AOC-sponsored Afghan households nonetheless ready for humanitarian visas from Australian authorities

5 Afghan households who’ve been sponsored by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) stay stranded, desperately awaiting humanitarian visas to be issued by the Australian authorities.

The households fled Afghanistan and are operating wanting cash. They haven’t any different technique of assist.

A member of one of many households can be a survivor of torture for his work in supporting feminine athletes.

They’ve been ready for information since September final yr and are fearful they could have been forgotten due to the Australian authorities’s shift to offering much-needed help to Ukrainians fleeing the struggle of their nation.

Abdul (not his actual identify) has beforehand been arrested by the Taliban and overwhelmed earlier than being launched. Like many who’ve skilled life underneath the Taliban, he and his household stay in worry even when outdoors the nation.

Not that he must be reminded of the hazards he would have confronted if he remained in Afghanistan, as different relations – together with kids — have been badly injured in an Islamic State bomb blast.

Every household’s story of fleeing Afghanistan throughout the border into Pakistan or Iran is harrowing.

They every now await interviews and medical checks with Australian embassy employees, though they’ve been informed such conferences can’t occur till case numbers have been allotted to them by Australian immigration officers in Canberra.

Calls to Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke’s workplace over the previous a number of weeks have gone unanswered.

Mohammed (not his actual identify) ferried at-risk feminine athletes into Kabul airport by way of a sequence of harmful checkpoints instantly after the Taliban takeover final August, enabling them to board Australian Defence Drive evacuation flights to Qatar earlier than they got permission to enter Australia.

He additionally performed a key position in rescuing 4 kids — all Australian visa holders — who had turn into separated from their mom at Kabul airport, serving to to move them throughout the border with Pakistan into the palms of Australian officers.

They’ve since been reunited with their household again in Australia, whereas Mohammed and his household at the moment are liable to being deported from Pakistan again to Kabul except they’re granted an emergency extension to stay there awaiting information from Australia.

Eventually week’s AOC annual basic assembly, chief govt Matt Carroll included the plight of the Afghans in his CEO report back to Olympic sports activities delegates and Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) officers within the room.

“In response to the humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan and in assist of the IOC’s request … the AOC has sponsored visa functions for Afghan athletes and sport officers and their households,” Carroll stated.

“Since August final yr we have been advocating their instances to the Prime Minister, the Minister for Overseas Affairs, the Minister for Immigration.

“The Minister for Overseas Affairs Marise Payne, and her workplace, have been great of their assist however sadly visa approvals are nonetheless a piece in progress and appallingly a few of the officers [in Afghanistan] have been tortured.

“We proceed our advocacy and stay in common contact with the athletes.

“Actually, I obtained one this morning and sadly considered one of them and his son was injured in an explosion yesterday in a mosque in Kabul.

The Australian authorities and Defence Drive personnel have obtained plaudits from abroad for his or her position in rescuing greater than 60 Afghan athletes — principally ladies — and their households from the airport chaos instantly after the autumn of Kabul in late August 2021.

However those that remained behind to assist others at the moment are dealing with dire penalties — together with torture — ought to they fail in acquiring humanitarian visas from Australia and are despatched again to Afghanistan.