Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence

Work of Front Line Defenders in Afghanistan: Discussion

Photo of Sorca ClarkeSorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank our contributors for their time and contributions. I do not think anybody could have seen the recent events, particularly in Afghanistan, that have played out in the media as being anything other than horrendously disturbing. I firmly hold the opinion that what we see in the media is the very tip of the iceberg of what is actually happening in countries. Even outside Afghanistan, what we see in the media does not tell the true story or give the full picture of what is transpiring on the ground.

How are human rights defenders in Afghanistan coping? How are they doing? On their day-to-day operations in the country, how do Front Line Defenders judge their safety and ability to continue to perform their role, which is vital in many respects? I will ask a very difficult question. In places such as Afghanistan where there has been a marked increase in oppressive action, including brutality in many cases, against human rights defenders, realistically, how long can they remain active on the ground? Is a predetermined level set at which it is deemed to be no longer safe for these people to physically remain in that environment? If such a level is set, how close are we to reaching it at the moment? How many more risks are they willing and able to take before they need to seek outside support and are removed from the area?

I echo the sentiments expressed by the Chairperson on Colombia. An invitation needs to be issued as soon as possible to the Colombian ambassador to return to the committee to address what was shown in the video. These are horrendous actions for which accountability is needed.

What would the witnesses like to see being made a priority for the committee in its work and for the Government as a whole?

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