The House of Representatives will return from the summer recess on Tuesday for an inserted debate on the situation in Afghanistan. The debate will be about which Afghans who have worked for the Netherlands are entitled to asylum here. The debate is an initiative of D66 and could count on a parliamentary majority.
Since Western countries have largely withdrawn their military from Afghanistan, the Taliban are rapidly conquering important cities. The fear is that the Taliban will deal hard with Afghans who have worked for Western countries. The Muslim extremists regard these compatriots as traitors to their country.
In 2019, a motion was submitted to ensure that all interpreters who have worked for the Netherlands can come to the Netherlands in a special asylum procedure. D66 MP Salima Belhaj said in NOS With a view to Tomorrow on NPO Radio 1 that since then about a hundred of the 276 interpreters have actually been brought to the Netherlands.
‘Retrieved quickly’
Outgoing Defense Minister Bijleveld indicated earlier this week that all interpreters who are still in Afghanistan will be picked up ‘accelerated’. The House of Representatives wants to know more about this.
“A lot of reports are coming in, also through journalists who speak to those people, that the procedure is going too slowly. The Taliban is moving very quickly, much faster than expected. And we don’t want to run the risk that these people are killed, and therefore have nothing. to beautiful asylum procedures,” says Belhaj.
On Tuesday, the chamber will therefore consider the question of whether Afghans who do not have their papers completely in order, can still be brought to the Netherlands so that they can further arrange the necessary documents here.
Also other support functions
D66 also hopes that other Afghans who have worked in support functions for the Dutch military, such as cooks and security guards, can also be brought to the Netherlands.
“There is currently no regulation for this and that is what I hope to be able to achieve with a majority in the House. Because the Taliban also wants to punish these people for the fact that they have contributed to the mission in Afghanistan,” said Belhaj.
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