Given NZ's role in the occupation of Afghanistan, we have to create a pathway to support refugees beyond the minimal number we've vowed to support. We don't have to choose between charity and Covid - we can do both, writes Bex Rillstone.
As the country gets stuck into to our Level 4 Lockdown, it is easy to put the blinkers on and become consumed with our own war on Covid and the challenges this brings.
No doubt, this is a stressful time for many who navigate potential income loss, instability and insecurity. As I scroll through social media commentaries on discussions around a New Zealand response to the Afghan crisis, I’m met with the age-old discourse that “charity starts at home”. We have set up the false dichotomy of ‘Us vs Them’ and it serves no purpose other than relieving groundless fears of extending our resources to others. The idea that we cannot support people both within and beyond our borders is an outdated myth, even within the context of Covid-19.
You would be hard pressed to find someone who disagrees with the fact that comparative to the world around us, Aotearoa has remained in a healthy and prosperous position. We've had a clear plan to act hard and fast, reducing the long-term impact of Covid-19 (economically and health-related) faced by many other countries. We are lucky enough to be in a position to help others who are arbitrarily less fortunate than ourselves.
Since Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban, 20 million people are in need of immediate assistance as they flee their homes in fear of persecution from the tyrannical militant regime. Nearly 100,000 Afghan children alone have been displaced from their homes and more than 30 percent of the population face food insecurity. To make matters worse, Covid-19 continues to sweep through the country and vaccinations have come to a halt in light of the crisis.
We are under no illusions – the Taliban will reinstate its tyranny. Beyond its restrictive laws, the Taliban has demonstrated its cruel treatment of those who do not abide by the strict regime, including kidnapping, rape, beatings and executions. But let us not forget that in Taliban fighter hands are US-made and imported M4 assault rifles. The bad Taliban vs Good American narrative conveniently brushes over the reality that tens of thousands of Afghans were killed, and millions forced into exile, while the US were in charge. This is the sad outcome of 20 years of occupation and $2 trillion in spending on military and aid.
New Zealand has played a part in the failed war since 2001, and we now have a responsibility to heal the exit wounds created by the withdrawal of international military forces. Afghan Kiwis are pleading with the Government to allow their families to join them safely here in New Zealand. They feel helpless as their loved ones try to escape the Taliban.
When faced with situations like this, I ask myself how I would feel if I were in their shoes. What would I want for myself and my children, in the face of persecution and poverty? I would like to think that people and nations in better off positions would do their part in providing safety and protection for my family.
What are other countries doing to respond to the crisis? The UK and Canada have both vowed to take 20,000 Afghan refugees, and the US has set aside US$500 million to fund refugee resettlement. Uganda, a developing country already hosting 1.4 million refugees from South Sudan, has also agreed to take 2000 refugees. Even Airbnb has offered free accommodation for 20,000 Afghan refugees.
It’s worth nothing that New Zealand made a financial loss of $156 million from hosting the America's Cup this year, which is more than the entire annual budget earmarked for refugee resettlement. We have a responsibility, but we also have the ability, to provide asylum to those most vulnerable to the terror of the Taliban. As Amnesty International has pleaded “it’s time to lead with the compassion Aotearoa is believed to have on the world stage”.
So, do we have to choose between charity and Covid? The answer is no - we can do both. We can, and we must, create a pathway to support refugees beyond the minimal number of Afghan nationals we have already vowed to support. Times likes this brings out both the best and worst of humanity. Let us be defined by the former.
What else can the New Zealand Government do?
- Hold further negotiations with the Taliban to allow continued evacuations of Afghan nationals after August 31 by NZDF
- Grant Refugee Family Support Visas to family members of former refugees from Afghanistan in New Zealand
- Open the Community Sponsorship category to Afghan nationals, allowing New Zealand individuals, groups, churches or businesses to sponsor refugees
- Create a refugee pathway for vulnerable people fleeing the Taliban, prioritising women, children, human rights activists and minority groups who may be targeted
What you can do?
- Sign the Amnesty International and Action Station petitions urging the Government to provide asylum to vulnerable Afghan nationals
- Write to the Minister of Immigration, Kris Faafoi and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nanaia Mahuta to advocate for a compassionate New Zealand response
- Donate to the aid and protection to displaced people in Afghanistan by supporting World Vision NZ, or UNICEF NZ who have both set up relief funds
