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From Voices for Creative Nonviolence - urge US State Dept. to grant
a visa to an Afghan Peace Volunteer:<br>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Subject:
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<td>Please Tell the U.S. Embassy to Give Hakim a Visa</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Date: </th>
<td>Mon, 2 Jul 2012 15:01:58 +0000</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
<td>Voices for Creative Nonviolence <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:info@vcnv.org"><info@vcnv.org></a></td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Reply-To:
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<td>Voices for Creative Nonviolence <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:info@vcnv.org"><info@vcnv.org></a></td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">To: </th>
<td> <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:aware@anti-war.net"><aware@anti-war.net></a></td>
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<br>
<br>
Hakim, member of Afghan Peace Volunteers, has been invited to
speak in the United States on a portion of the August-September
Caravan of Peace, organized by Global Exchange. We hoped that we
would have been able to have him as a visitor, just as many U.S.
citizens have been visitors welcomed by the Afghan Peace
Volunteers in Afghanistan.
<br>
<br>
On Friday, June 29, 2012, Hakim’s visa application in Singapore
was refused. Yet, the State Department or a U.S. consular office
does listen and, with sufficient appeals, has been known to grant
subsequent visas upon reapplication.
And so we urge all who receive this to swiftly email and call the
following, asking that Dr. Wee Teck Young (Hakim) be issued a
non-immigrant U.S. visa.<br>
<br>
More background information is available by reading Kathy's recent
article at<br>
<tt><a
href="http://vcnv.org/seeking-a-visa-for-dr-wee-teck-young">http://vcnv.org/seeking-a-visa-for-dr-wee-teck-young</a></tt><br>
<br>
Once we know Hakim's next appointment date, we may later ask for
calls to Congress members who might offer a letter of support.<br>
<br>
PLEASE CONTACT THESE PEOPLE, URGE THEM TO LET HAKIM SPEAK, AND
GRANT HIS VISA.<br>
<br>
Deputy Chief of Mission Louis Mazel
email: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:singaporecon@state.gov">singaporecon@state.gov</a><br>
cc: American Citizens Service: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:singaporeacs@state.gov">singaporeacs@state.gov</a><br>
<br>
Dear Mr. Mazel,<br>
<br>
Dr. Wee Teck Young, a Singaporean doctor working in Kabul, has
been invited to travel to the United States from September 3 - 10,
2012. He is now in Singapore, visiting family. Last week his
application for a visa was refused. I am hoping that he will
re-apply.<br>
<br>
Dr. Wee is an internationally respected peace activist and
commentator on issues of importance to myself and my community,
and should be allowed to enrich the civil society conversations in
the United States by participating in this summer’s multi-state
speaking tour of the U.S.-Mexico “Movement for Peace with Justice
and Dignity.” Having become familiar with his history of
consistently sacrificing comfort and wealth for his work in
Afghanistan, I’m confident that Dr. Wee would return to his
passion and work in Afghanistan at the end of the Caravan. Please
facilitate my own first amendment rights and the diversity of the
American public debate, by allowing a spokesperson I celebrate and
admire to speak on my behalf in the United States this summer.<br>
<br>
Thank you for considering this urgent request.<br>
<br>
Sincerely,
[Your Name]<br>
<br>
<br>
---------------<br>
<br>
Assistant Chief of Mission Hugo Llorens<br>
Embassy of Afghanistan<br>
American Citizen Services<br>
email: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:KabulACS@state.gov">KabulACS@state.gov</a><br>
<br>
Dear Mr. Llorens,<br>
<br>
Dr. Wee Teck Young, a Singaporean doctor working in Kabul, has
been invited by Global Exchange to travel to the United States,
from September 2 - 10 as part of a Peace Caravan. Dr. Wee is an
internationally respected peace activist and commentator on issues
of importance to myself and my community, and should be allowed to
enrich the civil society conversations in the United States by
participating in this summer’s multi-state speaking tour of the
U.S.-Mexico “Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity.” Having
become familiar with his history of consistently sacrificing
comfort and wealth for his work in Afghanistan, I’m confident that
Dr. Wee would return to his passion and work in Afghanistan at the
end of the Caravan. Please facilitate my own first amendment
rights and the diversity of the American public debate, by
allowing a spokesperson I celebrate and admire to speak on my
behalf in the United States this summer.<br>
<br>
Thank you for considering this request when Dr. Wee re-applies
for a visa. His application was rejected by a consular official at
the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, in 2010, when he applied to accompany
two young Afghans who were invited to travel as part of a tour
organized by the Fellowship of Reconciliation.<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
[Your Name]<br>
<br>
---------------<br>
<br>
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 202-647-5291<br>
Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg 202-647-8636<br>
Call/contact the White House:<br>
COMMENTS LINE: 202-456-1111<br>
SWITCHBOARD: 202-456-1414<br>
FAX: 202-456-2461<br>
WEBFORM FOR EMAIL: <a
href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments">http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments</a>
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