The UK government is being sued by at least six Afghan translators who collaborated with the British army during their deployment in Afghanistan and were allegedly left behind during last year’s evacuation from the country, according to Sky News.
The broadcaster cited one of the translators as saying that he'd lodged a legal challenge after his relocation application under the ARAP (Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy) scheme was rejected.
“I'm really afraid and I'm in hiding. I'm feeling so unhappy. I live like in a prison. My message to the British Army 'we saved the lives of the British soldiers and now it's time to save my life and my family's life',” the man, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, pointed out.
The translators’ solicitor Qays Sediqi in turn argued that “the overall handling” of the ARAP scheme, “in spite of reassurances, has been appalling.”
“These individuals - if they didn't have legal representation - would be left stranded in Afghanistan or a third country where they have no right of residence,” Sediqi added.
In late December 2021, former UK Defense Minister Johnny Mercer told the Independent that "the vast majority" of people who should have been evacuated from Afghanistan under the ARAP program were left behind, allegedly because the scheme was a “disaster” and thousands didn’t get a response.
“All the ministers know this, but they are determined to move on from our commitments to these people,” Mercer claimed.
This came after interpreters and other local staff who had worked with British forces, for their part, said in interviews with the Independent that they were in hiding in Afghanistan with their families because the Taliban is "searching" for them.
“We can’t go outside. The Taliban knows me. They called me on the phone 10 days ago and asked where I was. They want to kill me. They’re calling my friends, asking where I am. I am sick with fear. If the UK can’t help us I will die,” one of the interpreters said.
The ARAP program was launched in April 2021 and more than 10,000 people have been successfully relocated since then. Even so, it is believed that a further 8,000 are still eligible.
A spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defence said that it "regrets" delays, pledging to put more efforts into identifying eligible applicants.
“All applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Processing timelines vary due to the complexity and personal circumstances of each applicant and we regret any delays as we work through complex cases. We are investing in a new casework system, putting in more resource and adapting our approach to make it easier and quicker to identify and process applications from eligible Afghans,” the spokesperson stressed.
Last summer, the Taliban stepped up their offensive against government troops and entered Kabul without a single shot on August 15, 2021, which led to the collapse of the US-backed government. The developments prompted a mass evacuation of foreigners as well as Afghans who had collaborated with or worked for foreign troops and organizations.
At the time, then-UK Labour Party Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds argued that the British government was "asleep at the wheel" on the evacuation of Afghan assistants despite knowing in advance that the US had set an August 31 deadline for the withdrawal of their armed forces.
*The organization is under the UN sanctions over terrorist activities