“The Bravest Woman in Afghanistan” to Speak in Galway on New Year’s Day

galway | anti-war / imperialism | press release

Saturday December 26, 2009 17:49

by Galway Alliance Against War

New Year's Day Peace Party in Galway's Rowing Club

The Galway Alliance Against War is throwing a New Year’s Day Peace Party in the Rowing Club in Woodquay Galway on January 1st starting at 7pm and admission is FREE. The Guest of Honour will be Malalai Joya, a female member of the Afghan parliament, who has survived 4 assassination attempts – she is hated by both the Karzai regime that banned her from parliament and the Taliban. Human Rights Watch described her as “the bravest woman in Afghanistan”. GAAW has arranged for a telephone link-up with Ms Joya from her base in the mountains of Afghanistan – Galway’s local peace group believes it will be a truly unique experience for people in Galway to hear first hand why the war in Afghanistan is not the solution to the problems of that troubled country.

GAAW is also hoping to have Sue Glenton, the wife of British Refusenik Lance Cpl Joe Glenton, as well as British MP George Galloway on this cyber-platform. At present Mr Galloway is leading Viva Palistina the multi-national relief convoy that is headed for Gaza to help break the Israeli blockade of that small Palestinian enclave. Galwegians will recall that this week marks the first anniversary of the Israeli onslaught of the Gaza Strip that left over a thousand Palestinian civilians dead.

Like any self-respecting party, there will also be plenty of music and to suit all tastes, from Green Day to Irish traditional to World Music. And GAAW is also hoping to have some puppet theatre with a difference, as well as a very poignant photo exhibition on the war in Afghanistan as well as a brand new film that counters the British and US propaganda.

According to a GAAW spokesperson the purpose of the New Year’s Day Peace Party is to mark the beginning of a new decade: “The so-called “noughtys” was a decade of war, which was disastrous for the peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan as well as for Irish neutrality. It’s time for a new resolution; it’s time for the Irish people to re-embrace our traditional policy of neutrality. Shannon airport should cease being a US military installation; the small number of our soldiers stationed in Kabul should be withdrawn from that war zone, not increased as is the desire of some of those in government and in the higher echelons of the Irish Defence Forces. It should also be remembered that an Irish company is also involved in this awful war. The Dublin-based Acra Control Ltd produces technology used in the deadly drones employed by the United States over Afghanistan and Pakistan.”