Afghanistan Committee on March 28th, 2022

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Chair, let me just emphasize how important what Ms. Rezayee just said is. We all have children. I, for one, have three, two of whom are girls who play sports— volleyball and soccer. They will never be denied sports. After hearing this testimony, I think it's important to highlight it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Thank you very much, Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.

We'll go to Ms. Kwan for six minutes, please.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thank you so much to our witnesses for their presentations and knowledge of what's going on there.

I'd like to go first to Ms. Rezayee. You indicated that if the Canadian government provided a temporary residence permit to Afghans, they would be able to get to a third country and then come to Canada. Is that correct?

[Friba Rezayee]

Yes, that is correct, Ms. Kwan.

As I mentioned previously, all we need is those solid, exclusive visas. There are so many Afghan families and Afghan athletes who don't even need to be on the IRCC flight. They could even arrange their flights themselves. All they need is those temporary residence visas—or any travel document, any permission, that allows them to come and seek refuge in Canada so they can be alive.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

The athletes you've talked about, the women you've talked about, for whom applications have been submitted but are sitting idle in IRCC system, when did they apply?

[Friba Rezayee]

We applied for their applications in August of last year. As soon as the government collapsed, we started to contact the government, because we knew what was coming and we needed to reach out to the Canadian government as soon as possible. Their applications are still pending.

We have received a confirmation from IRCC that they have the list of our volleyball team, but they're not doing anything about it. They probably use it as a souvenir—I'm sorry, but they're not doing anything about it. They confirmed that they have the list. They have the names of our volleyball team.

My question is, when can they ensure that the volleyball team will be safely evacuated to Canada?

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Have they been given file numbers?

[Friba Rezayee]

No, absolutely not.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

So they're just sitting there.

[Friba Rezayee]

They have the received the list. They're just sitting at the IRCC office.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

All right. Thank you.

I'd like to go to Mr. Dilsoz, please.

It's my understanding that you've also submitted a long list of individuals, of Afghans who need to get to safety. Did any of them receive a file number from the government or a response from the government?

[Wadood Dilsoz]

They received only a confirmation. It was an automated confirmation. They haven't received anything, zero response.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

When was the application or the contact made with the IRCC?

[Wadood Dilsoz]

I have many people on my list. Some of them started from August 15 or 16, and onwards. The dates are different.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Okay, but none of them has received a response.

To the question around being able to leave Afghanistan and then get to a third country if they were given a travel visa or temporary resident permit from the Canadian government, would you agree that if that was done, Afghans would be able to get to a third country? It would be fraught with risks, and I'm not trying to minimize that, but would they have some capacity to do that? Or is that a reason for the government to then say, well, they can't even get to a third country, so there's no reason we should process their applications?

[Wadood Dilsoz]

For some of these individuals, the IRCC suggested to me that if they go to a third country they would be able to help them. A few of them left Afghanistan. I can say some are journalists. One of them is a very well-known anchor, but none of them received any type of help or response. When they applied to UNHCR, as suggested to us by IRCC, the waiting list to meet with UNHCR is months long.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you.

Aside from the government needing to waive the refugee determination requirement, another thing that's a roadblock for Afghans to get to safety is the fact that the government requires them to be in a third country. I think that's why they're not processing their applications.

To all the witnesses, would you say that what the government must do at this point in time is to change that immigration requirement and to say that Afghans do not need to be in a third country in order to make their application?

I will start with Ms. Frogh, who has not spoken yet.

[Wazhma Frogh]

Yes, absolutely.

If, for example, they are given a travel authorization.... Many of my colleagues received travel authorizations during the August evacuation. If that could be provided, or temporary permits, they will arrange somehow, with all the risks, to go, or maybe even to go from Afghanistan to another country. That is one step towards addressing it.

In August and September, my organization submitted...45 women who have been working with the Canadian military in Afghanistan, who have implemented Canada fund projects with Canada's embassy. None of those women have made it to Canada, and we have not heard a word from them. Even Canada's ambassadors have been involved. They were contacting IRCC on our behalf, but there has been nothing yet.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Thank you very much, Ms. Kwan.

We'll go to the second round, with three minutes for Ms. Findlay, three minutes for Ms. Damoff, 90 seconds for Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe and 90 seconds for Ms. Kwan.

We'll start with Ms. Findlay. Please go ahead.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I only have three minutes, so I have to ask you for quick answers.

Ms. Rezayee, I understood that in your testimony you said that only 15 women athletes have made it from Afghanistan to Canada. I'm concerned that the government is not understanding the urgency of the Afghan situation. Can you say why women athletes are at such high risk in Afghanistan?

[Friba Rezayee]

Thank you very much for that question.

The Taliban forbid women's sports, as I mentioned, because it sends sexual vibes to men, brings visibility to women's bodies and brings visibility to women in general. Therefore, it's forbidden for them.

Therefore, their lives are at risk, because the Taliban see women athletes as those people in society who corrupt the young, who corrupt Islam and who act against Islam, which is unacceptable for their government, and—

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

They are at risk of death. Am I correct?

[Friba Rezayee]

Absolutely. The punishment in place under the Taliban regime is being lashed one hundred times or the death penalty—

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Thank you.

[Friba Rezayee]

—and our office has been receiving many letters from the Taliban with threats that either they would be punished publicly or they will be executed.