Afghan Interpreters, Others Fast-tracking to Canada

[The Bread Guy]

Latest on some out, some still trying (and whazzup in NZ) ...

• “How a Canadian interpreter escaped Kabul, with little help from Ottawa” (ctvnews.ca)
• “Afghan interpreter in Pakistan pleads with Ottawa to speed up visa processing” (Globalnews.ca)
• “Fall of Afghanistan: Pressure builds for plan to rescue hundreds” (NZ media)
• “Plan for a private Afghan extraction operation is waiting for government’s support” (NZ media)

 

[The Bread Guy]

Some still waiting .... "Afghans who worked for Canadian military still waiting for rescue from Kabul safe house"

... Eleanor Taylor, a retired Canadian lieutenant-colonel who is Aman Lara’s volunteer chief of staff, said the organization and its allied NGOs have a master list of about 2,000 applicants. Along with their families, they come to just more than 10,000 people who need to be evacuated from Afghanistan and brought to Canada. Roughly half of the primary applicants have connections to the Canadian military, while the rest of the list is made up of women, LGBTQ+ individuals, human-rights workers and journalists who fit the profile of IRCC’s program to bring 40,000 Afghan refugees to Canada.

Evading the Taliban is the biggest challenge for Aman Lara and its allies, but getting the wheels of Canadian bureaucracy to turn faster – to issue emergency visas and to persuade Afghanistan’s neighbours to temporarily take in Canada-bound refugees – has also been difficult ...

If story link doesn't work, text also attached for purposes of research, private study or education under the Fair Dealing provisions of Canada's Copyright Act.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Not looking great for some who helped the Dutch ...

Afghan interpreters who worked for the Netherlands have been summoned to appear in court by the Taliban who have threatened their families, Dutch public television NOS reported on Friday.

The interpreters are in hiding but their family members will be held responsible if they fail to show up in court “and severely punished to teach other traitors a lesson,” said a letter from the Taliban, which was aired by the broadcaster ...

 

[CBH99]

The “New Taliban.” More tolerant than before. Reformed. For the people, by the people. No more crazy violence or ruling by tyranny.

Riiiigghhhtttt….

 

[Altair]

BBC News - Afghanistan: Deadly attack hits Kunduz mosque during Friday prayers Afghanistan: Deadly attack hits Kunduz mosque during Friday prayers

Your turn Taliban. You have fun providing security for the people against groups like Islamic state. Best of luck.

 

[daftandbarmy]

BBC News - Afghanistan: Deadly attack hits Kunduz mosque during Friday prayers Afghanistan: Deadly attack hits Kunduz mosque during Friday prayers

Your turn Taliban. You have fun providing security for the people against groups like Islamic state. Best of luck.

The right approach, of course, is: "How can we help?"

I hope we're not too parochial to try that

 

[The Bread Guy]

Some still waiting, but not in Afghanistan ....

An Afghan family that fled Kabul as the Taliban took over the country in August has been stuck in Ukraine for more than a month while they wait for Canadian immigration officials to process their paperwork.

Jawed Ahmad Haqmal — a former interpreter for the Canadian Armed Forces — and his 11 relatives, including five children, were part of a large group that was evacuated by Ukrainian soldiers.

Since landing in Kyiv on Aug. 28, they have been staying at a hotel paid for by the Globe and Mail, whose reporter Mark MacKinnon assisted the family’s dramatic escape hours after two deadly suicide attacks outside Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport ...

 

[OldSolduer]

Some still waiting, but not in Afghanistan ....

A good start but Immigration Canada needs to do better.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The right approach, of course, is: "How can we help?" ...

Taliban so far: We're good, thanks ...

• “Afghan foreign minister says Taliban forces can control ISIS threat” (Reuters)
• “Taliban say they won’t work with US to contain Islamic State” (Associated Press)
• “Islamic Emirate: No Need for US Support in Containing Daesh” (AFG media)

 

[The Bread Guy]

A few tidbits, Canadian and otherwise ....

