Afghan Refugees in India Protest Outside UNHCR Office, Demand Urgent Action Amid Harsh Conditions
Afghan asylum seekers in India are staging a protest outside the UNHCR office in New Delhi, demanding urgent action to address their deteriorating living conditions, lack of legal protection, and prolonged uncertainty.
Kokcha News Agency: Dozens of Afghan asylum seekers who fled to India due to threats in their homeland are protesting outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in New Delhi, calling for urgent action on their dire situation. The protest, now in its sixth day, has been organized by the Afghanistan Human Rights Defenders Committee, which has condemned the “harsh and inhumane conditions” faced by Afghan refugees in India.
Many of the protesters have lived in India for years without access to permanent residency, legal employment, formal education for their children, or adequate healthcare. In a statement released on Tuesday, the committee criticized the prolonged delays in the refugee status determination process, describing it as a “painful and exhausting ordeal.” Thousands of Afghan applicants remain in legal limbo while waiting for their cases to be processed by UNHCR.
The demonstrators, holding placards that read “Delays in refugee registration equal suspended lives,” are urging UNHCR to accelerate case reviews and resume basic assistance programs that have been discontinued. Despite their ongoing protest, they report receiving no official response from the UN agency.
Adding to their concerns, the protesters allege that they have faced “humiliating and intimidating behavior” by Indian police during their sit-in, which they say further jeopardizes their safety and dignity.
The asylum seekers are now calling on international organizations, particularly UNHCR, to immediately resume food, medical, financial, and educational support. They are also appealing for swift resettlement opportunities and the deployment of independent observers to monitor how refugees are treated by local authorities.
“These refugees did not flee Afghanistan to endure suffering and humiliation under global neglect,” the committee stated, emphasizing the emotional toll of displacement compounded by bureaucratic delays and lack of protection.
This protest highlights broader concerns over the treatment of displaced populations globally, and the urgent need for host countries and international agencies to respond to vulnerable communities with speed, transparency, and compassion.
