Efforts for Afghans and Assisting Refugees

The fall of Afghanistan’s capital city Kabul to the Taliban on August 15, followed by the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country by August 31, left stranded many people who are eligible for U.S. Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs). They meet specific criteria for their work for the U.S. government, military, or civilian contractors. Among them are hundreds of members of the Afghan Harris Field Support Representatives (FSR) Union, who worked with the military as civilian contractor radio operators and translators, and their immediate families.

Equipment and records were left behind, meaning those Afghans are at risk from the Taliban seeking to use their expertise and knowledge, or to punish then for their work with the U.S. At least one subcontractor’s office, where radio operators’ HR records had not been destroyed, has been entered by the Taliban. A few of those under threat have managed to leave the country, but they do not have permanent asylum or safety. Others in-country have been on the move to safe houses to avoid capture.

Many Afghan refugees were sent to Dulles Airport following evacuation from Kabul. Environment and Social Justice (ESJ) Committee Chair Lisa McQuail was assigned by her employer, Cherokee Federal, to assist under the company’s contract to house and feed them as they awaited transfer to other locations for visa processing, medical treatment, security background checks, etc. Her responsibilities included setting up and maintaining the prayer space, children’s activities, women’s welfare, purchasing large amounts of food and other supplies, and arranging translation of signage.

Working with the leaders of the FSR Union, Lisa and ESJ Committee member Milda Vaivada developed a form letter containing information required by the U.S. State Department SIV program and then created individual letters with information specific to each FSR applicant. With assistance from other members of the Unitarian Universalists of the Blue Ridge, the First Unitarian Church of Lynchburg, and others wanting to help, hundreds of these letters have been submitted to the State Department. Lisa continues to communicate with the State Department, U.S. Senators, FSR Union leaders, and others on behalf of those who supported the U.S. effort in Afghanistan.

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), a nonprofit, nonsectarian organization advancing human rights, has issued a statement calling “on the Biden administration to protect the lives of Afghan civilians threatened by the Taliban.”

The full text can be found here.

For those who would like to help Afghan and other immigrants and refugees, many organizations offer services and welcome donations and other assistance.

Here is a partial list:

The United Nations Conference on Climate Change will be held in Scotland from October 31 to November 12 this year. It is referred to as “COP-26”, meaning it is the 26th Conference of the Parties [countries] attending.

The intent is to “finalize the Paris Rulebook, the detailed rules that make the Paris Agreement operational” and “to accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis through collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society.” The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change signed in December 2016 by 196 parties, including the U.S. Although former President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement, it was formally rejoined by President Biden earlier this year.

Stated briefly, COP-26 aims for the international community to secure global net-zero carbon by mid-century, protect communities and natural habitats from climate change, mobilize financing to pay for these efforts, and work together to deliver these outcomes.

We will report on the conference after its conclusion.