By Cam Lucadou-Wells
More than 5000 filled Harmony Square in Dandenong as a stand of support for victims of the recent deadly bombing of Kaaj Academic Learning Centre in Kabul, Afghanistan.
The vigil on Sunday 9 October in Australia’s largest Hazara heartland was part of nationwide ‘Stop Hazara Genocide’ events that weekend.
Organisers called for the Federal Government to condemn the latest attack, which killed 54 and injured 112 people, mainly children and women.
They want Australia to accept an extra 20,000 Hazara and others at-risk from Afghanistan on emergency humanitarian grounds.
They also called for the Government to offer permanent protection for Hazara refugees on temporary protection visas, and to convene an emergency round-table with Hazara Australians.
One of the organisers ‘Jawad’ said the bombing was part of a targeted attack against Hazara people in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in 2021.
This has included deadly bombings against innocents at mosques in Afghanistan in April and last October, maternity wards, schools and other “non-military targets”.
“I think the community is very upset and quite devastated by this escalation of violence against the Hazara people.
“Unfortunately, Hazaras have been historically and disproportionately the target of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan.
“It’s an ongoing genocide.”
At Harmony Square, federal MPs Julian Hill, Zoe Daniel and Monique Ryan were joined by a long list of community groups.
As well as state MPs and candidates such as Lee Tarlamis, Cassandra Fernando, Belinda Wilson, Matthew Kirwan, Alex Breskin and Michael Galea.
Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti, deputy mayor Eden Foster and councillor Rhonda Garad were also in support.
Bruce federal MP Julian Hill condemned the “barbaric” attack on Hazara women and school children at the educational centre.
“These attacks deliberately target Hazara people in Afghanistan.
“An atrocity like this reverberates across the world and affects everyone, including here in Australia.
“We stand in solidarity with Hazara people everywhere.”
The Government was committed to its promise for permanent protection “as soon as possible” to “genuine refugees”, Mr Hill said.
It was fixing a near 1-million backlog of visa applications as well as a “broken” Department of Home Affairs, he said.
“It can’t happen overnight … but we are making process.”
There were expected to be up to 300,000 humanitarian visa applications from Afghanistan.
Currently there are 31,500 places for Afghanistan nationals available over four years under Australia’s humanitarian and family re-unification programs.
Mr Hill said he agreed there was a need for more spots, particularly women and children from at-risk minorities.
Mr Kirwan, the Greens state election candidate for Dandenong, said his party fully supported the organisers’ calls for Government action.
“I have had a decade-long connection to the Hazara community of the South-East and particularly Dandenong so it was an emotional experience for me.”
