An open letter to Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister of Foreign Affairs was submitted today with signatures from 61 organisations, individuals and Afghan community members calling for urgent action for Afghanistan. In the open letter, the group expresses their concern about the delay in Government action:
“The needs in Afghanistan are growing by the hour. Right now, there are compounding crises taking place, including hunger, displacement, conflict, and Covid-19. Basic services are collapsing, and aid is running out. There are ongoing reports of gross human rights abuses. Women, children, and those who have worked to promote human rights, democracy and education, are amongst the people most at risk. Urgent action is needed to prevent an even greater humanitarian disaster and to ensure that every individual has their rights and dignity upheld.”
Canada has announced the resettlement of up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghan nationals; the UK committed to accepting 20,000 Afghan refugees; the US is expected to admit 50,000 Afghan refugees and has set aside a US$500 million fund which will help meet urgent migration needs; European countries and our Australian neighbours are also taking steps. However, New Zealand has made no such commitments yet. The letter urges the Government to take action, saying:
“Your Government is perceived to be one that practices kindness and is committed to collective action for the betterment of humanity, yet other countries have taken significant steps to address the need for international support and assistance, while New Zealand has not.”
“The New Zealand Government spent 20 years and hundreds of millions of dollars in military expenditure as part of the international intervention in Afghanistan. We have an obligation to the people of Afghanistan to stand by them now. Be it the provision of aid, or safe pathways to New Zealand, the time for response is immediate and the cost of inaction is high.”
Read the open letter here, which includes signatures from the following:
Organisations
- ActionStation
- Afghan Cultural Association of Wellington
- Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
- Anglican Missions
- Aotearoa Resettled Community Coalition (ARCC)
- Asylum Support Seekers Trust (ASST)
- Belong Aotearoa
- Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
- ChildFund
- Christian Churches New Zealand
- Christian World Service
- Community Law Centres O Aotearoa
- Congregational Union of New Zealand
- Council for International Development
- ECPAT NZ
- Fairtrade ANZ
- Hagar
- Hazara Afghan Youth Association (HAYA)
- Hazara Association of New Zealand
- Methodist Church of New Zealand
- NZBMS (New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society)
- Oxfam Aotearoa
- ReliefAid
- Save the Children
- Tearfund
- The Gender Justice Collective
- The National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago
- Tutapona International
- UN Women Aotearoa New Zealand
- United Afghan Association of Canterbury
- Vineyard Churches Aotearoa New Zealand
- Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand
- World Vision New Zealand
Individuals
- Alberto Costi, Professor, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
- Amin Vakili, Civil Society Activist and members of the Afghan Cultural Association of Wellington
- Archbishop Don Tamihere. Te Pihopa o Aotearoa
- Archbishop Philip Richardson, Bishop of Waikato and Taranaki
- Associate Professor Bethan Greener PhD, Massey
- Blake Dawson, Barrister (Brandon Street Chambers)
- Bridget Crichton (Fa’amatuainu), Lecturer, AUT School of Law
- Carol Peters, PhD, QSM, Whangarei District Councillor
- Dr Arif Ali, Hazara Association of New Zealand and Afghan Cultural Association of Wellington.
- Dr Charles Mpofu; Senior Lecturer
- Dr Marnie Lloydd, Lecturer, Victoria University of Wellington
- Dr Natalia Szablewska, International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Expert, Auckland University of Technology
- Dr. Heather Devere, Director of Practice, Te Ao o Rongmaraeroa/National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies
- Eleanor Holroyd Co-Director AUT Centre of Migrant and Refugee Research
- James Meager, Public Law Solicitor
- Jane Verbitsky Associate Professor
- Javid Nazari, President of Afghan Cultural Association of Wellington
- John McBride, Barrister
- Marianne Elliott, Human Rights Advocate
- Mohammad Raqiz Nabizadah, member of Afghan Cultural Association of Wellington
- Monique van Alphen Fyfe, Barrister | Rōia Tūtahi (Stout Street Chambers)
- Natalie Baird, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law | Te Kaupeka Ture, University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
- Nicola Muir, Author
- Paul Rishworth QC
- Right Reverend Fakaofo Kaio – Moderator Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa NZ
- Shakerah Zakeri, member of the Afghan community
- Sulaiman Sarwary, PHD student and member of Aotearoa’s Afghan Community
- Wendy Aldred, Barrister (Stout Street Chambers)
