On Septemer 19, the Globe and Mail reported that, “The United Nations has traditionally passed an Olympic Truce resolution before each Summer and Winter Games since the early 1990s, echoing the practice of the ancient Greeks, who, according to legend, put aside their weapons every four years to compete peacefully at the Olympic Games of yore.”
“The country where the Games will be staged routinely introduces the resolution. (But) 2010 organizers (including VANOC president John Furlong) say they have no intention of asking that their country’s own troops lay down their arms for the 17 days of the Olympics. (And) it does not appear that Canada will even take any initiative to ease hostilities in Afghanistan during the Olympic Games.”
“Canada is due to introduce its (weakened version of an) Olympic Truce resolution at the UN General Assembly on Oct. 20.”
Beyond the lack of willingness to introduce a meaningful Olympic Truce resolution, the Globe and Mail reported back in August 2008 that the Harper government had urged VANOC “to put the Afghanistan war at the heart of the symbolically laden torch relay, saying that the first torch carriers could be veterans of the seven-year-old conflict…”
And earlier this month, the CBC reported that the Prime Minister’s Office has confirmed its intention to keep some Canadian troops in Afghanistan after parliament’s mandate for the mission expires in December 2011.
The Canadian public is increasingly concerned about the Canadian military presence in Afghanistan given the high casualty rates, the billions of dollars spent, the Karzai government’s human rights record, and the extensive fraud in the recent election there. Various recent news reports have also indicated that Afghanistan is increasingly unstable, and that due to the war fewer areas of the country are now safe for development work.
Our August 2006 ‘Statement on Canada’s Role in Afghanistan and other conflicts’ says, “The Council of Canadians is calling for the immediate, safe and orderly withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan and a return to Canada fulfilling its traditional international role of peacekeeper. Only as a promoter of peace and an upholder of peacekeeping can we hope to perform the constructive, independent role required of us in the world.”
TAKE ACTION
Write Prime Minister Stephen Harper at pm@pm.gc.ca and demand that Canada call for an Olympic Truce – or an end to offensive military operations during this 17-day period – in Afghanistan, when it is scheduled to speak on the matter at the United Nations on Tuesday October 20. You can also say that you want an immediate, safe and orderly withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan, but a 17-day truce would be a welcome step in the right direction.
WEB-LINKS
http://canadians.org/peace/issues/conflict_statement.html
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/olympic-truce-tradition-hard-for-canada-to-swallow/article1294202/?
http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=1844
http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=163
http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=1954
