Canadian Forces Recruitment Centre at 1070 W. Georgia
St this coming Monday March 13th at 12noon, and to
return every time a Canadian soldier is killed in
Afghanistan.


For Coverage of MAWO's March 6th Emergency Picket
against the occupation of Afghanistan in the Vancouver
24Hours Newspaper see:
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2006/03/07/1475999-sun.html

For pictures of the picket see:
www.mawovancouver.org

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
PICKET ACTION AGAINST CANADA’S OCCUPATION OF
AFGHANISTAN! 
Monday March 13 
12noon – 1pm 
Canadian Forces Recruitment Centre (1070 W. Georgia
St) 

Canada out of Afghanistan! 
Stop the Canadian War Drive! 
Independent Public Inquiry into Canada’s Occupation of
Afghanistan! 
Reveal the Full Cost of Canada’s War Drive!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Mobilization Against War and Occupation -MAWO
www.mawovancouver.org
info at mawovancouver.org
604-322-1764



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