'We are all together in this time of crisis': Winnipeg's Afghan community holds vigil to send message of unity
Organizers underscore that terrorists are also targeting Muslim communities around the world
A group of about 20 people braved the rain Friday afternoon and took to the steps of Manitoba's legislature to light candles and send a message of hope, peace, justice and unity.
The vigil, organized by the Afghan Canadian Women's Organization, was to remember all the victims of recent terror attacks around the world — Manchester, London and specifically Afghanistan.
"We have connections, all of us family and friends and the whole community. It's been a very difficult time for us," said Ariana Yaftali, co-founder of the organization.
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A suicide attack in Kabul, the Afghan capital, killed at least 90 people and wounded more than 400 at the end of May. The bomber drove a truck into Kabul's diplomatic district, the heart of the city, and detonated it, leaving behind a scene of death and destruction.
It was one of the worst attacks Kabul had seen since the drawdown of foreign forces from the country at the end of 2014.
"We are grieving. We are a community with a lot of grief and sorrow," Yaftali said.
"So we talk and we get together here to remember our near ones, those who lost their life, as well as we also tell our Canadian family and friends here that we have been forgotten."
Yaftali said there are about 2,000 people from Afghanistan in Manitoba.
She said it's important to realize terrorists are also targeting Muslim communities around the world.
"This is wrong, this is not in the name of Islam, these are terrorist people — they have no respect for humanity," she said.
"We want to tell Canadians, as well, that we are targets as everybody else in this world."
It's an important time for people to come together in solidarity to send a message of unity in the world, she added.
"We are all together in this time of crisis and this time of grief. We are standing with everybody who respects humanity, who respects human beings, who respects human rights," she said.
"We are paying respect and tribute to the victims, to remember all the victims regardless of where it happened from Manchester to London to France to Iran to Afghanistan."