Afghans who helped troops become NZ citizens

A group of Afghan interpreters and their families have been welcomed as citizens after putting themselves at risk to assist New Zealand soldiers in the 1990s.

More than 200 people, including friends, family, members of New Zealand’s defence and police forces and Hamilton Mayor Andrew King, were welcomed with a põwhiri on to Kirikiriroa Marae for a special citizenship ceremony in Hamilton.

Spokesman for the interpreters Raza Khadim said he and his colleagues were sometimes asked what it would mean to be New Zealand citizens.

“For someone who had to hold his father’s casket as a 10-year-old and was taught to hate his fellow humans,” he said, “that someone is no longer hiding, that someone has a postal address now, that someone now has a place called home.”

Khadim thanked those who had embraced them into their new country.

“Thank you to our superheroes — the New Zealand Red Cross Refugee Services.”

Colonel Brett Wellington of the Defence Force told the gathering: “Quite simply we could not have achieved what we did without your support . . . symbolically, you were all citizens with us when we served in Afghanistan.”

The interpreters and their families were relocated to Hamilton and other cities around the country in 2013.

New Zealand troops spent 10 years in the war-torn Afghan province of Bamiyan as part of a Provincial Reconstruction Team, during which they relied on local interpreters. Up to 26 interpreters were considered for asylum after New Zealand withdrew from the region. The interpreters said their work over a long period made their identities known to insurgents, putting them at risk.

At the time, Labour leader David Shearer called for the interpreters to be allowed to resettle in New Zealand.

“We cannot abandon these people. They have risked their lives working with our soldiers on the ground. We have a duty to help them,” he said.

Yesterday, associate foreign affairs spokesman and National MP for Hamilton West Tim Macindoe said there were no politics at the citizenship ceremony.

“We are united in welcoming you to your new home.

“We cannot overstate how important your contribution was.” Mayor King said the citizenship ceremony was obviously very special for the Afghan community.

“I acknowledge you. I followed your journey and am proud of what you have done,” he said. “You are true Kiwis in the way you got stuck in and got the job done.”

Police Superintendent Bruce Bird said the interpreters and their families now held their fates in their own hands.

“The great thing about being in New Zealand is you can be whoever you want to be.”

After the citizenship ceremony, Khadim described his new home country as “jaw-dropping”.

“Today is a day we will remember forever. It is like the day we arrived here with beautiful smiling faces welcoming us.”