Dear friends of Sea-Eye,

Over a quarter of a million people demand together with us:

Create safe passages from Afghanistan for everyone! Now!

But there is still mostly talk of evacuations for Afghans who have worked directly for Germany and the Bundeswehr. But since the Taliban came to power, everyone who is not on the side of the Taliban is in mortal danger. However, not even people who worked for decades for subcontractors will be saved. And all that while for days there have been reports of thousands of people crowding around the airport in Kabul – in immense panic, despair and in the hope of being able to leave the country and reach safety.

Instead, the people seeking protection are being held back by the Taliban and the US armed forces using tear gas and other violent defensive measures, leaving them in the dark. At least 12 people died or were shot dead in the crowd.

We cannot accept this state of affairs! How can you tie the value of a human life to their job? Why have the admission procedures for so-called local staff been deliberately delayed in the past weeks and months and have been made more difficult by bureaucratic hurdles?

Hannes Soltau from the newspaper Tagesspiegel finds the right words for the German Federal Government's previous approach:

“Where lists rule, humanity has long since lost.”

Humanity can, however, be found in the form of the great willingness of numerous cities and countries to take in refugees from Afghanistan. German federal states, municipalities and cities such as Munich, Hamburg, Aachen, Heidelberg and many more signal that they are ready to take people in.

The civilian population also comes together and shows solidarity. On site – in Afghanistan – and also in Germany, in the form of demonstrations, rallies, fundraising campaigns, discussions and much more.

Secretary-General Stoltenberg said after a special meeting of the NATO foreign ministers: “We expect the Taliban to enable all foreign nationals and Afghans who want to leave the country to leave the country safely.”

We welcome the call for everyone to be able to leave the country. However, we consider it extremely questionable that such expectations can be placed on the Taliban.

We therefore continue to appeal to the Federal Government to do everything in its power to set up safe passages for all people who have to leave the country. Now! Time is running out!

Please don’t stop to continue to support our demands. We must not allow the events in Afghanistan, and thus also the people there, to be forgotten in the coming days and weeks. Especially not as long as those responsible hide behind bureaucratic procedures and discussions instead of starting to act.

Here's what you can do:

• Share the petition on all platforms available to you.
• Listen to those affected. Sensitize your environment for the topic and educate.
• Take to the streets and show your solidarity in the upcoming demonstrations around the world.

Thank you for your support!

Sophie Weidenhiller, Joana Weinmann, Gorden Isler, Axel Pasligh
- from Sea-Eye e. V.