RESOLUTION

TITLE:Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries Receiving Afghan Refugees

ORIGINAL SOURCE:World Affairs/Church in Society

CONFERENCE ACTION:

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:

SOURCE OF FUNDS:

STAFFING IMPLICATIONS:

VOLUNTEER IMPLICATIONS:Research, letter-writing, advocacy

MOTION BY Shelley Roberts/Susan Ferguson that this 78th annual meeting of Toronto Conference of The United Church of Canada call on the government of Canada:
•to increase its untied humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan and to advocate strongly for other countries to do the same;
•to work with other nations in a massive campaign to remove land mines and cluster bombs from Afghan soil;
•to return Canada’s military participation to peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities;
•to provide extra human resources for the processing of Afghan refugees for resettlement in Canada, particularly unaccompanied women and their children;
•to announce publicly the need for these measures and the government’s commitment to them.

And further that we call on congregations and persons of faith within the bounds of Toronto Conference:
•to pray for the people of Afghanistan and for the persons and groups working to bring a just peace to that country;
•to increase Mission and Service contributions in order to increase support for ongoing work by United Church of Canda partners in the region to address root causes of the poverty and instability in that region;
•to participate in resettlement of Afghan refugees to our Conference.

RATIONALE AND FAITH BASE

We believe that people around the world are children of God and thus our own brothers and sisters.  We respond to the concerns of others in the world as the concerns of the one human family.

Our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan and those displaced from Afghanistan are suffering and dying because of events and deliberate actions far beyond their control.
The humanitarian crisis there has been worsening for years, characterized by drought, famine, warfare, state repression and occupation. Millions have been displaced, internally and externally.

The situation has further deteriorated since the beginning of U.S. military strikes. Food aid (already inadequate to cope with starvation) dropped dramatically.  The humanitarian aid contributed by western countries has not come anywhere near the massive assistance that was promised when the US military campaign began.

Minimum conditions necessary for repatriation of refugees as a durable or even physically safe solution will not be present in Afghanistan for some time to come. Even as refugees return out of desperation because of tremendous hardships in neighbouring countries, increasing numbers of people seeking protection continue to flow out of Afghanistan.

The level of instability requires a special response from all countries that provide humanitarian support and resettlement options for Afghans refugees. A clear response by the Canadian government will send a strong positive message to other nations who can assist, to the Canadian public, and in particular to the Afghan Canadian community. They are experiencing the ignorance and prejudice of others in this country. At the same time they are continually in anguish about the situation of their relatives in Afghanistan and displaced to neighbouring countries.

The appeal for contributions by United Churches has not received anywhere near the level of response seen in previous situations of great need (e.g. Hurricane Mitch, Kosovars).This may be due in part to contradictory and inaccurate images of Afghanistan in the media.

Sponsorship of Afghan refugees has been made more difficult because of inadequate personnel assigned to process applications, removal of Canadian foreign service personnel from visa posts when the US military action began, and lengthy delays because of inaction on security checks.

Sponsorship is still a vital part of the churches’ response to the situation.  “Many countries are passing harsh laws to keep out refugees…As Christians we are challenged to stand against the rising tide!”