Urgent Appeal for the Safety of Uyghur Refugee Families Facing Imminent Deportation from Pakistan |
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Justice For All Canada, is gravely alarmed by the perilous predicament of 20 Uyghur refugee families who have been issued imminent orders to vacate Pakistan by November 1, 2023. [1] These families confront a stark existential threat, as their return to Afghanistan or China carries the grim specter of intensified persecution, endangering their very lives. The urgency of their plight cannot be overstated.
Nearly 20 Uyghur families, about 100 individuals, who had fled Afghanistan and settled in Pakistan for five decades, face deportation because they lack Afghan or Chinese passports and Pakistani residence permits.
These families, originally from East Turkestan, specifically the Xinjiang Province in North West China, sought refuge in Afghanistan in the 1970s to escape the relentless religious persecution that occurred during the Mao era. At that time, the Afghan government recognized their plight and issued identity papers that officially recognized them as refugees fleeing persecution in China. Following the tumultuous events of 1979, marked by the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, these Uyghur families, alongside millions of Afghan nationals, sought safety and security in Pakistan.
Tragically, these Uyghur families, having lived in Pakistan for over five decades, remain without Pakistani citizenship and are considered illegal immigrants. They have endured this prolonged period without the basic rights and privileges that citizenship affords. Now, they face the harsh reality of imminent deportation, with an exceedingly short notice. These families are left with only two distressing options: to return to Afghanistan or to China, both of which present a severe existential threat and the prospect of enduring further persecution.
Our concern is further heightened by the fact that these Uyghur refugee families, in their desperation for safety and security, have already sought assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) by submitting asylum applications. However, the urgency of their situation has not yet been met with the swift response required. Regrettably, UNHCR offices in both Pakistan and Geneva have not provided the expedited assistance that these families so desperately need.
In light of these urgent circumstances, Justice For All urgently calls upon UNHCR to prioritize the applications of these Uyghur refugee families on an emergency basis, recognizing the immediate threat to their lives and the urgency of their plight. We implore UNHCR to swiftly declare them as international refugees, thereby providing them with the protection and assistance they require under international asylum and refugee law.
"As we raise our voices in defense of these 20 Uyghur refugee families, it is a stark reminder that justice knows no borders," says Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director of Justice For All, Canada.
"The fate of these vulnerable individuals rests in the hands of the international community. At Justice For All Canada, we remain unwavering in our commitment to safeguarding the fundamental rights and dignity of all, regardless of their place of origin. Together, we can make a difference and ensure a safer, more just world for these families," he further says.
Furthermore, Justice For All earnestly requests that the Canadian embassy in Pakistan intervenes on behalf of these vulnerable families by actively engaging with UNHCR offices both in Geneva and Pakistan. We call upon the Canadian embassy to urge UNHCR to expeditiously recognize and declare these Uyghur refugees as international refugees, thereby granting them the refuge and safety that is their fundamental right.
Justice For All Canada stands resolutely in advocating for the protection of the fundamental human rights of these 20 Uyghur refugee families, who are at imminent risk. We stand united in our commitment to ensuring their safety, dignity, and protection under international asylum and refugee law.
[1] "Uyghurs in Pakistan face deportation to China." Radio Free Asia, https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/pakistan-deportation-10102023155241.html.
Nearly 20 Uyghur families, about 100 individuals, who had fled Afghanistan and settled in Pakistan for five decades, face deportation because they lack Afghan or Chinese passports and Pakistani residence permits.
These families, originally from East Turkestan, specifically the Xinjiang Province in North West China, sought refuge in Afghanistan in the 1970s to escape the relentless religious persecution that occurred during the Mao era. At that time, the Afghan government recognized their plight and issued identity papers that officially recognized them as refugees fleeing persecution in China. Following the tumultuous events of 1979, marked by the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, these Uyghur families, alongside millions of Afghan nationals, sought safety and security in Pakistan.
Tragically, these Uyghur families, having lived in Pakistan for over five decades, remain without Pakistani citizenship and are considered illegal immigrants. They have endured this prolonged period without the basic rights and privileges that citizenship affords. Now, they face the harsh reality of imminent deportation, with an exceedingly short notice. These families are left with only two distressing options: to return to Afghanistan or to China, both of which present a severe existential threat and the prospect of enduring further persecution.
Our concern is further heightened by the fact that these Uyghur refugee families, in their desperation for safety and security, have already sought assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) by submitting asylum applications. However, the urgency of their situation has not yet been met with the swift response required. Regrettably, UNHCR offices in both Pakistan and Geneva have not provided the expedited assistance that these families so desperately need.
In light of these urgent circumstances, Justice For All urgently calls upon UNHCR to prioritize the applications of these Uyghur refugee families on an emergency basis, recognizing the immediate threat to their lives and the urgency of their plight. We implore UNHCR to swiftly declare them as international refugees, thereby providing them with the protection and assistance they require under international asylum and refugee law.
"As we raise our voices in defense of these 20 Uyghur refugee families, it is a stark reminder that justice knows no borders," says Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director of Justice For All, Canada.
"The fate of these vulnerable individuals rests in the hands of the international community. At Justice For All Canada, we remain unwavering in our commitment to safeguarding the fundamental rights and dignity of all, regardless of their place of origin. Together, we can make a difference and ensure a safer, more just world for these families," he further says.
Furthermore, Justice For All earnestly requests that the Canadian embassy in Pakistan intervenes on behalf of these vulnerable families by actively engaging with UNHCR offices both in Geneva and Pakistan. We call upon the Canadian embassy to urge UNHCR to expeditiously recognize and declare these Uyghur refugees as international refugees, thereby granting them the refuge and safety that is their fundamental right.
Justice For All Canada stands resolutely in advocating for the protection of the fundamental human rights of these 20 Uyghur refugee families, who are at imminent risk. We stand united in our commitment to ensuring their safety, dignity, and protection under international asylum and refugee law.
[1] "Uyghurs in Pakistan face deportation to China." Radio Free Asia, https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/pakistan-deportation-10102023155241.html.