Afghans in Helmand go on hunger strike for peace

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - A group of local protesters in the restive Afghan province of Helmand on Thursday went on hunger strike, calling on the Taliban and the Kabul government to make peace.

Saifullah Sarwaan, one of the organizers of the strike, told Anadolu Agency they want a complete end to the bloodshed. “This civil society movement of us is ongoing, we would be on strike until peace prevails.''

At first, tens of men and women in the southern province set up a sit-in camp on Saturday following a brazen car bombing outside a sports facility in the provincial capital Lashkargah killed at least 15 people. The sit-in evolved into a hunger strike on Thursday.

The “Helmand Parlat” (sit-in in Pashto language) has a slogan: “Taliban! Must make peace now”. The sit-in has turned into a robust movement named “From Lashkargarh to Mosa Qala [district under the influence of the Taliban] Movement for Peace”.

Similar gatherings in solidarity with the Helmand movement have been staged in a number of cities.

The Taliban have so far not responded to the peace offer extended by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghan at the 2nd Kabul Process conference last month, but one of the group’s spokesmen, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, has responded to the movement of Helmand’s women and men via an audio message.

“The Taliban leadership will respond to the organizers of the peace rally in Helmand if foreign forces are pulled out of Helmand’s Shorabak base and Kandahar Airport,” the local Tolo News quoted Ahmad as saying.

Situated next to Kandahar, the Taliban’s birthplace, Helmand is one of the most insecure provinces in Afghanistan.