San Jose State’s Associated Students board of directors said it intends to assist Afghan students and communities affected by the recent crisis in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is now under the control of the Taliban, a militant group that ruled the country in the late 1990’s, according to a Tuesday AP News article.
In Feb. 2020, President Trump signed a peace deal with the Taliban and agreed to withdraw American troops by May but President Biden extended the withdrawal deadline to Sept., according to the same Tuesday article.
As this deadline approached, The Taliban seized control of the majority of Afghanistan and the U.S. withdrew troops, according to the same article.
The current seizure leaves Afghan civilians in severe danger because those who worked with Americans will endure cruel attacks by the Taliban’s harsh rule, according to an Aug. 17 AP News article.
A.S. President Anoop Kaur, Vice President Nina Chuang and Controller Maritza Molina presented proposals to the board asking for support.
“As an institution close to the highest population of Afghans in Fremont, it's our responsibility to take charge and support our students,” Kaur said during Wednesday’s A.S. meeting, which was held on Zoom.
Fremont, otherwise known as “little Kabul,” and other parts of the East Bay have the largest Afghan populations in the U.S., according to an Aug. 16 Fox KTVU article.
Kaur said the board intends to focus on three “perspectives,” which are: local and international students, incoming refugees and refugees who’re stuck abroad.
“We want to offer additional resources that are needed to respond to the crises as many humanitarian organizations are stretched very thin,” Kaur said.
The A.S. executive board also proposed a donation drive that would include collecting food, clothing, toiletries and monetary donations.
Chuang said the proposed donation drive would take place from Aug. 30 through Oct. 25 at the Seventh St. Plaza.
She said the board is discussing possible donation bins at various A.S. departments including: SJSU Cares, the Spartan Recreation and Aquatic Center and the solidarity network.
The solidarity network is a group of on-campus organizations including: the MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center, Cesar E. Chavez Community Action Center, Student Wellness Center, Gender Equity Center and PRIDE Center, according to the student affairs website.
Kaur said A.S. intends to use “multiple modes of advocacy,” such as creating infographics with resources for Afghanistan and international students and using emergency funds from SJSU Cares if it’s available for financial and housing relief.
SJSU Cares assists students facing unforeseen crises by providing support around basic needs such as: food, shelter, and emergency resources, according to its website.
“We want this to be a complete board initiative,” Kaur said. “We would like to send a message to the student population that the whole board is there for them.”
William Armaline, founding director of the Human Rights Institute (HRI) and sociology associate professor, said he applauds the work of A.S. because the institute is also working to support students and affected groups in danger or distress from the Afghanistan crisis.
The HRI is a research and policy institute that designs human rights solutions for community organizations, stakeholders and policy makers, according to the HRI website.
Armaline said the institute is trying to establish a “Visiting Scholars” program, which would allow SJSU and parenting universities to assist scholars, journalists and artists being targeted by the Taliban in receiving visas, shelter and housing support.
“I would applaud their effort, [A.S.], because it is really critically important,” he said. “We are in the creation of the quagmire in Afghanistan and so we are no less obligated as part of American society to help clean up that mess.”
Global studies sophomore Ariana Shah said she was pleased A.S. is in the process of designing solutions.
“I think all the ideas are incredible and I honestly don't know that much when it comes to advocating and organizing people, but I feel like that's all really incredible,” Shah said in a phone call. “I feel like every human should have the basic decency to have empathy for other countries that are not just in our global, western perspective.”
