More than 1,000 mostly Afghan protesters demonstrating against Kabul’s treatment of Hazaras gathered outside Government House in Canberra on Monday, the first day of President Ashraf Ghani’s official visit, Australia's ABC reported.
Protesters called on Ghani to end discrimination against the Hazara community and to refuse accepting the repatriation of Afghan refugees in Australia who have been rejected by Canberra.
According to Australian media reports, the group of protestors demanded Australia and Afghanistan revisit a 2011 deal to send failed Afghan asylum seekers home.
Protest organizer Najeeba Wadzefost was quoted as saying: “We are seeking that our President Ghani take practical, concrete steps to protect the rights of all ethnic groups in Afghanistan, including the Hazaras.”
One protester, Wahid Akbary, an Afghan refugee living in Australia since 2008, who had driven 300kms from Sydney to Canberra to take part in the protest, said Taliban militants in Afghanistan were being allowed to kill Hazaras with impunity.
Another protester Barat Ali Batoor said the security situation in Afghanistan for members of the Hazara community was so bad that it would be dangerous if refugees from the community were returned to Afghanistan.
“There needs to be a moratorium on any more forced repatriations,” Batoor was quoted by Press TV as saying.
Monday was the first full day of Ghani’s historic tour to Australia – the first such visit ever by an Afghan president.
Ghani is expected to sign economic agreements while in Australia, the first stop in his three nation Asia Pacific tour.
According to his office, he was met on arrival at the airport by high-level government officials and will meet with the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull while in Canberra.
Ghani has already met with a number of officials including Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
The Minister of Economy Abdul Satar Murad, acting minister of mines and petroleum, the deputy energy and water affairs minister Amanullah Ghalib, Presidential Adviser on Public Relations and Strategic Affairs Shah Zaman Maiwandi, and Senior Presidential Adviser Abdul Hamid Helmandi are accompanying Ghani on his Asia-Pacific trip that will also take in Indonesia and Singapore.