The U.K. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said that the U.K. will waive border rules to allow Afghan asylum seekers to enter the U.K. without a passport. While this is to be welcomed, it is the bare minimum that the UK and the US should do after a war on terror that cost over 70,000 civilian lives, lasted 20 years and took a week to disintegrate. But we aren't being told the specifics of numbers and timescales.
Put pressure on the government
Please contact your MP with specific demands:
1. Suspend refugee removals to Afghanistan. We need to be getting people to safety, not putting them back in danger.
2. Grant asylum now to Afghan refugees already here, many of whom have been left waiting years for an asylum decision and unable to start their life.
3. The U.K. government has announced it will resettle 20,000 Afghan civilians "in the coming years". When will that resettlement programme begin? How many civilians will be resettled each year?
4. To work with other governments to create a coalition that will provide safe routes to sanctuary, funding and homes for people from Afghanistan.
5. To put in place humanitarian visas. People should not have to make dangerous, life-threatening journeys in order to Avoid staying in a country that is dangerous and life-threatening.
6. To increase UK humanitarian support to Afghanistan and Afghan civil society, reversing the recent UK aid cuts, and mobilising the funding necessary to meet our responsibilities towards the Afghan people
Donate
Positive Action in Housing has been supporting Afghan refugees since 2001. We assist asylum seeking families with pre-legal advice, casework, shelter, food, crisis support and practical help. It's an important step to helping families to resettle and begin to rebuild their lives.
In 2021, Afghanistan is on track to see a record number of civilian casualties, with the worst hit being women and children. We expect to see an upsurge in the numbers of Afghan refugees needing our support.
Your regular financial donation will help us delivery key humanitarian projects providing direct support to those seeking asylum in the U.K.
- Housing & Homelessness Project (Assisting asylum seekers and refugees with housing and homelessness problems)
- Refugee Resettlement Project (helping new refugees to resettle)
- Emergency Relief Fund (crisis grants, bus passes and food vouchers)
- Room for Refugees (Scotland, England and US refugee hosting network)
- Humans of Glasgow (Volunteer network directly supporting asylum seekers in need)
We welcome your feedback and look forward to continued engagement with you during this critical time.
Finally, donate to our humanitarian work at this CAF link . See our latest annual report here.
Best wishes and kind regards,
Robina Qureshi
Director
Positive Action in Housing