The situation of the people in Afghanistan is becoming more and more desperate according to the United Nations. “We are on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe,” said a spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency UNHCR on Friday in Geneva. Women and children in particular would flee the advancing Taliban.
Despite the heavy fighting and the advance of the radical Islamic Taliban, Austria, unlike other European countries, is following up on deportations Afghanistan further firmly. In principle, “there was no change in the line of the Interior Ministry”, the department announced on Friday at the request of the APA. However, the President of the Red Cross, Gerald Schpfer, called for an end to this practice.
The interior ministry left open the question of whether Austria would stick to its position even if the capital Kabul falls into the hands of the Taliban, as observers expect. “The security situation in Afghanistan is continuously monitored and assessed together with the Foreign Ministry, “said a written statement from the department headed by Karl Nehammer (VP). It was emphasized that Austria was ready,”Afghanistan in the context of specific requests for assistance in order to be able to meet its international obligations “.
“Every state decides for itself”
Regarding the decision of Germany and other European countries not to deport to Afghanistan at the moment, the Ministry of the Interior in Vienna stated that Germany did not generally stop the deportations, but only temporarily suspended them. And the Nehammers department also states: “Each state decides for itself here.”
The question of how Austria could organize deportations and whether this would actually still be possible if the previous joint flights with other European countries such as Germany were no longer possible via Frontex was only answered indirectly by the Ministry of the Interior: “In principle, charter returns are carried out via Frontex It has been dealt with, but a Frontex organization of the returns is not absolutely necessary. Sometimes bilateral agreements or direct agreements with the countries would be possible, “the statement said.
Red Cross President: “This is Hell on Earth”
Red Cross President Schpfer called on the Austrian government to follow the example of other EU countries and the deportations Afghanistan to end. “Red Cross representatives on site and representatives of the Red Crescent unanimously say that this is hell on earth,” said Schpfer on Friday in the 1- “Morgenjournal”. He recalls that Austria signed various conventions for the protection of human rights in times of bad weather. “I would like to see politicians who walk upright. Who keep the rule of law, the obligations that Austria has entered into in good times, even in times when it is not popular,” Schpfer demanded in the direction of the VP. In Afghanistan The advance of the Islamist Taliban “creates a cruel situation where it would not be humane to send people”.
At the beginning of the month Austria had written to the European Commission from Interior Minister Nehammer and the Interior Ministers of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece and the Netherlands that Afghans would be deported to their home countries. In view of the heavy fighting and the unstoppable advance of the radical Islamic Taliban in Afghanistan this has already been passed and further deportations are suspended.
The Greek government stuck to its position at least until yesterday, Wednesday: Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said, according to Reuters news agency, that the EU will not be able to cope with a repetition of the refugee crisis of 2015. Deportations to Afghanistan to stop “sending the wrong message”. Belgium also wants the deportations Afghanistan According to media reports on Friday, it will not officially stop yet, but is therefore in the process of rethinking the position.
Video: International law expert Ralph Janik on legal and factual reasons why a deportation to Afghanistan is not possible
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs examines the stay of Austrians
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry said on Friday that there is currently a “very low number in the double-digit range” of Austrian citizens registered in Afghanistan. One is currently checking who is still in the country at all. So far, however, “no person has turned to us”.
The spokeswoman also pointed out that there had been a level 6 travel warning from the Austrian side for Afghanistan for “decades”. On the homepage, the Foreign Ministry in Vienna advises “Austrians and Austrians living abroad who are in Afghanistan for other reasons” to leave the country “urgently”. “Austrians in need cannot be given direct consular assistance while they are on Afghan territory,” it continues. The next point of contact – the Austrian embassy – is in the Pakistani capital Islamabad.
