On Monday in Kabul, Afghanistan, 65 activists took to the streets to protest peace in a country where war has defined it for decades.
“We want Peace!” and “No War!” This is what the people of Afghanistan screamed as they made their way across the Afghan capital, promoting a peaceful end to violence and death. All the activists were enthusiastic and passionate, however by the time they reached a historic mosque in the capital, many were dehydrated, exhausted, and had wounds to the body from the long journey.
The march, which started in Helmand province of Afghanistan, took 38 days. Abdul Manai Hamdard, one of the original 8 activists who began the journey stated, “When I left Helmand I only took a few clothes and very little money. I thought we’d be in Kabul in 10 or 12 days.” As they trekked through provinces, more people joined their journey, resulting in the 65 that arrived in Kabul. Many along the way supported their mission, even inviting them into their homes of mosques. Hamdard remembers speaking to over 100,000 people about his movement, and gaining knowledge on their experience and conditions they have faced over the years. This just added oil to the fire, making Hamdard and his fellow trekkers more reason to continue their movement.
Some of the goals he told these citizens along the march include: a ceasefire between the Taliban and government forces, peace talks between the two sides, the implementation of a law agreed upon by the government and the Taliban, and the withdrawal of foreign forces.
The marchers arrived in Kabul just at the end of a three-day ceasefire between the government and Taliban forces. Just 30 minutes before, the Taliban announced a resume of their intentions. The cease-fire was something that Hamdard found to be an achievement for the movement, even though it was not necessarily their doing. He looked at it “as a sign of what a movement like their could achieve and won’t stop until they reconcile their country to the peaceful place they used to know.
