By Canadian Press

Red tape risks lives of Afghan Interpreters’ families waiting to come to Canada: NDP

Mar 30, 2022 | 10:16 AM

OTTAWA — Afghan interpreters who helped the Canadian military say the federal government has lied to them about bringing family members to Canada, and that people have died waiting for paperwork to be processed.

At a press conference today organized by the NDP, interpreters say they plan to hold a hunger strike Thursday in protest. 

They say their loved ones are fleeing from house to house to evade door-to-door searches by the Taliban and are burning documents showing links to Canada

Ghulam Faizi, a former Afghan interpreter who is now a Canadian citizen, says Afghans who have applied for passports to leave the country, following Canadian government instructions, have been interrogated by the Taliban.

Others have waited so long for Canada to process their papers in neighbouring countries, such as Pakistan, their visas are expiring and they face deportation back to Afghanistan and Taliban persecution.

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New Democrat MP Jenny Kwan says the government should treat families of Afghan interpreters the same as Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, and process their papers once they are safe in Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published 30, March, 2022.

The Canadian Press