Call for family reunification
Vermont Business Magazine Today, members of the Afghan community in Vermont came together to mark the 3-year anniversary of the collapse of the Afghan Government and the U.S. Government withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Vermont Afghan Alliance, a non-profit providing essential services to the Afghan community hosted the public gathering in Burlington.
The Alliance is state and federally funded to serve the growing Afghan community in Vermont, including driving lessons, employment assistance, interpretation services and case management. The Alliance also trains the Afghan community on legal rights and civics and supports immigration proceedings. By design the organization – both the Board and staff – is predominantly Afghan led.
To date, more than 500 Afghans have resettled in communities across Vermont, including Brattleboro, Bennington, Rutland, Hartford, Montpelier, St. Albans and the Greater Burlington area. By many accounts, the Afghan population in Vermont is the largest of any state in the country per capita.
Three years ago, on August 15, 2021, U.S. forces completed their withdrawal, the Afghan government collapsed, allowing the Taliban to seize control of the country. This sudden shift left millions of Afghans under the oppressive rule of the Taliban. In the ensuing chaos, thousands of Afghans—some individually and others with their families—fled the country, fearing persecution and seeking safety. Among those evacuated were many Afghan allies who had worked closely with the U.S. government during the war. An estimated 124,000 members of the Afghan community were evacuated. Unfortunately, the U.S. Government estimates that more than 150,000 special immigrant visa holders were left behind.
Executive Director Molly Gray opened the gathering, with a moment of silence and purpose of the gathering, “We’re here today, on this anniversary, to give voice to those we serve, and to elevate a topic of growing and grave concern, and that is the topic of family reunification." Molly next introduced several members of the Afghan community who spoke to their personal experiences of being evacuated, and with Afghans still separated from family members.
Alliance Program Officer, Yassin Hashimi who worked for the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan said, “August 15, 2021 is the darkest day for all Democratic thinkers of the Afghan people. On this day, thousands of families were separated and still, now three years later, they have not been reunited. My family remains in exile, across the world, and I don’t know when we will ever see each other again. I hope the responsible countries do not forget us and try their best to reunite our families.”
Hamed Noorzai, who worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and serves as an interpreter for Afghan clients in their immigration proceedings, recounted the heartbreaking stories of Afghan fathers in Vermont, “Thousands of Afghan children growing up without their fathers and counting every single day with the hope to hug them.”
Samimah Naiemi, a Legal Rights Intern with the Alliance shared, “August 15, 2021, forced me to leave my home, family, and country behind without even a chance to say goodbye. Three years in exile, and I still don't know if I’ll ever see my parents and siblings again. Being a refugee is hard, but not having a family to go to makes it even harder. Family reunification is not just important—it's a necessity.”
Drukhshan Farhad, who serves as a Program Officer with the Alliance, supporting fellow Afghans with social, economic and health matters, stated, “The clients I serve have no choice but to send every penny not necessary for their own survival home to their families still in Afghanistan. There is no economic security, no opportunity to save. The implications of family separation run deep and must be addressed as fast as possible.
Alliance staff were joined by Afghan clients, and Afghan Allies who spoke to the agony and hardship of being separated from their children, and to the hopelessness brought on by countless delays.
“Without family reunification these Afghans are left in limbo, caught between a place they cannot return to and a new home with little hope or future. Today, we urge the U.S. Government to honor commitments to these individuals who sacrificed so much for this country. We urge the U.S. Government to recognize the inhumanity of the present existence of these Afghans and to take urgent, tangible steps to bring their families to safety in Vermont,” said Executive Director Molly Gray.
On Friday, the Alliance will meet with representatives from Vermont’s Congressional Delegation to discuss family reunification and the needs of Afghan clients served by the organization.
8.15.2024. Vermont Afghan Alliance. Burlington. Programs — Vermont Afghan Alliance (vtafghanalliance.org)
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