[Peace-discuss] Urgent-Petition to Halt Bombing So Food Can Be Trucked Into Afghanistan Before Winter Makes It Impossible

[Barbara Dyskant]

This came from Tri-Valley CARES in Livermore  (e-mail address--
marylia at earthlink.net), which has worked tirelessly for years.

From-- Tri-Valley Citizens Against a Radioactive Environment

Dear friends:

The following is time-urgent and is needed to save the lives of millions of
civilians on the brink of starvation in Afghanistan. We at Tri-Valley CAREs
have developed this petition to call for an IMMEDIATE halt to all bombing
and military action in Afghanistan so that food can be trucked in NOW
before winter makes that impossible -- and by all accounts heavy snows will
likely occur by the end of this month. Please read the petition through and
consider this situation seriously.

We need you (and 4 friends, please) to sign and return the petition to us
by fax or snail mail. We at Tri-Valley CAREs commit to sending your
petition QUICKLY to 21 decision-makers -- see the end of the petition for
the list.

It is important that you take the extra moment to download and actually
sign the petition, please. No email replies. Thank you.

(Documentation quoted in the petition, below, is available on request.)

In peace,
Marylia Kelley

PETITION TO PREVENT THE MASS STARVATION OF CHILDREN
AND OTHER CIVILIANS IN AFGHANISTAN

WHEREAS, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Children's
Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme and other agencies have issued a
joint statement warning that:

         * A humanitarian crises of stunning proportions is unfolding in
Afghanistan;

         * More than 5 million Afghans now require humanitarian assistance
to survive, including 3.8 million who depend on United Nations-delivered
food rations (a number that is expected to rise to 5.5 million in November
2001);

         * Nearly 20 percent of those struggling to survive are children
under the age of 5 years; and

         * Lack of safe access has created a situation where the United
Nations World Food Programme has been forced to suspend operations in
Afghanistan;

WHEREAS, recent bombing attacks have damaged the warehouses of the
International Red Cross as well as the United Nations World Food Programme,
and the agencies' staff, laborers and truckers are now afraid to load,
unload or transport food inside Afghanistan;

WHEREAS, the United Nations has estimated that more than 50,000 tons of
food must be delivered before the end of November 2001;

WHEREAS, Oxfam International and other non-governmental organizations and
relief workers have joined in a call for a pause in military action and an
immediate undertaking to stave off mass starvation throughout Afghanistan
by trucking in food before bitter winter snows make such an effort futile.

THEREFORE, WE URGENTLY CALL FOR THE IMMEDIATE CESSATION OF ALL BOMBING AND
MILITARY ACTION BY ALL PARTIES IN AFGHANISTAN TO PERMIT THE SAFE DELIVERY
OF FOOD BY THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME, THE INTERNATIONAL RED
CROSS, OXFAM INTERNATIONAL AND OTHER RELIEF AGENCIES.

Name (print or write clearly)           Address/City/State
Country

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Time is critical and winter is coming fast to Afghanistan. Help save lives.
Please sign, share the petition with 4 friends, family members or coworkers
and return it as soon as possible to: TRI-VALLEY CAREs, 2582 OLD FIRST
STREET, LIVERMORE, CA 94550. Or, fax it to (925) 443-0177.
(Documentation available on request.)

We will immediately send a copy to each of the following: (1) President
George Bush, (2) Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, (3) Secretary of State
Colin Powell, (4) Your Senators, (5) Your Congressional Representative, and
(6) All 15 countries who sit on the UN Security Council.
(Donations are welcome, but
not required.)


Marylia Kelley
Executive Director,
Tri-Valley CAREs
(Communities Against a Radioactive Environment)
2582 Old First Street
Livermore, CA 94550
Phone: 1-925-443-7148
Fax: 1-925-443-0177
Web site: http://www.igc.org/tvc