• “Canada pushed to act to help Afghan interpreter and family stuck in Ukraine” (globalnews.ca)
• “Afghans targeted by the Taliban say they have no idea how to secure Canadian visas” (CBC News)
• “Volunteers who supported Syrian refugees reconnecting to help Afghan newcomers” (Toronto Star)
• “Afghan refugees settle in Saskatoon” (globalnews.ca)
• “Interpreter on Dutch evacuation list murdered in Kabul: report” (NLD media)

 

[The Bread Guy]

One think tank's seven suggestions ....

• Get people out
• Increase government assisted refugees
• Keep extended families together
• Pave the way for private sponsorship
• Clarify the new humanitarian program
• Speed things up
• Strengthen international aid

 

[The Bread Guy]

In the U.K., ballsy move by someone ...

A suspected extremist with links to ISIS was removed from a plane leaving Kabul, foiling his attempt to return to the UK after being stripped of his rights to live there.

The Afghan man, identified only as D9, had been living in the UK since 2001 but returned to Afghanistan for Covid-19-related reasons in 2019, only to be barred from returning on national security grounds.

Undeterred, the man tried to travel back to the UK in March and boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul for the first leg of his journey. But the British government intervened and he was taken off the aircraft in Kabul because of the security risk he posed, court papers say.

D9 is now suing Home Secretary Priti Patel so he can leave Afghanistan where he believes his life is at risk because authorities may conclude that he is an extremist.

(...)

D9 is relying on a judge’s ruling in February that the British government did not have the right to end the residency rights of another migrant in a separate case ...

 

[OldSolduer]

In the U.K., ballsy move by someone ...

Well at least some one has some.... we'd roll out the red carpet, give them a huge cheque and in some areas a standing ovation.

 

[CBH99]

In the U.K., ballsy move by someone ...

He left the UK and went back to Afghanistan for Covid related reasons? How does that make any sense?

Leave a country with a well established healthcare system, free vaccinations once the vaccines became available, and various social supports…for…

a 3rd world country that - at the time - was run by a corrupt and incompetent government with no health care system, no access to medications or vaccinations, or modern medical assistance?


Cool move. Bro. Clearly well thought out too.

I wish when COVID became a thing, my brain was smart enough to say “Ya know what? Better move to Afghanistan, just to be on the safe side…”

Either he’s a genuine moron, or someone that raised enough serious flags to have the UK arrange for him to be taken off a plane before it took off. I’m guessing it’s the latter…

And he is worried that his life is in danger because authorities may conclude he is an extremist. The local authorities are the Taliban…


0.02

Btw - if the UK arranged to have him removed from a flight prior to takeoff, it means they had surveillance on him. Electronically to know he had purchased a ticket, and someone on the ground that confirmed he had boarded the aircraft.

Media might want to think before writing and publishing articles. The Taliban are now aware that the UK has active reporting sources in Kabul, even if they are just CI’s.

Discretion is truly undervalued.


Another 0.02

 

[The Bread Guy]

... Media might want to think before writing and publishing articles ...

And if they don't publish articles about people kicked out for being threats trying to get back into a country, they get accused of "not showing the truth" or "ignoring what's happening," especially if it's happening in open court proceedings. #CantWin

And if anyone knows they're being watched by more than just the U.K., it would be Taliban 2.0 these days

 

[CBH99]

How shitty of a day are you having when the Taliban pull you off a flight for being a wee bit too sketchy?

And for it to all happen at THAT airport to boot…



The more I think about this article, the more my dark side chuckles a bit…

He’s worried that local authorities may deem him to be an extremist.

Ummm…the UK just had you pulled off a flight for ‘posing a serious security risk to the UK.’ The Taliban don’t need to deem you an extremist, the UK already called them and outed you as one. Hence your current predicament…

I had assumed ‘it was the latter’ in my previous post. But maybe it’s a blend of both possibilities?



