A Letter from the Amnesty International Australia Refugee Advisory Group on the Afghanistan Crisis

Amnesty International’s Refugee Advisory Group has written to Alex Hawke, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, urging him to take tangible and meaningful steps to help Afghan people who are now facing an imminent humanitarian crisis.

Central to their calls is the recommendation to implement a fair and just community refugee sponsorship program that would allow Australian’s to welcome people from Afghanistan into their communities.

Former Afghan refugee, Farid Ashgari has been calling for a fair and just sponsorship program for more than 3 years.

”I got on a boat and risked my life to come here, so bad was the situation in Afghanistan. I don’t want my brother or others to feel the need to do the same”.

The Group has also called on Minister Hawke and the Government to immediately and urgently expand Australia’s humanitarian program to those fleeing the crisis in Afghanistan, and grant permanent protection visas to Afghan’s currently in Australia.

To read the letter click here.