Post by ocelot on Jul 26, 2006 8:36:31 GMT -5
Afghanistan's ambassador to Canada says millions will remember Canadian
26 Jul, 2:09 AM
VANCOUVER (CP) - Afghanistan's ambassador to Canada says millions of people in Afghanistan will remember a Vancouver carpenter who returned to their country year after year to build a school for young children, only to be shot.
Omar Samad said Tuesday he had spoken to Mike Frastacky on the phone earlier this year and invited him to visit Ottawa on his way back to Canada so the two could meet. "I was extremely saddened and shocked to hear that such a tragedy had occurred," Samad said from Ottawa.
"When his request for a visa came to my embassy, my staff pointed it out to me and I was so impressed by this man's humanity and courage."
Frastacky, 56, had made an annual trip to Afghanistan since about 2002, staying for at least two months each time, Samad said.
"He told me that he was very much impressed by the Afghans and that he felt that they were kind and generous and hospitable people even though they were very poor.
"Maybe it was that combination of poverty, bad luck and hope for the future that drew him to Afghanistan."
Frastacky was building a school in Nahrin, in the northeastern province of Baghlan, with his own money and funds he'd raised from family and friends, Samad said.
He said Frastacky said in a letter to the embassy that the school that served nine villages had 12 classrooms, a library, an office, a playground and a sports field.
Frastacky was found dead in the house of an Afghan national with three bullet wounds to the chest.
Afghan authorities investigating the slaying said Wednesday they have detained four men for questioning, including a translator, a body guard, the owner of the house and a neighbour.
Maureen Mayhew, a close friend of Frastacky, said she learned about what happened through an e-mail from his family in Toronto. Family members did not wish to be interviewed.
"Mike was a very selfless type of person who had kind of a never-ending generosity," Mayhew said.
Mayhew said Frastacky spent some time working in an orphanage before deciding that building a school would be the best way to help people.
This year, he returned to build a wall outside the school.
"Part of that wall was to turn the playground into a girl's playground and a boy's playground because without the wall the girls can't play in the playground," she said.
"I think it's beautiful that he was able to follow his passion and to leave this legacy for the children in Afghanistan but knowing the risks that he was subjecting himself to."
Frastacky wasn't working with any non-government organization and so wasn't protected by NATO guards.
Samad said he'll do everything he can to find out what happened to the humanitarian.
"I'll be talking to authorities in Kabul as well as in (Baghlan) to make sure that we investigate fully this matter, that we get to the bottom of this, that we bring to justice anyone or any group that may have been responsible for this," he said.
"In the past few months we have had reports of a resurgence of extremist elements like the Taliban and other extremist groups that used to have a foothold in these provinces. Now, is this tied to his killing? We don't know but we will have to find out."
Samad said he also wants to contact Frastacky's family in Toronto and express his sympathy and gratitude for a man who did so much for Afghanistan.
"The hearts of millions of Afghans, and our prayers, go (out) to them for their loss," Samad said.
"This is a tragedy that has befallen this family and it is sad to see a very gentle, generous soul lose his life in a very noble cause to help people who are destitute and in need of help.
"But I'm sure that people in that district and those villages in that province in Afghanistan will remember this human being and this Canadian who came to help them."
Canada has had soldiers in Afghanistan since 2001 as part of the U.S.-led coalition formed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
26 Jul, 2:09 AM
VANCOUVER (CP) - Afghanistan's ambassador to Canada says millions of people in Afghanistan will remember a Vancouver carpenter who returned to their country year after year to build a school for young children, only to be shot.
Omar Samad said Tuesday he had spoken to Mike Frastacky on the phone earlier this year and invited him to visit Ottawa on his way back to Canada so the two could meet. "I was extremely saddened and shocked to hear that such a tragedy had occurred," Samad said from Ottawa.
"When his request for a visa came to my embassy, my staff pointed it out to me and I was so impressed by this man's humanity and courage."
Frastacky, 56, had made an annual trip to Afghanistan since about 2002, staying for at least two months each time, Samad said.
"He told me that he was very much impressed by the Afghans and that he felt that they were kind and generous and hospitable people even though they were very poor.
"Maybe it was that combination of poverty, bad luck and hope for the future that drew him to Afghanistan."
Frastacky was building a school in Nahrin, in the northeastern province of Baghlan, with his own money and funds he'd raised from family and friends, Samad said.
He said Frastacky said in a letter to the embassy that the school that served nine villages had 12 classrooms, a library, an office, a playground and a sports field.
Frastacky was found dead in the house of an Afghan national with three bullet wounds to the chest.
Afghan authorities investigating the slaying said Wednesday they have detained four men for questioning, including a translator, a body guard, the owner of the house and a neighbour.
Maureen Mayhew, a close friend of Frastacky, said she learned about what happened through an e-mail from his family in Toronto. Family members did not wish to be interviewed.
"Mike was a very selfless type of person who had kind of a never-ending generosity," Mayhew said.
Mayhew said Frastacky spent some time working in an orphanage before deciding that building a school would be the best way to help people.
This year, he returned to build a wall outside the school.
"Part of that wall was to turn the playground into a girl's playground and a boy's playground because without the wall the girls can't play in the playground," she said.
"I think it's beautiful that he was able to follow his passion and to leave this legacy for the children in Afghanistan but knowing the risks that he was subjecting himself to."
Frastacky wasn't working with any non-government organization and so wasn't protected by NATO guards.
Samad said he'll do everything he can to find out what happened to the humanitarian.
"I'll be talking to authorities in Kabul as well as in (Baghlan) to make sure that we investigate fully this matter, that we get to the bottom of this, that we bring to justice anyone or any group that may have been responsible for this," he said.
"In the past few months we have had reports of a resurgence of extremist elements like the Taliban and other extremist groups that used to have a foothold in these provinces. Now, is this tied to his killing? We don't know but we will have to find out."
Samad said he also wants to contact Frastacky's family in Toronto and express his sympathy and gratitude for a man who did so much for Afghanistan.
"The hearts of millions of Afghans, and our prayers, go (out) to them for their loss," Samad said.
"This is a tragedy that has befallen this family and it is sad to see a very gentle, generous soul lose his life in a very noble cause to help people who are destitute and in need of help.
"But I'm sure that people in that district and those villages in that province in Afghanistan will remember this human being and this Canadian who came to help them."
Canada has had soldiers in Afghanistan since 2001 as part of the U.S.-led coalition formed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.