Nassir Faqiryar. What Should Canada Do in Afghanistan?

The Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee has been hosting panels across the country asking the question "What Should Canada Do in Afghanistan Post-2011?" Tonight, our panel will discuss this question in Regina at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum Theatre. For full details and to learn how to RSVP, click here.

At our recent panel in Calgary, the Afghan Canadian Association of Calgary representative Nassir Faqiryar gave an excellent speech about what Canada's role might look like going forward. A transcript of the speech is below:

I would like to welcome you all on behalf of Afghan Canadian Association of Calgary. Your Excellency Jawed Ludin and all the panelists, Najia Haneefi, Terry Glavin and Lauryn Oates, welcome to Calgary and hope you enjoy your stay here.

My name is Nassir Faqiryar and I am the President of Afghan Canadian Association of Calgary. I have lived here in Calgary for the past 24 years, which I now call home; I left Kabul Afghanistan at the age of 14.

I love Afghanistan as much as I love Canada. I have grown up here and I am proud to call myself a Canadian, however being born in Kabul Afghanistan have kept me close to my culture and history and have kept me thirsty for our nation’s peace.

I would like to thank you all for your support for the Afghan people. Please do not abandon the afghan people like the United States did after the fall of the Soviet Union. Don’t forget us, like the United States did when they used Afghan’s blood to get rid of communism. We all know the outcome of that mistake; let’s not let history repeat itself. Keep helping the Afghan people to reach the point where they can stand on their own feet.

We recognize that a withdrawal of Canadian troops from Kandahar would almost certainly lead to a total collapse in security, and this could lead to a civil war, the return of Taliban to power and the future denial of human rights.

To my Canadian brothers who served and to Canadian families who have lost their loved ones in Afghanistan to date 142. I am sorry for your loss, they have given ultimate sacrifices and thank you Canada for all you have done so far, I know it’s a Canadian thing to do, I know we are just taking a little bit of Canada trying to help others in the world try to have a better place to live

Canada's participation is guided by our core values of freedom, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, especially the rights of women and girls. Because of Canada's efforts and those of the international community, the Afghan people now vote, women and girls have rights and children are going to school. Rebuilding a shattered state, however, is a slow and complex process in a country that is emerging from more than three decades of oppression, terror, conflict, drought and poverty.

Before I start with my questions, I would like to thank you all for providing this environment to all Afghan’s here to listen and contribute “What should Canada do in Afghanistan post 2011”.

My wish list; Canada should still be participating to re-build infrastructure, peace keeping, education, democracy building, literacy and advance of human rights, support for institutional capacity building and training of Afghan Security forces, so Afghans can take over their own responsibilities short and long term.

To overcome current crises in Afghanistan: We need to invest in Education, institutional building, literacy.

1) New strategies to combat Taliban

2) Eradicate corruption in government

3) Improve education

4) Democracy building

5) Improve governance (electoral distrust)

6) Stabilize the country

7) Ending the agony of long suffering of Afghan people