Canada’s Afghan allies and their children forced into hiding from the Taliban urgently need to get out of Afghanistan. .But the Liberal government won’t “intercede” to help them exit to safety due to the “difficult and dangerous” situation on the ground. So said a December 22 email from Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson’s office..That’s not what Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser said two weeks earlier when he echoed, albeit vaguely, a Liberal promise to protect Afghans who helped Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) fight the Taliban from 2001-2014..The government won’t even assist Canadians struggling, many at great risk, to save these hunted souls..It ignores months of appeals to aid the Veterans Transition Network (VTN), headed by three retired CAF commanders who oversee rescue and protection efforts by other groups..The Liberal’s refusal to fund the non-profit VTN, coupled with indifferent disrespect, is a shabby, perplexing way to treat Canadians refusing to abandon allies..These allies are interpreters and mission staff left behind after Ambassador Reid Sirrs ran off and the Canadian embassy in Kabul evacuated last August when the Taliban captured the capital..“There are many Canadians, small groups, volunteering to try to save lives. But the government’s just nowhere,” Jim Thomson, a former fighter pilot, told Western Standard..“Canadian citizens help. The problem is the Canadian government. They’re stonewalling, blocking.”. Screen-Shot-2022-01-01-at-12.01.32-PMJim Thomson .On October 20, Thomson, class secretary of the RMC (Royal Military College) Class of 1966, which supports VTN’s efforts, sent an email to Wilkinson..Thomson appealed to him to take an “active leadership role” to convince Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet colleagues to “act immediately” to safely extract Afghans “who risked their lives in Afghanistan to assist our troops, government officials, and NGOs during our time in that country..“In early 2021, months before the Taliban swept across Afghanistan, the RMC Class of 1966 communicated with their MPs, asking them for support in pressing the GoC (Government of Canada) to expedite the evacuation process. Regrettably, the GoC did not take our request seriously — if at all — and we now have what we have. Over 10,000 Afghans trapped behind enemy lines,” wrote Thomson..“You’ll see that we’re now connected to a much larger, very effective NGO — the VTN that includes the Afghanistan Strategic Evacuation Team (ASET).” .Thomson noted veterans Canada-wide demand action..No doubt the abandoned interpreters saved many of their lives. .“The evacuation will surely fail if the GoC delays or refuses to provide funds for safe houses and air charters…Veterans need your voice to carry this message to Ottawa and save the lives of thousands of our former allies and their families who were left behind.”.Wilkinson must have been too busy saving lives in peril from climate change to personally respond. .Two months later Wilkinson’s Vancouver constituency director Cynthia Bunbury finally emailed a reply. .“As the situation in-country remains difficult and dangerous, Canada is not able to intercede for individuals who have not been able to exit Afghanistan,” wrote Bunbury, who wished Thomson a cheerful Merry Christmas..Bunbury noted a Liberal announcement the previous day pledging $56 million in Afghanistan humanitarian aid to be sent to the United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross. .Nothing about funds for the VTN. Just the shocking admission that government won’t intercede..Yet Immigration’s Fraser earnestly told the CBC on December 8: “Our commitment to support those who supported our mission in Afghanistan has not wavered.”.Thomson was “appalled” that Fraser didn’t specifically mention the 10,000 allies and their families..“He’s been fed the Kool-Aid already. He made statements like ‘We’re doing everything humanely possible’ and ‘We’re going to give shelter to 40,000 Afghanistan refugees.’”.Bunbury’s “difficult and dangerous” excuse wasn’t well received..“It appears to be a way to weasel out of responsibility to honour the commitment made to our abandoned partners. This is disgraceful,” said Thomson..It’s also an insult to the VTN and groups under its umbrella, including ASET, Aman Lara, and Afghan Canadian Interpreters..They’ve been living and breathing danger working in volatile Afghanistan since the Taliban seized control..The VTN has extracted 1,892 people to Canada and neighbouring countries. Aman Lara shelters 1,750 people in safe houses. This has been financed by $3.4 million donated by Canadians. Only $517,000 is left. .Some 3,500 of the 10,000 Afghans the VTN says meet the criteria for resettlement have the necessary processing to be evacuated. They are stymied by requirements that include: biometric identification in a third country before coming to Canada; changing requirements for paperwork needed by third countries; and delays in visa processing through Canada Immigration..“The immigration processes are ridiculous. We’re asking for two things. Send funds. If you sent $10 million that would probably do just about everything we need to do in a very short time to get the people out.”.Currently, under favourable conditions, 250 people a month can be moved by ground to neighbouring countries. It would take four years to complete the evacuation. .“The other thing is, go to single-use travel document, one piece of paper. Get them out of the country. Then if you want to snow them with all sorts of bureaucratic processes, that’s fine. At least they’re safe.”.So, the Liberals needn’t even leave the safety of their offices to intercede. If only they had the will..“Yes, the situation is difficult and dangerous, and that’s exactly the reason we’re pleading to provide funds and simplified immigration documents to those experienced and dedicated NGOs on the ground in Afghanistan…Having the government delivering on these two simple requests would greatly increase the rate of rescuing those being hunted by the Taliban..“This is urgent. People will die unnecessarily if Mr. Trudeau and his cabinet continue to sit on their hands.” .Pledging $56 million to foreign aid groups and promising to take in 40,000 Afghan refugees is “Hollywood storefront” stuff..“They know very well it makes them look good. That’s all it is.”.Volunteers can still cautiously move people through unpredictable Taliban checkpoints..“The unknown is how many of the escape routes might be closed. The situation’s difficult. It’s not dangerous with firefights going on. It’s a tinderbox.”.Leadership is volatile within the tribal Taliban..“That’s the dangerous part — who might prevail…If it’s the zealots, Lord help them.”.Slobodian is the Senior Manitoba Columnist for the Western Standard.lslobodian@westernstandardonline.com