**Disclaimer now - If the UK did just muck this up and do this to the wrong person, or did this based on blatantly wrong information, just ignore my sarcasm here.

Then I’d genuinely feel for this guy.

Still doesn’t explain why he went back to Afghanistan after getting out. Especially for COVID related reasons…

 

[The Bread Guy]

Back here at home, this out Monday from the Immigration/Refugee/Citizenship info-machine ...

Individuals from Afghanistan may now be eligible to apply for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) if they received a final negative decision from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada or the Federal Court, or a final PRRA decision from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) from October 19, 2020 to October 18, 2021.

If someone’s refugee claim or previous application for a PRRA is rejected, abandoned or withdrawn, or if their application for leave or judicial review is dismissed by the Federal Court, they are not eligible to apply for a PRRA for at least 12 months.

However, the worsening conditions in Afghanistan could put individuals at risk, in which case they may warrant an additional assessment. For this reason, some individuals from Afghanistan are now exempt from the 12-month bar on applying for a PRRA, depending on when they received a decision on their refugee claim ...

 

[The Bread Guy]

Increasingly less room at the inn, so to speak ...

Some Kabul safe houses, where hundreds of Afghans who helped the Canadian military and non-governmental organizations are waiting to flee to Canada, are set to be closed in two weeks because of lack of funding.

An organization running the safe houses, where around 1,700 people with approval to come to Canada are being housed and fed, say that "time has run out" for them.

Without government support, some will have to close because they do not have the cash to keep all of them open.

(...)

Aman Lara, the Canadian non-governmental organization that is running the safe houses on the ground, said because evacuations were so slow it did not have funds to keep them all open.

"Due to the complexity of the situation in Afghanistan, Aman Lara regretfully has to scale back accommodation support to Afghans in need of evacuation by Nov. 5. Currently, approximately 1,700 people are under our care," the organization said in a written statement.

"We had expected that applications would be processed in a timely manner and evacuations would be swifter. Unfortunately, our ability to finance the accommodations has diminished and time has run out." ...

Although even with Taliban 2.0, I wonder how "safe" safe houses will remain, no matter who runs them ....

 

[The Bread Guy]

Load o' Canadian coverage for the moment ...

• "Government data breach exposes Afghans to more danger" (CBC News)
• The FIfth Estate "Abandoned in Afghanistan: Canada's failed promise" (CBC News)
• "Online criteria for Afghan refugee program changes, applies only to those who've fled" (The Canadian Press via Toronto Sun)
• " 'They worked for us. They bled for us.' " (Ottawa Citizen)
• " 'A dysfunctional process': Thousands of Canada's allies and their families still stranded in Afghanistan" (National Post)
• "Canada promised to take in 20,000-40,000 Afghan refugees. Where are they?" (National Post)
• Opinion: "Friends of Canada still in Afghanistan face immeasurable risks to their lives" (Vancouver Sun)

 

[The Bread Guy]

More Canadian coverage (esp. with reporters in AFG right now):

• “Canadian government urged to rescue Afghan interpreters long before American withdrawal, leaked emails reveal” (CBC News)
• “Canada must ‘fulfill the promise’ and rescue remaining Afghans, veterans say” (Globalnews.ca)
• “N.L. welcomes 116 Afghan refugees in single flight to St. John’s” (CBC News)
• “Province welcomes 116 new refugees from Afghanistan” (ntv.ca)
• “Afghanistan crisis: Is Canada doing enough to rescue Afghans trapped in country?” (The Global Herald)
• “Global News exclusive: Inside Afghanistan’s safe houses where people hide from Taliban” (Global News via Yahoo)
• “Hopes crushed by return of Taliban, Kabul women see no future in Afghanistan” (Globalnews.ca)
• “Veteran retraining program now serves former Afghan interpreters” (CTV News)