We are the five former NZDF interpreters who are excluded from the NZ resettlement packages. We continuously contacted NZ officials and asking them for the resettlement offer in New Zealand.

Recently we sent an official letter to Prime Minister, NZ Cabinet and MPs to reconsider our cases, but it seems that we have been completely ignored, although we have all records of our services and threat letters which have been written by NZPRT officials and stating that our lives are at risk.

We have served alongside NZDF troops in Bamiyan over the past 6-7 years as interprets/ translators and cultural advisors. We do not understand that what distinct us from those who were offered packages to resettle in NZ, as we are faced the same threat as they do.

The situation throughout the county has been deteriorating and those who were or are affiliated to Coalition forces or ISAF are being tracked and killed.

Most countries have offered asylum to their Afghan employees regardless of current or former employee as they realize that once the troops leave Afghanistan their employee’s will face a serious threat.

On October 2012 Defense Minister Mr. Coleman announced that NO AFGHAN INTERPRETERS WILL BE LEFT BEHIND, but unfortunately we Five former interpreters have been missed out of the offer and our services, loyalty, honesty, dedication to NZ government is completely ignored and no one even listens to our concerns, which make us to deeply regret serving the NZ Government.

Herby, we are sending this message to NZ Media to share our concerns with NZ civil society and the public to support our claim which is based on fact, attached file is the letter that we shared with NZ Officials.

NOTE: we have all our documents including threat letters to further prove our claims upon request.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

Budget 2013 Comment: Plain Sailing, But It's No America's Cup Pattrick Smellie: Compared to the last four budgets, this year's reflects an economy moving out of recession and into calmer waters... Yet if the fastest annual growth rate we can expect over the next two years is 3 percent - with the Christchurch rebuild in full swing - then you'd have to say New Zealand's underlying low-growth problem is far from fixed. More>>

Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

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Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

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