Former Afghan refugee Barat Batoor described what people in Afghanistan would be experiencing as the Taliban forced its way into homes and overtook the government in August.
Batoor fled for his life from Afghanistan in 2012 and works as an organiser for Asylum Seeker Resouce Centre.
Kabul’s international airport has was swarmed by desperate masses pleading to be saved by foreign governments.
“They have started searching houses looking for people like political figures, social activists and pilots,” Mr Batoor said.
“The news came as a big shock. I haven’t slept properly for the last couple of nights.”
He said the looming humanitarian crisis was devastating for Australian Hazaras – the fourth largest diaspora in the world with many of them in Melbourne’s South East.
Batoor called on the Australian government to offer more support to help family members of the Australian-Afghan community.
“We have a moral obligation and practical obligation to help these people,” Mr Batoor said. “Australia should play a bigger role to at least open 20,000 extra places for re-settlement.”
Bruce Labor MP Julian Hill accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of “lethal negligence” for his “deliberate delays” in resettling eligible Afghan migrants.
He said Afghans in Australia waited on average 43.6 months for a partner visa compared to up to 9 months for people from Western Europe or the USA.
