Why is Turkey or other Muslims nations not accepting Afghan refugees?
Don’t you find it strange when the messiah of Muslims nations -- Turkey -- shuts doors on the Muslim refugees from Afghanistan? Except Iran, majority of Muslim nations have refused from taking in Afghani Muslims. According to data from the UN Refugee Agency or the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Iran already hosts 3.38 million refugees from Afghanistan. Of the 3.38 million, 7,80,000 are documented refugees, on the other hand 2 million are undocumented and 600,000 are Afghan-passport holders. Big members of the OIC excluding Iran have already refused to accept refugees this time. The OIC represents 57 Muslim countries across 4 continents and prefers calling itself the collective voice of the Muslim world.
However, most of the Muslim nations have decided not to pay heed to this collective voice at a time when it will means a lot. The OIC is led by Saudi Arabia, but the country has been silent on whether it will open its doors for the Muslim refugees of Afghanistan. In fact, it has encouraged the Taliban to take over. Going by its official statement, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hopes that the Taliban movement and all Afghan parties will work to preserve security, stability, lives and property, and at the same time, affirms its support for the Afghan people and the choices they make without any interference.”
In the 1990s, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were two other countries that had recognised the Taliban government. However, this time The OIC statement specifically mentions that “civilians wishing to leave Afghanistan must be allowed to do that”.
The UAE has adopted a similar move. The OIC’s statement talks about “the necessity to protect and respect the right to life, security, and dignity of the people of Afghanistan in compliance with the tolerant Islamic principles and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)”. On the other hand, the UAE, a rich Muslim nation similar to Saudi Arabia, has agreed only to permit 5,000 Afghan refugees to use it as a travel corridor to reach a third country, and that too on US’ request.
In the UAE, the Afghan refugees can stay only for 10 days. Coming to Turkey, it wants to increase its influence in the Muslim world and in the OIC. Its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been calling for re-establishment of the Caliphate in Turkey to use it as a tool to lead the Islamic world. Even Erdogan is simply not ready to accept Afghan refugees. For Erdogan, Afghan refugees are not Muslim brethren, but a burden to be ignored and his country is even building up a wall on Iran’s border to stop the influx of refugees.
Taking into consideration the size of their economy, these countries can very easily shelter people fleeing the Taliban terror. According to World Bank figures in current US dollars, Turkey’s GDP is $720 billion, Saudi Arabia’s is $700 billion, UAE’s is $421 billion, Bangladesh’s is $324 billion and Pakistan’s is $263 billion. This is good enough to offer shelter to millions of Afghani refugees.
List of countries that are accepting Afghan refugees
The United States will accept people from Afghanistan who have previously worked with the government. Reports said these Afghans will be temporarily sheltered in Albania, Kosovo or northern Macedonia, the three Balkan countries in Europe which have opened their doors to Afghan refugees.
United Kingdom: The United Kingdom said it can take up to 20,000 Afghans over the long term with priority given to women, children and those facing persecution.
Australia: Australia has plans to provide at least 3,000 visas to Afghans over a year. It will not allow thousands of Afghans inside the country, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said. "I note that some are talking about figures of 20,000 but can I tell you there are no clear plans about that. Australia is not going into that territory," he said.
Tajikistan: In July, Tajikistan said it was ready to take in up to one lakh Afghan refugees.
Canada: Around 20,000 Afghan refugees have already fled to Canada.
Germany: Angela Merkel has told her party that the country needs to take in about 10,000 Afghans who are at risk.
India: India is committed to evacuating Hindus and Sikhs who want to come to India. It has introduced a new category of e-visa, which will be valid for six months, as of now.
Iran: Reports said Iran has set up emergency tents for refugees in three provinces that border Afghanistan.
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