Dear President Joseph R. Biden,
We are requesting that your administration follow through with your campaign promise in May 2020 to extend emergency refugee protection immediately to Afghan Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, and other religious minorities who are being threatened by the Taliban. The risk of genocide of Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, and other religious minorities has become acute as American soldiers withdraw from Afghanistan.
The Sikh community was once a vibrant community in Afghanistan. In the late 1980s, there were about 500,000 Sikhs scattered across Afghanistan. After the rise of the Taliban and years of repeated persecution, religious discrimination, and threats, there are fewer than 300 Sikhs and Hindus left. They currently live in the Kabul Gurdwara in constant terror and will experience intense persecution with the resurgence of the Taliban.
Just as the United States is bringing back Americans and all those that helped the United States we believe very strongly that religious minorities who are facing intense religious persecution and relied on the success of the Western Alliance in Afghanistan should be given refuge in the United States.
The United States is a beacon of hope for people all across the world due to our commitment to human rights and our fundamental core values of equality and religious tolerance. We are humbly requesting your administration serve as a beacon for the Afghan Sikh community and take aggressive and urgent action to ensure they are accepted as refugees in the United States and follow through on your campaign promise which we have copied and linked below.
Sincerely,
The Sikh community
Please read the full 2020 campaign statement from Joe Biden on extending refugee status for Afghan Sikhs and Hindus here.
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