NZDF personnel and the planeloads of people who they are evacuating from Afghanistan narrowly missed explosions that occurred at Hamid Karzai International Airport last night, resulting in dozens of deaths.
A group of 61 organisations and individuals, including aid groups, religious and community leaders, lawyers and academics, are calling on the Government to stop dragging its feet on Afghanistan and urgently act as the troubled country's humanitarian crisis worsens.
An open letter to Nanaia Mahuta, Minister of Foreign Affairs was submitted today from the group, expressing major concerns about delays in Government action.
"Your Government is perceived to be one that practices kindness and is committed to collective action for the betterment of humanity, yet other countries have taken significant steps to address the need for international support and assistance, while New Zealand has not," says the letter, which comes after Afghanistan fell back into Taliban hands last month after two decades of war.
The urgent plea highlights the needs in Afghanistan which are "growing by the hour".
While the Taliban settles into power, there have been mounting reports of executions and revenge attacks, including the targeting of Afghan civilians who worked alongside foreign forces.
A group of Afghan civilians who worked with the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZPRT) in Bamyan Province are still waiting to be evacuated and fear Taliban reprisals. Photo / Supplied
None of the group of 38 Afghan interpreters and other ex-NZDF Afghan civilians managed to get evacuated, the Defence Minister's office confirmed this week.
On top of the cut-short evacuations, the group points to compounding crises which include hunger, displacement, conflict and Covid-19.
"Basic services are collapsing, and aid is running out," the open letter says.
"There are ongoing reports of gross human rights abuses. Women, children, and those who have worked to promote human rights, democracy and education, are amongst the people most at risk.
"Urgent action is needed to prevent an even greater humanitarian disaster and to ensure that every individual has their rights and dignity upheld."
An RNZAF C130 landed in Kabul three times and managed to evacuate a number of New Zealanders and Australians. Photo / NZDF
Canada has announced the resettlement of up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghan nationals, while the UK has committed to accepting 20,000 Afghan refugees and the US is expected to admit 50,000. America has also set aside a US$500 million fund which will help meet urgent migration needs, while European countries and Australia are taking similar steps.
"However, New Zealand has made no such commitments yet," says the letter, urging the Government to take action.
"The New Zealand Government spent 20 years and hundreds of millions of dollars in military expenditure as part of the international intervention in Afghanistan.
"We have an obligation to the people of Afghanistan to stand by them now. Be it the provision of aid, or safe pathways to New Zealand, the time for response is immediate and the cost of inaction is high.
