September 5, 2021

On September 2, members of the American Mideast Coalition for Democracy met with the founder of the Norooz (“New Day”) Foundation located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The foundation has largely focused on the needy in Iran, but has expanded operations to help refugees in Iraq, Jordan, Pakistan, Turkey and India. After the United States’ disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, they have moved their focus to helping those stranded behind Taliban lines and the expected flood of refugees moving into neighboring countries.

M. Maalizadeh has much experience working with vulnerable and traumatized refugees since 2004 when he began helping Iraqi refugees feeling to Jordan and Greece. He is especially proud of the work the foundation has done in helping Yazidi victims of ISIS in the Sinjar Mountains including Nadia Murad, who later won the Nobel Prize for her efforts to bring the suffering of Yazidi women and girls, who were sold as sex slaves to Islamic State fighters, to the attention of the world.

We are about to witness similar scenes in Afghanistan. Our members fear the internet will be blocked so that photos and videos of the latest Islamist atrocities will not be seen. One member made it known that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is already monitoring internet communications and even that it may have been responsible for the Kabul airport bombing.

Another member explained that, according to his sources, evacuation efforts to free American citizens and Afghan translators trapped behind enemy lines are currently underway. The good news is that many are getting out, but many may then find themselves stateless refugees in Tajikistan, Pakistan or Iran.

We encourage our members to donate what they can to help these poor people by clicking here.