In response to President Biden’s remarks regarding the US response in Afghanistan, Oxfam America’s Global Policy Lead Noah Gottschalk said:
“President Biden’s remarks offered few assurances to the people in Afghanistan who face an uncertain future. The United States cannot simply walk away as Afghan families are being forced to make the last-resort decision to flee their homes in search of safety. It is clear that many Afghans, especially human rights defenders, women’s rights activists, members of minority groups, and those who have worked with foreign governments or organizations, feel they are in acute danger. Like refugees around the world, their decision to leave everything behind is only made in the absence of any other safe or viable option.
“People have been given conflicting information, haven’t been able to reach the airport in Kabul, or find seats on planes, and reports and images of half empty flights as thousands wait just outside are not only frustrating, they’re inexcusable. No person should have to risk their life trying to find refuge and safety. People from Afghanistan should have clear, regular, and safe routes to safety – and once out of immediate harm, be able to make informed decisions about their future.
“This moment of chaos and uncertainty was not inevitable. Now, the United States has a moral obligation to the people of Afghanistan, and must work swiftly to expand eligibility and expedite the processing of life-saving visas. Over the longer term, President Biden must respond to the millions of Afghans in need by using every single tool at his disposal to provide immediate support to local organizations in Afghanistan and in neighboring countries working with Afghanistan’s 2.9 million internally displaced people and 2.2 million refugees and asylum seekers.
“The Biden administration must take decisive, urgent action now or be forever stained by presiding over this historic human catastrophe unfolding on their watch. Afghans don’t have the luxury right now of worrying who the buck stops with; they need concrete assurances that they and their families will be supported and protected."