Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 07/01) - Aman paced back and forth across a beach, a million starfish stranded on the shore as the tide fell away, and he threw them back one by one. Approached by another man asking him about futility, he threw a starfish in the sea and said, "that one will live."

This is the story Hindu faith representative Umesh Sutendra told during his speech to around 100 people at last Saturday's benefit concert for the refugee crisis in Afghanistan.

The event was put on by the Collateral Care Society of Yellowknife, spearheaded by Greg O'Neil and Jamie Bastedo.

It was born from a meeting called Bridges not Bombs, organized a few weeks after two jets piloted by terrorists slammed into the World Trade Centre.

Held at the Northern United Place, it featured a wide range of musicians and speakers from three of the world's major faiths: Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Sutendra spoke for the latter. The event raised around $7,300 for the 7.5 million refugees living beneath a hell storm of American bombs. Starfish.

"Each of us is called upon in our time, in our place to do our part and that is the measure of our love," said Bishop Chris Williams, speaking for the Christian church.

Fadil Memedi, speaking for the Muslim faith, said Islam is beautiful and it wasn't right to tar one of the world's great religion with the brush of fanaticism.

"The war in Afghanistan makes me uncomfortable," he said.

Jane Leblanc spent time in Pashawar, a Pakistani city near the Afghan border, in 1993.

She brought two rugs purchased in Pakistan to the benefit concert and laid them on the steps as her contribution.

The design on the rugs depicted Kalishnakov rifles, tanks, helicopters and the words muhjer (muhjadeen) scattered throughout.

"We had 12 armed guards escorting us and we rode around in a jeep with a machine gun," said Leblanc in an interview.

Leblanc said she entered a village where all around her people made guns. For children, guns are toys, like Legos or Hotwheels.

"I wanted to bring bags of garbage here instead of the food that's here," said Leblanc.

"Because that is what the children eat there, garbage."

The concert ended with violinist Slobaden Zemva and pianist-vocalist Iris Zemva playing Ave Maria, Aire de Bach, Domina Deus, Vedrai Carino Opera.

Sutherland Drugs is accepting donations until Nov 14.