09/03/2022

As Afghans starve more than $9 billion of the country’s reserve funds remain frozen in banks in the US and Europe . This is outrageous.

We, with United Against Inhumanity (UAI), an international movement of individuals and civil society organizations outraged at the damage and suffering war-affected communities endure and the erosion of the global asylum regime, call on President Biden , Chancellor Scholz, Prime Ministers Draghi and Johnson to immediately release Afghan funds held in their countries’ banks.

The frozen funds belong to Da Afghanistan Bank, the country’s central bank. These are essential for the normal functioning of the Afghan economy. Without access to these funds, the banking system has collapsed, workers cannot receive their wages and companies cannot be paid for their assets . Add your name to this urgent appeal to help Afghans who are facing unprecedented levels of hardship during a harsh winter.

On Feb. 11, President Biden issued an executive order taking control of Afghanistan’s $7 billion in reserves held in US banks; half of this amount is already tied up in legal proceedings relating to claims made by victims of the 9/11 attacks. The people of Afghanistan played no role in those attacks. The US government has spent over $2 trillion on its intervention in Afghanistan since 2001. It certainly has adequate resources to compensate the families of 9/11 victims – whom we support – without punishing the Afghan people.

Sign the petition calling on President Biden and European leaders to immediately release all frozen funds.

We call on President Biden to reverse his February 11 executive order and, as a first step, authorize the release of $150 million a month to the Central Bank of Afghanistan so that it can play its essential role in creating liquidity in the economy. These releases can be monitored by international auditors with an option to revoke in case of interference by the de facto Taliban authorities in the independent management of the central bank.

United Against Inhumanity (UAI) is an international movement of individuals and civil society organizations outraged at the damage and suffering war-affected communities endure and the erosion of the global asylum regime. By mobilizing our collective commitment and efforts, the IAU challenges the inhumanity that destroys lives and tears societies apart.