Toronto organization encouraging feds to let them help resettle LGBTQI+ Afghan refugees

A Toronto organization that works to resettle those who have escaped violence and persecution has launched a petition urging the Canadian government to fulfill their commitment to resettle LGBTQI+ refugees from Afghanistan and offering their help.

The Safe Way Out petition was launched by Rainbow Railroad in May, ahead of Pride Month with a goal to reach 10,000 signatures.

Canada pledged to resettle 40,000 people after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021 and help keep LGBTQI+ Afghans safe. So far, 14,485 refugees from Afghanistan have arrived in Canada and almost 4,000 more applications have been approved.

Rainbow Railroad said since the federal government made the commitment, “thousands continue to live in danger.”

Since last August, over 3,300 Afghans have reached out to Rainbow Railroad for help to resettle and right now, the organization has 300 refugees who are ready for “imminent travel and resettlement in a safer country.”

“As a Canadian, I was really proud to see in August, the Canadian government stepped up and announced that they were going to evacuate and resettle people from Afghanistan had specifically mentioned members of the LGBTQI+ community,” said Executive Director Kimahli Powell.

“Since the takeover of the Taliban, the situation is really volatile for the community. Individuals, when or if they’re discovered as members of the LGBTQI+ community from the Taliban or from family members, often find themselves a victim of harassment and violence.”

As a Canadian-based organization, Powell said that is when requests for help started skyrocketing. “Not just from individuals, but from international humanitarian groups, international government groups, looking at us saying, ‘Rainbow Railroad focuses on LGBTQI+ persons and were from Canada. So, there was a sort of direct assumption that the Government of Canada would work with us. And that’s all we’re trying to do.”

Rainbow Railroad is now asking for “a direct referral partnership to create additional targeted and expedited resettlement pathways for high-risk LGBTQI+ Afghan refugees, and more broadly, for refugees from around the world.”

“We know that there are hundreds, if not, thousands of people waiting for a safe way out,” said Powell. “We’ve been imploring the government to work with us because we have been able to identify people at risk.”

Powell shares they expect to receive over 10,000 requests for resettlement this year alone. “We know how broad the situation is. There are a lot of people who are desperate and at risk, and that number can seem overwhelming.”

He said his team is working “day in and day out” to identify individuals whose lives are at risk. The 300 people Rainbow Road have identified are those that can immediately be supported and resettled.

The organization has already worked to resettle 100 refugees in the United Kingdom and another 200 in Canada, but through a partnership with the United States. They have yet to receive any support from the Canadian government.

“I think we’ve had productive conversations with the government, but that has not yet resulted into action. And so the reason why again, we’re amplifying Safe Way Out is that we want to make it clear that this is an area of concern for all Canadians and our stakeholders in our community,” explained Powell.

Rainbow Railroad did meet with the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser to discuss their initiatives back in April.

???????? is committed to protecting the world's most vulnerable.
 
No one should face danger based on their sexual orientation identity or gender expressions.
 
Thanks to @RainbowRailroad for meeting today to discuss ways to welcome more LGBTQI individuals. pic.twitter.com/cXaeM7mF7V

— Sean Fraser (@SeanFraserMP) April 8, 2022

Powell said he is disappointed there has not been a formalized partnership but reiterated the need for LGBTQI+ persons being able to resettle in safe countries.

“I hope people understand that the neighboring countries where people from Afghanistan can escape to are not safe for them either,” explained Powell. “And so because most of the countries in that region have laws that criminalize same sex intimacy, even if you’re able to escape from Afghanistan to a neighboring country, you’re not welcome there for a long time, but you’re also in a country where you’re criminalized.”

For more information on the Safe Way Out petition, click here.

CityNews reached out to the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship about this peition, but have not received a response.