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Original poster

One small way to help Afghanistan

335 replies

TimeIhadaNameChange · 15/08/2021 21:22

Copied from a FB post

Tonight not tomorrow tonight we desperately need the help of each and everyone.

Practical action please can everyone tweet Boris Johnson and your own mp and post on their facebook pages and instragrams with #Nowzad animal shelter Afghanistan, save its staff from certain death.

For those who don’t know Nowzad set up the first ever animal shelter in Afghanistan its has dogs, cats and even donkeys. It was set up by former royal marine Pen Farthing. It trains young women and has trained 500 young vets since it started. They will be seen as British collaborators and face certain death and for the women worse, if the 25 staff and their families are not got to the safety of the UK. Please act now as they Nowzad did for the Afghan people and our troops. Tomorrow is too late it has to tonight.

OP posts:
Doodlebug71 · 28/08/2021 11:04

@Kendodd

It's so tragic the staff don't seem to be with him. Where are they? As for animals in the cargo hold, actually, I WOULD put people in the hold, I'd put them anywhere reasonably survivable on the plane just to get as many people out as possible. I'm guessing it's the processing and background checks that are taking all the time though. Animals don't need any of that, you can just stick them in the hold. I was even thinking bin the background checks and just take the children, if I had a young child in that desperate situation I would be doing my best to try to throw them onto a plane out, even if that meant I never saw them again (I know this couldn't be done) .
NO idea where the staff are. In the safest place possible, hopefully, although educated Afghan women will be a target right now, which is why he was trying to get them and their families out.

The American rescue is stuck at the airport, their staff outside. Charlotte and her supporters are trying to secure cargo space for the dogs. Poor sods. Yes, I *am trying to help them, too.

There are some awful reports starting to come through about Afghan people managing to get out through unofficial channels. It shoudl become clear during the coming days why Farthing was trying to get his staff out in the way he was, and how much of a smear campaign there has been about what was suppoed ot be a Humanitarian mission (getting people out).

Shanghaisprize · 28/08/2021 14:35

I was even thinking bin the background checks and just take the children

And take them where? We don't have enough foster carers as it is.It just isn't that simple sadly.

f I had a young child in that desperate situation I would be doing my best to try to throw them onto a plane out, even if that meant I never saw them again (I know this couldn't be done)

Many already tried that Sad

Some crazy comments going around re Pen leaving his staff - he tried everything he could to get them out and has said he'll continue to do so. It's tragic that his staff couldn't go with him but I am pleased Pen and the some of the animals got away at least.

FedNlanders · 28/08/2021 15:31

Totally agree this is just the tip of the iceberg. I feel sick :(

Kendodd · 28/08/2021 17:23

And take them where? We don't have enough foster carers as it is.It just isn't that simple sadly

That sounds very much like "they can't come here, we're full up!" I have heard and seen that far too much recently. I assumed that isn't the tone you meant it in and agree, it's not that simple although if that's what the parents want (as I would) I wish it would be facilitated.

MistySkiesAfterRain · 28/08/2021 17:52

I said before I think he was trying to follow what was fair...yet we see more how the process was anything but fair with people using their political connections to get out. He tried to get his people out through the proper means. Anyone getting angry is forgetting what a tragedy the whole situation is and far from over.

Shanghaisprize · 28/08/2021 18:47

That sounds very much like "they can't come here, we're full up!"

That is not how I meant at all, but you say you know that anyway so I don't get your point, sorry. I have no issue with anyone genuinely claiming asylum in the UK and think that we should be doing much more for the at risk Afghans left behind. My point is - there are not enough foster parents for unaccompanied children. Which is true:

www.thejusticegap.com/kent-council-threatens-priti-patel-with-legal-action-over-unaccompanied-child-migrants/

I wish there was. But putting a child through the trauma of separating them from their parents then the trauma of being passed from pillar to post and yes, being made to feel unwelcome by some - is this really a great solution?

it's not that simple although if that's what the parents want (as I would*) I wish it would be facilitated.

I wish people wouldn't do this - say what they would do or want in their situation. Unless you actually are in that situation, how can you know?

Kendodd · 28/08/2021 19:26

I wish people wouldn't do this - say what they would do or want in their situation. Unless you actually are in that situation, how can you know?

Actually, I think we have a good example from history of what lots of parents would do if desperate enough with the Kinder Transport.

Kendodd · 28/08/2021 19:31

A tiny bit of good news.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58371252

misscockerspaniel · 28/08/2021 21:44

Yes, that is heartening news.

Yahoo/Sky News are reporting that Pen and the animals have been flown out.

UK.news.yahoo.com/afghanistan-charter-plane-arrives-kabul-153100789.html

Shanghaisprize · 28/08/2021 22:04

Yahoo/Sky News are reporting that Pen and the animals have been flown out

That is great news. I so hope that the ones left behind will find a way out too.

Berkeys · 28/08/2021 22:40

His wife said one of the benefits of Pen leaving with the dogs (especially dogs) is that the staff left at the clinic will be much less of a target. The presence of an ex-marine and haram dogs is a huge red rag to the Taliban. The Nowzad team are now working hard to get the staff out another way, they haven’t been forgotten.

I am crossing everything for KSAR.

But the key point is how poorly this whole withdrawal has been handled. So much suffering due to poor preparation and contingencies.

notimagain · 28/08/2021 22:54

Sounds like his wife has got some common sense..

The presence of an ex-marine and haram dogs is a huge red rag to the Taliban.

Yes, such a huge red rag that Mr Farthing was careful enough to never ever mention his forces background in any radio or TV interview and it never got mentioned on Social Media.

WTF475878237NC · 29/08/2021 08:59

I donated after reading this thread and now feel appalled having read the Guardian article about Pen being abusive and threatening to staff. He isn't a hero to me anymore.

