Report on Afghan refugees in Calais

Phil Kerton and Ben Bano of Seeking Sanctuary have provided this update for September 2021.

You know that our concern has not been for the situations that displace people from their homes, but for those of the exiles who travel and gather on the Channel coast. However, over the years, many of these have come from Afghanistan and, like so many of you, we have been increasingly concerned about the worsening situation there.

Deb Barry from Canterbury-based Care4Humanity worked on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan nearly 20 years ago, supporting the hope of those refugees who fled during the Taliban rule and fighting to return to Afghanistan. She has written the following:

"I clearly remember the hope of those thousands of people that I met that, with the Taliban no longer in power they could return home and rebuild their lives. 18 months later I would witness rural villages allowing their girls to go to school for the first time and the hope of so many people. I lived there for three and a half years and made many friends there and beautiful memories. I also had quite a few challenges while living there and for every step forward we made with communities, we certainly faced our challenges, but we all continued. There were still people that needed to leave the country because of their association with different groups, or having to leave abusive relationships etc. I could write a book on the amazing people of Afghanistan and what they taught me.

"Fast forward a few years and our Care4Humanity team had one of its first projects in Calais to provide temporary shelter for Afghan refugees and we have continued to help those who are seeking refuge both in Calais and in the UK. Throughout the pandemic we've continued to work in the UK and Calais to help refugees. A refugee is a person seeking refugee status demonstrating that they were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.

"Our team has been in daily contact with people that we know in Afghanistan to find out how we can help and what is currently happening, the real human stories of those that have given so much already to the humanitarian work in the country. We are also working with groups in the UK as well to help support those who can leave Afghanistan and are seeking refuge.

"Care4Humanity will continue to be in regular contact with partners in Afghanistan, here in the UK and in Calais. We know that there is still a lot of change to come in Afghanistan as the international forces end those flights and new laws come into place in the country. We remain committed as a team to help the Afghan people in the choices that they make for themselves and their families. We are grateful for all our Afghan friends and colleagues who with their families continue to show amazing courage and resilience in the face of so much current opposition.

"As opportunities arise for people to do more collectively, we will keep you posted. If you have a specific question or query/idea about something you want to do to help the people of Afghanistan, we would be more than happy to help explore that idea as well. This is a global effort, and every action really is helping to make a difference: email care4humanityuk.org."

A page on the UK Government website lists Councils that will welcome volunteer help, and you can click through to find out what sort of assistance each of them requires..

MEANWHILE, ON THE FRENCH COAST

According to the BBC nearly 8,000 people have arrived near the coast since the start of the year. Faced with the multiplication of boat crossings, volunteers make risk prevention one of their priorities, trying to warn the exiles about the dangers of the sea. They make the travellers remember 112, the only emergency number - even without a network signal - and show them how to find out their GPS location and use it in the event of distress at sea.

Sunday 26 September is a World Day of Prayer for Migrants and Refugees. Bishop Paul McAleenan, the lead Catholic bishop on migration issues in England and Wales, is visiting Dover on Saturday 25 September - the eve of that Day - to lead prayers at noon by the memorial plaques on the Dover seafront near the entrance to the Ferry Terminal. Anyone who shares our concerns is welcome to attend.