BY ZOE KENNY
MELBOURNE — Hundreds of people have turned out to hear Afghan refugee Riz Wakil's presentation, "Is it safe to return to Afghanistan?", during his visit here on August 12-14. The federal government claims war-torn Afghanistan is now safe in order to justify the deportation of Afghan refugees on temporary protection visas (TPV).
Wakil refuted this by spelling out the grim conditions of life in Afghanistan. Civilians continue to be killed by US bombs and conflicts between US-backed warlords. The persecution of the Hazara minority, the group from which most Afghan refugees are from, has not abated. People cannot find enough food to eat and have resorted to eating grass; 70% of children are ill from a lack of vitamins.
Wakil pointed out that the so-called "liberation" of Afghan women that is supposed to have followed the overthrow of the Taliban regime is a myth. The vast majority of women are too afraid to remove their burqas (head-to-toe veil), while the stoning to death of women is still customary and has been defended by King Zahir Shah as "the democratic will of the people".
Wakil described how TPV holders are preoccupied with the fear of being deported after their visa runs out. One friend has had to give up expensive private studies due to the anxiety and stress he is suffering from.
Wakil encouraged all who attended his meetings to build the movement for refugees' rights and not to rest until all the refugees were free.
Around 100 people attended Wakil's public forum at Melbourne University on August 12. On August 13, Wakil spoke to a meeting of 60 students at Deakin University. The Deakin University Student Association also organised a reception with food and drinks. Later that evening, Wakil spoke at the Melbourne Trades Hall to a crowd of 70 people. On August 14, 120 people attended a lunchtime forum at La Trobe University.
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, August 21, 2002.
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