Gabrielle Duykers, Naracoorte Community News
Migrant integration leaders are urging council and the broader Naracoorte community to sustain support for local Afghan migrants amid the current crisis overseas.
Last month, the Naracoorte and Bordertown Migrant Resource Centres established two Afghan Community Service Hubs to help provide visa information and migration assistance to those in need. The hub is currently receiving about 15 requests each week.
Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Migrant Resource Centre (MRC), Eugenia Tsoulis spoke to Naracoorte Lucindale Council at its latest meeting, emphasising the need to continue support for Afghan residents.
“So many people have come to the MRC trying to find answers to their concerns,” Ms Tsoulis said.
“There are people amongst you who are really hurting and trying to keep as calm as possible.
“I don’t want to depress you, but I think there’s a little bit we can all do to help.”
Following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, many local Afghan migrants are trying to safely bring their family members to Australia.
However, many are unable to do so due to being on temporary “bridging” visas or without citizenship.
Ms Tsoulis said if council wanted “sustainability of its migrant workers” in Naracoorte it should advocate on behalf of the Afghan community by writing to Federal Ministers.
“We’ve got families stuck in Afghanistan or stuck in neighbouring countries, and we’ve got people working here paying taxes wanting to bring their families here who can’t,” she said.
Naracoorte Lucindale Council mayor Erika Vickery said she had written to Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, and Migrant Services Alex Hawke on behalf of council.
She said the letter urged the Federal Government to change bridging visas to permanent residents, proceed with citizenship as a priority, and allow families to reunite through humanitarian visas.
“We want to assure our community that we are there to support them if they need help and that they can reach out to us,” Ms Vickery said.
Limestone Coast Multicultural Network (LCMN) chair Mehdi Ali said the current situation overseas was “catastrophic”.
“Thousands of people are displaced,” Mr Ali said.
“A lot of people in Naracoorte have immediate family members in Afghanistan and at the moment the community feels helpless.”
Mr Ali said more than 60 Afghani migrants in Naracoorte were here on bridging visas, some of which were still awaiting permanency after almost a decade.
“They’re living in limbo,” he said.
“They can’t go visit their family. Some people who have kids that were five when they last saw them and are now turning 15.
“It’s just devastating.”
Mr Ali grew up in a town near Ghazni in Afghanistan, before fleeing to Pakistan in 2009.
He said his grandparents recounted many “terrible stories” from their time under the Taliban regime.
“They killed prominent leaders from different ethnicities and any people who resisted their regime,” Mr Ali said.
“The Taliban resist anything which is progressive, you can’t argue with them.”
Mr Ali said the LCMN would be planning a fundraiser to support the Afghani community within the next month.
In the interim, he suggested people donate to the Baba Mazari Foundation, which is providing emergency aid for victims of the Taliban attacks.
Naracoorte MRC multicultural community engagement manager Frances Kirby said she hoped locals would “not forget” about the current crisis, and show kindness to those struggling.
“Make friends with your Afghan neighbours and invite them in for tea,” Ms Kirby said. “It can help them take their mind off things.”
This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News, 13 October 2021.
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