Afghanistan crisis
'Can't go back': Afghans demonstrate in Delhi seeking refugee status, financial security
New Delhi/IBNS: As the world is witnessing a massive crisis unfold in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the south Asian country, Afghan nationals in India are seeking refugee status and financial security for which they demonstrated outside the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Delhi on Monday.
Men, women, and even children gathered at the site holding the Afghan flag and posters highlighting their problems and seeking opportunities as well as support for survival.
"There are women here with small children who don't have proper education facilities. We don't have work, we don't have medical facilities... We are depressed," Hasila, one of the protesters in the crowd, told NDTV channel.
A young student on wheelchair, Tuaha Barak, was also a part of the protest, told the channel: "We can't return to Afghanistan. The situation is in total chaos. The only thing I can think of is the bloodshed in my country. We don't have a choice. We have to start afresh."
"We want a better future. We want resettlement, even if it means to sacrifice everything. My dream is to help my compatriots when I am able to go back home one day," he added.
Represented by the Afghan Solidarity Committee, the protesters, in a letter to the UN Refugee Agency, said the "situation in Afghanistan is currently deteriorating with rapid speed and harsh violence".
The panel urged that the asylum seekers should be given refugee status "without any conditions and regulations".
Appealing for financial security, the committee further said: "Due to the current situation in Afghanistan, and to the definitive closure of all kinds of incoming financial sources that Afghan refugees depended are stopped, so we want from UNHCR and its partners to full cover our essentials living facilities henceforth until we leave India."
"We expect from UNHCR to provide support letters to those embassies which are accepting refugees based on their announcement which would cover for all Afghan refugee, and at the meantime kindly share the copies of the letters with each individual of refugees or their further reference," the letter further read.
"We will continue our gathering here by the time we did not get our response," the committee further stated.
On Sunday, 23 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus were brought to India on board an Indian Air Force plane, along with 107 Indian nationals.
Two Afghan Sikh MPs and their families were also part of those evacuated on Sunday.
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