CONTACT INFORMATION:
Emma Shainwald
emma@ncapaonline.org
[***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***]
RELEASE DATE:
September 9th, 2021
Washington, DC — In response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the conditions of Afghans waiting for relocation, the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) released the following statement:
“As the current humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, NCAPA calls upon the United States government to do all in its power to protect Afghans fleeing persecution. We believe particular attention should be given to Afghans who are vulnerable to persecution, such as women and children, members of the LGBTQ+ community, religious minorities, and other at-risk families and individuals.
The funding request by the Administration to provide suitable living standards for Afghans currently at U.S. military bases, along with funding to support their relocation is a good start to a long and difficult process. NCAPA urges both President Biden and Congress to do all that it can to provide emergency aid to those in need.
Our communities are all-to-familiar with the collateral damage inflicted by war, and have witnessed the lasting impact displacement can have on refugee communities. We believe America’s moral responsibility is to meet this moment with compassion and courage.”
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The following NCAPA member organizations also released statements regarding the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan:
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA)
- Boat People SOS (BPSOS)
- Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
- OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates
- Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)
- South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
- Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
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Based in Washington, D.C., the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans is a coalition of 38 national Asian Pacific American organizations that serves to represent the interests of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities and to provide a national voice for our communities’ concerns. Our communities are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States, currently making up approximately six percent of the population.