As concerned citizens, we call on the Biden Administration and Congress for the following:

Our hearts cannot describe the pain and despair we feel for the people of Afghanistan, whose lives are once again being put at risk by our government’s mismanagement of troop withdrawal and neglect for civilian lives they purported to defend for the past two decades.

For decades, the people of Afghanistan have been treated as pawns and tools of American security interests in the area. Beyond translators who risked their lives aiding America with intelligence, the civilians of Afghanistan, which include Muslims divided along with ethnic identities, as well as Afghanistan’s many visible minorities like Hindus, Sikhs, and Jews, have been the primary victim of America’s longest war, being used by both sides to gain strategic advantages.

Exclusive evacuations of American citizens while Afghans cling to planes to escape the country are wrong and should cease immediately. Reinforcing the idea that our own citizens are intrinsically worth more than Afghan citizens not only recreates American exceptionalism, but it also means world leaders can never cooperate on a global level because national interests supersede the global good in that view. Abandoning Afghan translators and workers who made the difficult decision of becoming informants for the US, thus risking death or worse to them and their families, sends a dangerous signal that the U.S. only engages in transactional partnerships and tarnishes U.S. credibility, and thus lowers the chance of more people choosing to be interpreters. Abandoning Afghan women directly contradicts U.S. liberal-international values.

By virtue of carrying out a war in Afghanistan to topple its regime, the U.S. bears the moral responsibility to mobilize the international community to deliver assistance and supplies to Afghans who are facing dire conditions across the country’s provinces. There are simply no other options if we desire to save the lives of people we have yet to even treat like humans. The time to ask questions regarding a political solution to Afghanistan’s crisis is 20 years too late. Now, saving the lives of Afghanistan’s people must be our utmost priority. Absent our government, who knows the potential possibilities for Afghanistan’s people? How can we claim to defend peace and justice if we can’t own up to the consequences of our military’s actions?

Additionally, the Taliban’s ascension back to power is extremely troubling and concerning. Their history of repressing religious, ethnic, and sexual minorities—especially women—are violations of the sovereignty and rights of Afghanistan’s people. No one should have to fear persecution or attacks for their gender or ethnic identity, period. These are the populations that we call upon the Biden Administration and Congress to take measures and protect at-risk Afghans who have political disagreements with the Taliban.

Afghanistan’s situation is yet another moment where we are reminded that centering the voices of native and local communities is essential when we create, discuss, and enforce policies that are massively consequential to their lives. Absent an in-depth understanding of those communities, it will be impossible for us to alter policy in the most beneficial manner to Afghan people—not American profits or politics.

We stand in unequivocal defense and solidarity with the Afghan people in this moment of great pain and uncertainty.