'Three simple demands’: Why these men are walking 700km from Dandenong to Canberra

On 20 July, three Afghans who once worked with the ADF in their home country, set off on a 700km walk to advocate for the safety and freedom of extended families they claim are "stranded" in Afghanistan.

Afghan LEE Alliance president, Qutbiallam Timor (L), Mohammad Nazir Mangal (centre) and Ahsanullah Sherzad (R). Credit: Supplied

Key Points

• Three Afghan men who once helped the ADF say there are grave concerns for extended family 'stuck' in Afghanistan.
• They have called on the government to do more to expedite humanitarian visas.
• Their leader has questioned multiple visa refusals in recent months.

One of the walkers, Afghan Locally Engaged Employee (LEE) Alliance president, Qutbiallam Timor, worked as a business advisor with AusAID in Afghanistan between 2012 and 2013.

Mr Timor said Afghan LEEs had raised their “concerns for the safety of their extended family” members since 2015. He added that the “long walk” would be an effective way to “influence the government to consider our demands”.

“(This) long walk from Dandenong to Parliament House (in Canberra) (is) for the safety of Afghan LEEs’ extended families, because Afghan LEEs are very concerned for the safety of their extended families,” he said.

“There are many examples (of cases in which) Afghan LEEs have lost their brothers, sisters and parents (because of) their cooperation, affiliation and employment with the Australian mission in Afghanistan.”

(L to R) Ahsanullah Sherzad, Qutbiallam Timor and Mohammad Nazir Mangal expect the walk will take them 18 days.

He called on the federal government to emulate Canada’s approach and procedures for former Afghan interpreters and their families.

“Canada has proved that they stand with their Afghan interpreters as they have announced permanent residency for the extended families of their interpreters and allocated 5000 visa places for (them),” he said.

The walk is expected to take 18 days and end with a “peaceful protest in front of Parliament house.

During the walk, a member of the Afghan community is driving a caravan behind to provide food and drinks and a place to sleep at night.

'Three simple demands'

Mr Timor told SBS Pashto that the group had “three simple demands” for the Australian government to address the safety of Afghan LEEs’ extended families remaining in the war-torn country.

The group were farewelled by Afghan community members concerned for the well-being of loved ones back in Afghanistan.

“Prioritise Afghan LEEs’ extended families’ visa applications for humanitarian visas and allocate 5000 humanitarian visa places for Afghan LEE’s extended families; stop refusing in-country visa applications for Afghans; and reconsider processing the recently refused humanitarian visa applications,” he said.

“Afghan LEEs are concerned and (are) mentally suffering over the safety of their families, as many Afghan LEEs’ extended families have experienced threats pre- and post the fall of Kabul.”

‘Visa applications refused’

Head of the Afghan Association of South Australia, Samandar Khan Sediqi, is a former Afghan interpreter and cultural adviser who worked alongside Australian forces in Afghanistan from 2013 and 2016.

Mr Sediqi has been living in Australia with immediate family members since 2016 but he argues that the extended family members of interpreters are “in extreme danger” due to their relatives' work with the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

“We fear the consequences our families will face and have been extremely shocked and traumatised by the recent devastating security situation in Afghanistan,” he said.

“There are multiple cases of violence where our families have been prosecuted, violated, tortured, and killed by the Taliban (and) I (have) discussed such issues multiple times with The Hon Andrew Giles, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs.”

Head of the Afghan Association of South Australia, Samandar Khan Sediqi. Source: Supplied

Mr Sediqi said that after Kabul returned to Taliban control, a number of interpreters, including himself, had lodged applications for their extended family members but many had already been refused by the Department of Home Affairs.

We were promised that the interpreters’ remaining families were an Australian government priority for humanitarian visas, but then (their visas) were refused by Home Affairs.

Samandar Khan Sediqi

“We are urgently calling upon the Australian Government to evacuate our family members and protect them from the brutal punishment by the Taliban before it is too late. We are looking forward to a decisive action in this regard.”

An interpreter helps an Australian soldier communicate with local children during a patrol in Chora, southern Afghanistan. Credit: 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit

While Afghan LEEs who have been resettled in Australia are calling for visas for their extended family members, there are still a number of former Afghan LEEs who remain in Afghanistan and are seeking urgent evacuation.

Last month, the Australian federal government announced that it would terminate the LEE program from 31 May, 2024, with applications to close on 30 November, 2023.

That move was recommended by an independent review of the program, which found neither the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade nor Defence had "adequate case management systems in place".

‘Committed to supporting the Afghan community’

A spokesman for the Department of Home Affairs told SBS Pashto that the government remained committed to supporting the Afghan community and had allocated 26,500 dedicated places in Australia’s Humanitarian Program for Afghan nationals through to 2025-26.

Credit: Department of Home Affairs

“Afghanistan remains the top source country in terms of humanitarian visa grants and the Department of Home Affairs continues to prioritise humanitarian visa applications from certified Afghan LEEs and their families,” the spokesperson said.

“Processing times can vary according to the capacity of the Humanitarian Program, the particular circumstances of the applicant, their location (be it inside or outside their home country), and their ability to travel, provide documents or access to Australian government officials.”

The spokesperson added that all Humanitarian Program visa grants were subject to rigorous assessment, including health, character, and security checks, which were conducted before individuals were granted a visa and that such checks could take some time.

The government had agreed to all eight recommendations of a recent independent review of the Afghan LEE program, the spokesperson said.