By: Shazia Nazir, Local Journalism Initiative
The Migrant Rights Network is urging the Canadian government to take immediate action to support Afghan migrants and refugees.
The group insists Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s promise to relocate “as many as possible” must come with urgent timelines, full government financial and logistical support, and full rights and protections for those coming to or already in Canada.
The Migrant Rights Network urges the Canadian government to immediately ensure immediate safe passage by any means to the following groups:
- Afghans and their families,
- those who may face reprisals, including women’s and human rights defenders,
- Those that acted acted in any capacity that aided the Canadian military of government (interpreters, volunteers, employees or advisors
Documentation and application requirements must be waived in response to the dire situation under the new regime in Afghanistan.
The network is also calling all deportations of Afghans in Canada, including to “safe third countries.” Other demands include that Permanent Resident status be immediately granted to all Afghans ant their families currently in Canada. And that all application processes immediately waived.
The Migrants Rights’ network is also calling for the federal government to take full responsibility for resettlement of Afghan refugees. Canada formally ended its airlift rescue mission to Kabul Thursday August 26. According to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, approximately 8,000 applications were received under a special program for Afghan interpreters. Of those approximately 2,700 made it to safety.