Errno · 29/08/2021 09:31

Maybe you could contact them and request your money back?

CornishTiger · 29/08/2021 09:38

@WTF475878237NC

I donated after reading this thread and now feel appalled having read the Guardian article about Pen being abusive and threatening to staff. He isn't a hero to me anymore.
Is this to the MOD advisor who was blocking their flight by not giving the number required? It is there another incident?

Considering the circumstances and stress level I can well imagine I’d be leaving similar. Admittedly the swearing isn’t the best but destroying them refers to going public with who is blocking them.

notimagain · 29/08/2021 10:45

I get the impression some people have a model of this all being slightly more akin to having had a slightly bad day at Heathrow, they’ve rung up to complain and have got nowhere with the help line…

MOD were trying to get Brit nationals/those with a British allegiance out….Mr Farthing had the documentation required for himself…so I suspect from the MOD POV it would very much be a case of, and almost literally, “we have more urgent things to do, goodbye”

Kendodd · 29/08/2021 11:12

I don't know about PF staff but I know Afgan interpreters and their families wanted to be and could have been evacuated to the UK months ago. Unfortunately this was unpopular with the voters and Priti Patel so barriers were put up and feet were dragged. Some of them will probably be killed as a result.
Shame on us.
Now we have Tory ministers strutting around like savours, 'moving heaven and earth' and greeting evacuees at the airport.
I am so angry with the whole 'they're not coming here' mob, of which there are millions, let's not pretend there aren't.
Think back to the people who supported the Nazi's. These were perfectly ordinary people, they weren't the monsters we like to paint them so we can feel better about ourselves. They went to work, played with their children, loved their dog, probably made very lovely neighbours. They would have been the ones jumping up and down about 'immigrants' in the UK today and now have a very powerful voice in this country.

notimagain · 29/08/2021 11:29

@Kendodd

I don't know about PF staff but I know Afgan interpreters and their families wanted to be and could have been evacuated to the UK months ago. Unfortunately this was unpopular with the voters and Priti Patel so barriers were put up and feet were dragged. Some of them will probably be killed as a result.

Agreed..and yet some insist on blaming everything on Ben Wallace and the MOD..

Kendodd · 29/08/2021 11:41

Look at these hate filled views, nearly 1 million followers. This is us, this is the UK. I feel ashamed to be British.

m.facebook.com/leaveeuofficial/photos/a.805855112846065/4299321563499385/?type=3&source=48

DancesWithTortoises · 29/08/2021 11:44

Listen to the tape.

This is a bully not a hero.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9935789/Pen-Farthing-went-foul-mouthed-tirade-MoD-official-demanding-flight-allowed-Kabul.html

Rhannion · 29/08/2021 11:55

[quote DancesWithTortoises]Listen to the tape.

This is a bully not a hero.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9935789/Pen-Farthing-went-foul-mouthed-tirade-MoD-official-demanding-flight-allowed-Kabul.html[/quote]
You must be one of those people who never loses their temper, never raised your voice , never felt despair or felt desperately about something, You are lucky...

Atypicaldancer · 29/08/2021 12:01

He was angry and frustrated. I think most of us would lose our cool in that situation. He was trying to get his staff to safety.

DancesWithTortoises · 29/08/2021 12:06

Listen to the tape.

You must be one of those people who never loses their temper, never raised your voice , never felt despair or felt desperately about something, You are lucky.

I have been angry I have raised my voice. The plight of the women and children in Afghanistan makes me very angry.

But never in my long life have I threatened to destroy another human being. That is unacceptable.

I'm not lucky, just civilised. If you think his threats were ok you need to have a good hard think.

Frezia · 29/08/2021 12:15

@Kendodd

I don't know about PF staff but I know Afgan interpreters and their families wanted to be and could have been evacuated to the UK months ago. Unfortunately this was unpopular with the voters and Priti Patel so barriers were put up and feet were dragged. Some of them will probably be killed as a result. Shame on us. Now we have Tory ministers strutting around like savours, 'moving heaven and earth' and greeting evacuees at the airport. I am so angry with the whole 'they're not coming here' mob, of which there are millions, let's not pretend there aren't. Think back to the people who supported the Nazi's. These were perfectly ordinary people, they weren't the monsters we like to paint them so we can feel better about ourselves. They went to work, played with their children, loved their dog, probably made very lovely neighbours. They would have been the ones jumping up and down about 'immigrants' in the UK today and now have a very powerful voice in this country.

Very true!

Doodlebug71 · 29/08/2021 12:53

@DancesWithTortoises

Listen to the tape.

You must be one of those people who never loses their temper, never raised your voice , never felt despair or felt desperately about something, You are lucky.

I have been angry I have raised my voice. The plight of the women and children in Afghanistan makes me very angry.

But never in my long life have I threatened to destroy another human being. That is unacceptable.

I'm not lucky, just civilised. If you think his threats were ok you need to have a good hard think.

You're perfectly happy to join in the massive smear campaign against Farthing, because that distracts from the failings of the UK government (again).

I think that under the circumstances he was living, and the threats he was facing, he's quite restrained. It's interesting that if someone swears, people start tutting. Smile (or smirk) sweetly as you leave people to die, like Patel and Wallace do, and that's somehow acceptable behaviour.

It's a strange world when Raab gets to go and stay on a 5 star holiday whilst Kabul falls, and keep his job, but a chap who tried to rescue people who would otherwise be left behind is vilified and smeared by the very people who blocked and prevented his humanitarian mission.

The tweets that Wallace put out whilst Farthing and his team were waiting outside the airport (at Wallace's intructions) were appalling. It's interesting that all of that seems to have disappeared from Wallace's twitter account, and from Heappey's.