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Afghan MPs urge TPVs to be dumped

Afghan members of Parliament have written to the federal government urging it to dump temporary protection visas.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Almost 50 Afghan politicians are urging Prime Minister Tony Abbott to abandon the federal government's newly re-introduced temporary protection visa (TPV) program.

In a letter to Mr Abbott, translated from Dari, the 45 MPs pleaded for temporary protection visas to be scrapped.

"We are very thankful that Afghan people and refugees are able to consider Australia as their second home and that while respecting Australian values and laws, they can work and live without fear of being deported," the letter said.

The MPs wrote that as a friend of Afghanistan, they expected the Australian government to pay attention to providing basic human rights for Afghan refugees and to treat them with compassion.

Dr Abdul Qayoom Sajadi, MP for Ghazni province was among the parliamentarians who signed the letter.

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The letter, distributed by Refugee Action Coalition, comes in the wake of a weekend protest outside the Afghan National Parliament in Kabul on the issue.

TPVs were used during the Howard government years and gave refugees protection for up to three years while allowing them to work.

Recipients were banned from applying for permanent protection and could be returned to their home countries if it was deemed that circumstances had changed.

The program was scrapped by Labor before being reinstated by a returned coalition government.

The Australian Greens will try to stop their reintroduction through what is known as a disallowance motion in the Senate in coming weeks.

The TPV program could be disrupted for six months if the Greens are successful.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young plans on Tuesday afternoon to give notice of a motion that will attempt to force the immigration minister to produce documents about "operational matters" and "on-water operations" within 24 hours of incidents involving asylum seeker boat interceptions and rescues.

Comment on the Afghan MPs' letter is being sought from Immigration Minister Scott Morrison's office.


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