"We will shift heaven and earth to help people to get out of Afghanistan. We will do everything we can"
Boris Johnson, 2021.
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"All 6 men who drowned in the Channel were Afghan. Afghans are running from Afghanistan because of the Taliban
They are on small boats because the U.K. government won’t open safe & legal routes for Afghans like they have for Ukrainians.
Don’t even know what to say anymore"
Peymana Assad, 2023.
"We need to continue to speak up and stand up for our values of respect, compassion and dignity for all humans."
"Let’s not stay silent in the face of hate."
Peymana Assad.
"All I know is this: in the end good will triumph over evil.
History has shown us this. As long as there are good people willing to fight for it.
We must resist."
PeymanaAssad
Every day since the return of the Taliban in 2021, there have been at least 2,000 Afghan refugees waiting in Calais, France to cross the English Channel to the U.K.
Many of them qualify for the U.K. government's ARAP Afghan relocation scheme.
Some of them are holding U.K. Home Office letters of acceptance to the scheme in their hands.
None of them have a safe legal route to cross the channel.
#SafeRoutes
#RefugeesWelcome
#UKAsylumPolicy
#ForgottenAfghans
It may come as a surprise to some people that there is actually a safe, legal route for Afghan refugees to enter the U.K. The ARAP relocation scheme.
Though thousands of Afghans are eligible, only 6 Afghans have been allowed to enter the U.K. on this route since December 22.
They're allowed in. They're not allowed in. The Afghans are Schrödinger's Refugees.
#UKAsylumPolicy
#RefugeesWelcome
#SafeRoutes
#ForgottenAfghans
Here are two stories about female former Afghan judges and their battles with the U.K. Home Office.
The first one details the judge who spent 2 years in hiding before winning her legal challenge against the U.K.'s own Home Office to enter the U.K.
This is the good news story. No, really.
#UKAsylumPolicy
#RefugeesWelcome
#SafeRoutes
#ForgottenAfghans
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/23/female-afghan-judge-wins-legal-battle-to-come-to-uk
The bad news story is there are over 3,800 former Afghan judges and key staff still trapped in Afghanistan.
It's thought that most of them would be eligible for the U.K.s' ARAP/ ACRS relocation scheme.
Is the U.K. Home Office helping them out? What do you think?
#UKAsylumPolicy
#SafeRoutes
#RefugeesWelcome
#ForgottenAfghans
https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/2023/08/09/afghanistan-female-judges-taliban/
Individuals using ARAP lose their refugee status, they have to use an online form and have to be contactable by the MoD, that is the track to get addressed by the Home Office for relocation, again they'd have to be contactable.
ARAP is only for those previously employed or contracted by HM Gov or those otherwise working with British Forces.
Because they don't have refugee status other family members can't apply later to join them they have to be on the form.
It wasn't a criticism, more just filling out with detail.
@ProjectFearlessness
The safe route is leaving people stuck in danger in Afghanistan or in limbo in Pakistan. It only applies to some Afghans too. Its no wonder they are ending up in small boats in desperation.
@AutisticMumTo3
The Afghan refugees who are just left alone in limbo in Pakistan are the 'lucky' ones. Many of them are being harassed, arrested and even deported back to Afghanistan by the Pakistani authorities.
ProjectFearlessness
AutisticMumTo3
Björn Heile
Simon Lucy
