The Clare Immigrant Support Centre is calling on the Government to step up its efforts to resettle as many people from Afghanistan as possible.
It comes as the Taliban has declared an “amnesty” and urged women to join its Government, as an attempt to calm nerves following the mass scenes of panic witnessed yesterday.
Irish woman Aoife McManus, who’s currently in Kabul, says the Taliban is attempting to reassure the public they won’t be harmed.
There was mass panic and scenes of chaos at Kabul airport yesterday after it took full control of Afghanistan yesterday.
Distressing pictures have emerged purporting to show Afghans holding onto planes taking off.
It’s believed order has now been restored and the majority of countries which have embassies there are now operating at the airport to process travel documentation.
When the Taliban was last in power in Afghanistan public executions and forced amputations were used to enforce islamic law, women were not allowed work and girls were not allowed go to school.
CEO of Doras Luimni, John Lannon, believes Afghanistan may be in a worse situation now than when US and UK troops first occupied the country nearly two decades ago.
A Clare-based former Director of Trocaire insists the Taliban will have to be held to a standard of behaviour that’s acceptable to the rest of the world.
Eamon Meehan says the Taliban will expect to take up a seat on the UN and receive international recognition, but he insists it’s important the international community makes it clear that with that recognition comes consequences.
The Kilmaley native says it’s vital that Afghanistan doesn’t go back into the last century in terms of how women in particular are treated and basic rights are protected.
There are now growing calls for Afghan residents in direct provision centres such as Knockalisheen and the Clare Lodge to have their asylum applications prioritised.
Up to 150 humanitarian visas are being made available by government for Afghans, under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, in addition to 45 which have already been approved in recent days.
The visas will mean they won’t have to enter the direct provision system upon arriving here.
Coordinator for the Clare Immigrant Support Centre, Oral Ní Éilí says more needs to be done though.
She’s calling on the Government to proactively recognise Afghan refugees here as asylum seekers and reactivate family reunification for their community, as well as increase the number of visas being made available.
