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AT News Report-KABUL: Afghanistan 1400, a political movement of Afghanistan’s new generation, visualized the record number of civilian casualties in 2016 by coloring the “Kabul River in red1” and called for awakening and a renewed focus on ending the war in Afghanistan, the movement said in a media statement.
Jawid Shekib, one of Afghanistan 1400’s leaders, remarked that: “the at least 11,418 civilian casualties of the war in 2016 recorded by United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) should not remain just another figure. The magnitude of the tragedy is beyond alarming. There can be no other fair characterization of the scale of human cost of this war but rivers of blood are flowing in Afghanistan, and we must mobilize to end this war.”
UN report finding demonstrated that out of the above mentioned casualties, 3,512 where children, (923 dead and 2,589 injured, showing up 24 percent on the previous highest recorded figure. The figures, recorded by UN in the country, are the highest since the UN began systematically documented civilian casualty figures in 2009.
However, this is not the end of civilian casualties as recently more than 20 people were killed and 41 others wounded after a suicide bomber blew himself up inside the Supreme Court’s car park. Three women and one child were among those killed in the suicide attack.
“Afghanistan 1400 believes that the people of Afghanistan have battled international terrorism for decades. Long before the world realized the depth of the terrorist threat, Afghans were victims of it– as well as on the frontlines battling it. The will and resolve of the Afghan people against terrorism is unwavering, and the fight will and must continue,” the statement added.
It furthered, “the war in Afghanistan, however, has dimensions broader than terrorism. It is time Afghans and our international allies coalesce around the search for ending the war, in part to effectively counter the terrorist threat.
According to statement, “with the February 10, 2017 visualization of the human cost of this war, Afghanistan 1400 sparked a new focus on the need to end the war. The movement will continue its efforts with a follow up activity of planting at least 3,498 trees this spring, marking the record loss of civilian life in 2016”.
Shaharzad Akbar of Afghanistan 1400 stated that “the record number of civilian casualties is a record that should not be broken in 2017 or after. We must put a halt to the harm caused to civilians by this war. There is a dire need for protection of civilians in Afghanistan, and Afghanistan 1400 dedicates itself to such efforts.”
“We used around 200kg red inks at cost of 4200Afs, to color the Kabul River in red one. We had more than hundreds volunteers in this work,” another member of Afghanistan 1400 said.
The aim of the movement is to build confidence, instill enthusiasm and promote acceptance of responsibility for Afghanistan’s present and future through creating a political space to mobilize the new generation, so that they take an active part in the political, social, cultural and economic life of the country.
