BEBESEA, as a network of organisations and individuals advocating for rights of migrants in East and Southeast Asia and beyond, are concerned with the current situations in Afghanistan. We stand with  all people who need to seek safety and urge that there must be safe and orderly routes available for them to do so. Seeking asylum is a human right – everyone should be allowed to enter another country to seek asylum regardless of  their nationality, political affiliations, religion and beliefs, race, gender, sexual orientations and so forth.

August 19^th marks the World Humanitarian Day, the day when we celebrate and pay tributes to the work of organisations and individuals that stand with humanity. We urge all states to exercise their international obligation on human rights by committing to respect, protect and fulfill the human rights of people experiencing crises around the world. We appeal to all countries to keep their borders open and welcome all Afghan people who are seeking asylum. We also support and celebrate humanitarian organisations and aid workers who continue to work to help people in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries to reduce their suffering and rebuild their lives.

We urge all stakeholders to listen and support Afghan people, civil society and Afghan refugees, asylum seekers and diaspora communities to plan actions. We need consistency and commitments that center the vulnerabilities, rights and hopes of the people at risk. It is urgent to build stronger global solidarity, not turning back from what is happening in Afghanistan and many other conflicts around the world. International community must prevent mass atrocity crimes and we, civil society and individuals, must keep standing in solidarity and urging our governments to exercise their human rights obligations as members of the international community. We stand together for humanity. 

“This day was designated in memory of the 19 August 2003 bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killing 22 people, including the chief humanitarian in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly formalized the day as World Humanitarian Day (WHD) Each year, WHD focuses on a theme, bringing together partners from across the humanitarian system to advocate for the survival, well-being and dignity of people affected by crises, and for the safety and security of aid workers.”