Hazara protesters rally during Afghan president's visit to Australia
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 3 April 2017 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Hazara protesters rally during Afghan president's visit to Australia, 3 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a6fb4.html [accessed 18 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
April 03, 2017
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (right) poses with the visiting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Canberra on April 3.
Hundreds of protesters staged a rally in the Australian capital as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani arrived for an official visit.
The mainly Hazara demonstrators gathered in Canberra on April 3, calling for Ghani to end what they said was discrimination against the ethnic minority in Afghanistan and repatriation of asylum seekers rejected by Australia.
Ghani's four-day visit is the first trip by an Afghan president to Australia.
The protesters, carrying banners and flags, gathered outside Government House, where Ghani met with Governor General Peter Cosgrove.
In 2011, Canberra and Kabul signed a controversial deal to send failed Afghan asylum seekers back.
Hazaras have accused Ghani's government of discriminating against the community, with several large demonstrations held in Kabul last year.
On his first day in Australia on April 3, Ghani signed with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull an aid deal worth $240 million over four years.
The two countries also pledged to cooperate on infrastructure, education, and employment of women and girls, agriculture and water management, training of Afghan civil servants, and anticorruption initiatives.
Based on reporting by AP, ABC Australia, The Guardian
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
