Renee Wood
While the crisis in Afghanistan unfolds under the Taliban’s rule, groups are coming together to discuss how they can take action to help refugees.
Yarra Ranges’ residents joined a zoom meeting held by Healesville’s Rural Australians for Refugees to hear from Afghanistan refugee Zaki Haidari.
“We haven’t slept for a single night. We’re here physically but our hearts and our mind, everything is back in our country,” Mr Haidari said.
“I can’t rest, I can’t work. I’m broken emotionally.
“My sisters and my brothers are at the airport trying to get away from the Taliban, because Kabul is surrounded by the Taliban, they cannot get out.”
The group’s founder, Iain Gillespie, invited Mr Haidari to speak to provide insight on how Australians and the Government can support refugees and asylum seekers.
The pair met in 2013, when the past Journalist interviewed Mr Haidari, a 17 year old asylum seeker who just arrived in Australia.
“I’m very proud to say that we became so close that I now called Zaki son and he calls me dad,” Mr Gillespie said.
Mr Haidari also calls another group member his Australian Mum, Gela de Brugiere, with Mr Haidari here without any family after his father and oldest brother were murdered by the Taliban before he arrived in the country.
“The group that my family was hiding from for the last 10 years, they are just outside of my house. At any given moment, they could just get in and we know what they will do to my family,” Mr Haidari said.
“And not just my family is in that situation, a lot of Hazaras are in that situation.”
The Hazaras are Shiite Muslims who have been persecuted against and murdered by the Taliban for their beliefs.
“We left Afghanistan, we feared this day would come and it’s here today. Taliban are hunting Hazaras everywhere they go to genocide them.”
Mr Haidari encouraged the group to reach out to local Afghanistan refugees during this time.
“In a time like this we go through a lot and if we get a call from a friend saying that they’re thinking of you and if there are any ways they can help, it means a lot.
“So I would encourage you to reach out to your friends, that’s the least you can do.”
Mr Haidari is one of 5000 Hazaras in Australia on a temporary visa and he’s actively pushing the Federal Government to change its policies.
“Afghan refugees have been in Australia for over 10 years. They’re on a temporary visa, they can’t call Australia their permanent home, and that limits them from bringing their families here.
“Not only that, but also, it stops them to live in Australia, permanently.”
“Australia should acknowledge that it’s not safe for Hazaras to go back to Afghanistan under the Taliban regime and provide permanent protection for Hazaras living in Australia.”
Mr Haidari shared an online petition with the group calling for Prime Minister Scott Morrison ‘to take urgent concrete steps to support the Afghan people.’
The Healesville RAR will now look to take action through the petition and contact local MPs.
“We need to see some change happening, we need to do something about it now while it’s raw and it’s fresh,” RAR chairperson Jeanette McRae said.
“They need permanent protection, a lot of people have been in limbo for so long and it’s just been really difficult for them to get work. It’s really difficult for them to, in some cases, get education.”
Mr Haidara’s family luckily left Kabul airport before the suicide bombings occurred on August 26, but still remain trapped in the city facing danger.
RAR Healesville welcomes new members and can be contacted through its facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HealesvilleRAR
