Helping those less fortunate

We live in a great county in a great country, and overall, life is pretty good.

It’s normal to be annoyed with the smaller things that affect us and it’s in our nature to find fault. It’s very easy for us to forget how lucky we are compared to speople all over the world. There’s a lot of very good reasons as to why different people are trying desperately to get to Europe.

The Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan has lead to heartbreaking scenes and stories, most of which I’ve tried to ignore as there’s only so much sadness and awfulness I want to read about. On Tuesday in a speech to the UN, Nada al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said more than 100 former members of the Afghan security forces and others have been killed since the Taliban takeover in August.

According to UN officials most of the killings were at the hands of the hardline Islamist group, as well as reports of disappearances, and children being sold, recruited as soldiers and forced into early marriages.Nada al-Nashif said the Taliban rule was marked by “extrajudicial killings and restrictions on women and girls' basic rights”.

One Cork woman is trying to secure Irish visas for friends of hers in Afghanistan who are currently in hiding with their son. Joya Kuin is calling on Cork politicians to help secure Irish visas for Samira and Hamed, a mixed race couple. When the Taliban took over, it was weeks before she could reach her friends.

“I was in shock when I finally spoke to them,” said Ms Kuin. “Samira and Hamed are terrified that the Taliban will discover them in their hiding place and that they will all be killed. It is just unthinkable.”

Hamed was a human rights worker who met Ms Kuin through their work for the Afghan Women’s Network, an alliance of international NGOs focused on women’s issues in Afghanistan. A number of Hamed’s former colleagues have disappeared. “People are disappearing, and we hear about the Taliban going door to door to track down people who have worked in government, media, education and progressive organisations.”

Samira was a scientist who taught biology and encouraged her female students to study at university.

“We are afraid. We are always afraid,” Samira said.

There’s already a place for Samira and Hamed to stay in Cork. Joya’s friends, Nicki ffrench Davis and her husband Bertrand Galen have agreed to host the family in their home.

Ms Kuin is seeking an update on Samira and Hamed’s case. She fears for their safety every day and hopes to secure Irish visas for the family as soon as possible. A petition has been started at my.uplift.ie/petitions/secure-a-safe-haven-in-ireland-for-the-naderi-family.

I hope this family can be brought to Cork to start a new life.