Dutch opposition urges Asylum for Afghans who worked with military

The decision by the right-wing Dutch government not to grant asylum to Afghan individuals who worked with their military has sparked controversy in the Dutch Parliament. Opposition parties have labeled this decision as a “death sentence” for these Afghans and urged the government to reconsider.

The Dutch government has confirmed that it will not reverse its decision to deny asylum to Afghan workers who collaborated with the country’s military.

According to “Dutch News,” during a parliamentary debate on Thursday night, all opposition parties, except one representative, demanded that ministers review the decision. They described abandoning these Afghan colleagues as a “death sentence” and accused the government of breaking its promises.

Last week, the Dutch government revoked its previous decision to grant asylum to 145 Afghan security guards who worked for the military. These workers were deemed ineligible for asylum because they were hired by foreign agencies, not directly by the Dutch government, after Afghanistan’s evacuation in August 2021.

The previous Dutch cabinet had agreed to offer asylum to these individuals and their families, but current ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Asylum wrote to Parliament, stating that they had reassessed the situation.

The ministers explained that around 900 guards and their families, totaling approximately 4,500 people, are eligible for asylum. However, they argued that supporting such a large group would be too costly, and finding housing for them would be extremely challenging.

“Dutch News” reported that the Dutch government evacuated 1,860 people from Afghanistan in the initial evacuation stage in August 2021, with an additional 2,810 evacuated in later stages.

This decision has caused divisions within the right-wing Dutch government, with some members advocating for helping the Afghan collaborators while others express a strong desire to stop any further foreign arrivals in the Netherlands.

Despite ongoing criticism, Dutch ministers have yet to respond directly, as the debate was paused for further review of documents. However, they have clarified that they do not intend to change their stance.

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