31st January 2006/ 1st Moharram 1427

Introduction

After 11th September 2001, the US and NATO attacked Afghanistan and overthrew the Taliban government. Afghanistan saw a lot of changes following the attacks. Unfortunately, those parties and warlords which took power with NATO, who were fighting and destroying in the past, are no different from the Taliban. In this situation many people have lost their lives and many others have left the country because their homes and livelihoods have been destroyed. They fled Afghanistan for many different countries, England being just one of those countries.

The British government policy has been very dangerous for these refugees who have been refused asylum and been detained and deported. For those that remain, support is cut off and these people have been abandoned with no support or consideration. Most of these people cannot go to Afghanistan as their lives are in danger. There is no facility for them to return or live in Afghanistan. Neither is it safe for them to return there.

Statement

1 The British governments continuation of enforced deportation is against peoples human rights. The Afghanistan government is not taking any responsibility to facilitate and take responsibility for the lives of refugees to return. There is no prospect of peace, of stable economy, no public facilities for the welfare of the people of Afghanistan.

2 Everybody knows the Taliban and their partners are still increasing their attacks on the people, the schools and public places. The government and NATO have proved incapable of stopping them.

3 The British government is sending more troops to Afghanistan because there is no peace. This shows that NATO have failed. Inside the Afghanistan government - including the leaders of 13 provinces - are involved in the drugs trade. Nobody has stopped them from continuing their illegal actions and this shows that the government has never felt any responsibility for the people of Afghanistan.

Most of the NGOs in Afghanistan are protected by concrete bunkers - shut off from the rest of the population because they do not feel safe.

4 We hear from BBC that UNHCR have just accepted 6,000 refugees in 2006 to be returned to Afghanistan because there is no facility for any more. All of this 6000 will be from Pakistan and Iran. This shows that inside Afghanistan refugees have returned to such bad conditions that they do not have even tents to live in. There is only minimal help from UN or the government.

Nobody want to leave their home, but there is no choice without resources, without peace - without food and water and without work. One refugee from Afghanistan has committed suicide just a few days ago at a Distribution Centre in London - The condition of refugees here, who number in the thousands, is deteriorating - Without any support we are becoming mentally and physically ill.

We request from Tony Blair, Charles Clerk, Hamid Karzai, Kofi Annan and all those with power to think of our situation. Our demand is for freedom of work and movement which will benefit both this country as well as Afghanistan because we can support those in Afghanistan as well as those in England. Finally we are human and demand to be treated with humanity wherever we are or are from.