16 September 2009 - The UN's top envoy in Afghanistan Kai Eide, joined representatives from UN agencies in Afghanistan to release peace doves today.

SRSG Kai Eide: It is five days before Peace Day – which is not only in Afghanistan. It is also a global Peace Day for the United Nations. But in very few other places, is this day more relevant than it is in Afghanistan.

And since we last marked Peace Day, the conflict in the country has intensified, and more and more have suffered…more and more people have felt the need for peace to be re-established in the country. And when you see all this suffering – not only in the south or the east, but increasingly in other parts of the country – I think we all see one thing: This must come to a stop. I repeat: It must come to a stop.

And the burden of bringing the conflict to a halt is, of course, first of all on the Afghans. They must find their way to bring peace to their country, and we must be there to support them and that is why the United Nations is here.

Therefore, a peace process is so important to this country now and must be on the top of the political agenda once the election process has been brought to an end.

The Afghan people cannot afford this anymore. Lives are torn apart, resources are destroyed, and the future of the country, in this way, is at risk. And, for us in the UN family, I can assure you this is much more than a symbolic day. It is a day which goes to the heart of why we are here to serve the Afghan people.

That’s why I appeal to all to turn their attention away from how to fight the conflict and instead focus on how to bring the peace.

I appeal to all those who fight, to demonstrate on that one day – 21 September – that there is a readiness to seek peace and to do that by stopping the fighting across the country, at least on that one day.

Last year, the level of hostilities went down by 70 per cent. That was an achievement! I would like us to reach at least that figure this year. This is not a political act. First of all, this is an act of humanity. It is an act of respect to the Afghan people and I appeal to all to demonstrate that respect for the Afghan people and for those who suffer from the conflict.

Stop the fighting on the 21 September and demonstrate that there is a readiness from all of us to move into a peace process.

Last year, you will remember, there were thousands of manifestations across the country in communities, in schools, and in so many contexts, with participation from religious leaders, leaders of the society, from civil society and children, and the broader Afghan society.

Since then the level of conflict has intensified. But I believe the desire of the people is even clearer than last year. We need peace now. We need to bring this terrible conflict to an end. And we are, here, assembled with you in order to demonstrate that the UN family wants nothing more than to see a peace process start in this country that can lead to the end of suffering, end of loss of lives, end of destruction, and start rebuilding society with rich human and natural resources.