Friday, June 28, 2013

UK government shafts another Afghan 'Terp

I have written before of the despicable abandonment by coalition governments of the native interpreters who literally put their lives (and the lives of their families) in grave danger as  they work loyally alongside our Troops.

Today, comes this interview with one such 'terp; one of the many who have earned so much better from our governments:
British Forces News


Published on Jun 25, 2013
A former Afghan interpreter has told British Forces News he has considered killing himself because he feels deserted by the country he put his life on the line for.

Hashmat Nawabie worked for British forces from 2007 until 2012. He wants asylum in the UK but doesn't qualify under the government's new scheme for interpreters.

After three years working for British troops he claims he started getting death threats from the Taliban.

By 2012 the situation was so serious he was forced to quit his job and flee the country. With a fake passport he made it as far as Germany.

He has been living in a refugee camp in Frankfurt for the past five months and says he is unable to return home, get asylum in Germany or get to the UK.

His case has been taken up by Labour MP Thomas Docherty who's on the Commons Defence Select Committee. He is calling for a commons debate on the issue.

In a statement the Ministry of Defence said a generous redundancy scheme was offered to staff who were in post on 19 December 2012 - the date the Prime Minister announced the drawdown of UK forces: "It is important to stress that the redundancy package is in addition to and does not replace our pre-existing intimidation policy, which applies to ALL local employees who served with British forces at any time during the operation, for any duration. This offers a separate range of protection and handling measures depending on the seriousness of the threat, including in extreme cases the option of relocation to the UK."

"While it would not be appropriate to comment on any individual case, it should be noted that, outside of these specific policies, international law is clear that asylum seekers should seek asylum in the first safe country they enter."

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