The British government announced a plan to bring in 20,000 Afghan refugees under a new resettlement programme that prioritises women, children, and religious minorities.
On Tuesday, The Times reported that the Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme aims to protect those “most at risk of human rights abuses and dehumanising treatment by the Taliban.” The plan intends on bringing in around 5,000 Afghans to the United Kingdom (UK) within the first year by providing them safe and legal access.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK owed a “debt of gratitude to all those who have worked with British troops to make Afghanistan a better place over the last 20 years. Many of them, particularly women, are now in urgent need of our help.”
Johnson celebrated the scheme as the “best solution” for everyone in Afghanistan. He also urged the international community to unite to combat the humanitarian crisis in the country. Additionally, Johnson highlighted the importance of setting firm “political conditions for the country’s future governance.” He said this means that efforts are needed to “prevent a humanitarian emergency.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel also reassured that the government would do “everything possible” to assist “the most vulnerable” seeking to flee Afghanistan and settle in the UK. The scheme, she said, would “save lives.” Speaking to the BBC, she said that the Taliban’s announcement vowing to protect women’s rights is part of their “PR operation.” Recalling the history of oppression against women at the hands of the Taliban, she said that their ideologies are “not going to change overnight.”
Responding to criticism that the plan was insufficient to combat the humanitarian crisis, she said that the target of 5,000 was keeping in mind the country’s capacity to bring in and provide for the refugees. She said, “It would be terrible quite frankly to bring people and not be able to give them the support that they would need in terms of accommodation, resettlement and allowing them to build a new life in the UK.”
However, Patel warned that those arriving “illegally” would not be assisted. She urged the Afghan people to refrain from using the English Channel to come into the UK. If this route is taken, the refugees “will claim asylum in the way in which people who enter our system are currently claiming asylum,” she said.
Previously, the British government announced that it would assist 5,000 Afghans who worked for the UK organisations in Afghanistan under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy. Since June 2020, over 2,000 former employees have been brought into the UK. Over the past few days, the British government has evacuated 520 people, including British citizens and the Afghan staff. However, according to estimates, 3,000 British citizens and dual nationals are still stuck in the war-torn country.
The announcements come amid widespread criticism of the UK’s decision to follow the United States in hastily withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan. The unplanned drawdown has been blamed for paving the way for the Taliban to take over the country quickly. Since then, Afghans and several international actors have raised concerns about the future of human rights in the country, specifically for women and religious minorities.
UK Announces Refugee Resettlement Programme for 20,000 Afghans
The British government has announced a resettlement programme for 20,000 Afghans, with a specific focus on women and religious minorities.
August 19, 2021
SOURCE: SKY NEWS