'Shocked to the core': B.C.-based advocates respond to Kabul bombings with urgent calls for action
As Friba Rezayee watched the news unfold of twin bombings near Kabul’s airport on Thursday, she felt herself go numb.
“It’s devastating, we can’t take this anymore,” Rezayee, who came to Canada as a refugee in 2011, told CTV News in Vancouver.
“It’s so shocking,” she said. “I’m shocked to the core that honestly I’m not feeling anything anymore.”
Rezayee, who is one of Afghanistan’s first female Olympic athletes, and is now executive director of a non-profit that focuses on providing Afghan women and girls with educational opportunities, including in sports, said she received panicked messages from those who were near the carnage.
Mursal Nowrouzi, who left Afghanistan with her family at the age of five, and lived in Pakistan for 10 years as a refugee before immigrating to Canada, called the bombings simply traumatic.
“I feel like I’m reliving the nightmare that I escaped 20 years ago,” Nowrouzi, with the Afghan Canadian Association said.
“It’s being played out right in front of our faces and we feel hopeless and helpless,” she said, adding that she has a grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins who are essentially trapped in Kabul.
Nowrouzi is now co-organizing a protest for this coming Saturday at 2 p.m. outside the Vancouver Art Gallery to shine a light on a humanitarian crisis she said is only getting worse each day.
“As much as we’re screaming for attention,” she said, “I feel like things have been very slow, and I know (Canada has) the capacity to do more.”
The bombings came just hours after Canada announced its formal evacuation efforts in Afghanistan had come to a close.
It’s not clear how or when Ottawa plans to evacuate those who remain.
Rezayee said she also remains deeply concerned about her family in the Afghan capital who have submitted paperwork with the Canadian government and are waiting to hear something in response.
“I do have seven family members who are in hiding right now,” Rezayee said.
“They are changing their locations every other day,” she explained. “They are changing their phone numbers. They are also changing their photos on social media not to attract any attention.”
And while this advocate for women and children said Canada did a “good” job bringing nearly 4,000 people to safety, she echoed Nowrouzi’s comments that Ottawa could have done more, sooner.
“Canada has the wealth, capacity, and the ability to take more refugees,” Rezayee said, adding that the country and others need to plan now for a process that she called “peaceful” and “proper” to avoid a refugee crisis like that seen after Syria descended into civil war.
Ottawa has pledged to settle some 20,000 Afghan refugees, but critics have pointed out that includes applications that were already pending.
“All these people who are leaving Afghanistan, they just want to be alive, they just want to survive,” Rezayee said. “That’s not a lot to ask.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
'It was violent': Police tear down U of A pro-Palestinian encampment Saturday morning
Multiple people at the protest camp torn down at the University of Alberta campus Saturday say police's actions against protesters were "violent" and "disproportionate."
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
Mother's Day movies that pull at ALL the heartstrings
This Mother's Day Weekend, take a look at some of the most emotional movies inspired by moms.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Solar storm puts on brilliant light show across the globe, but no serious problems reported
A powerful solar storm put on an amazing skyward light show across the globe overnight but has caused what appeared to be only minor disruptions to the electric power grid, communications and satellite positioning systems.