Afghan refugees protest in front of UNHCR office in Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI):
Amid deepening crisis in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the war-torn nation, a large number of Afghan refugees in India vociferously protested in front of the UNHCR office here on Monday demanding release of “support letters” from the UN agency to migrate to other countries for better opportunities.
Hundreds of these demonstrators, both male and female drawn from Delhi and neighbouring cities, started gathering in front of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Vasant Vihar since
morning.
The crowd shouted slogans like ‘We want future’, ‘We want justice’, ‘No more silence’ and clapped and cheered each other, as many others held banners bearing messages, like ‘UN Geneva help Afghan Refugees’ and ‘Issue resident visas to all Afghan refugees’.
The protest was organised by Afghan Solidarity Committee (ASC) and the protestors were shouting slogans till late afternoon, with their leader saying the protest will continue for at least two-three days.
Protesters came from Lajpat Nagar — ‘Little Kabul’ of Delhi, Bhogal, Noida, Greater Noida, Faridabad, among other places. Ahmad Zia Ghani, head of the Committee, said there are about 21,000 Afghan refugees in India, out of whom only 7,000 have valid documents (blue paper) or cards.
“Life of Afghans in India is not very good, and there is hardly any opportunity. Why shouldn’t we have the opportunity to move to a third country and seek a better future for ourselves and our children.
The UNHCR should consider our appeal, issue support letters and even reopen old cases,” he told PTI. The ASC volunteers also wore a blue armband to register their protests, while women and children sang Afghan songs ‘Sarzamine Mann’.