Malala Yousafzai – the teenaged Pakistani activist whose story of survival at the hand of radical Taliban forces became worldwide news – has issued an impassioned plea to United States President Donald Trump to wind back a brand-new executive order, which will suspend the nation’s refugee program for four months.
In a post through The Malala Fund’s Facebook page, 19-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner urged Trump to retract the new measures, which also bar anyone from Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Libya, Sudan, Yemen and Syria from entering the US for 90 days – at a minimum.
Yousafzai writes “I am heartbroken that today President Trump is closing the door on children, mothers and fathers fleeing violence and war.
“I am heartbroken that America is turning its back on a proud history of welcoming refugees and immigrants — the people who helped build your country, ready to work hard in exchange for a fair chance at a new life.”
In turn, Yousafzai says “I am heartbroken that Syrian refugee children, who have suffered through six years of war by no fault of their own, are singled-out for discrimination.”
Zaynab lost contact with her younger sister in Egypt; Yousafzai says “today her hope of being reunited with her precious sister dims.
“In this time of uncertainty and unrest around the world, I ask President Trump not to turn his back on the world’s most defenseless children and families.”
ICYM what @maddow said, NONE of the countries on Trump’s Muslim ban list have been the source of terrorist attackers in the U.S. since 9/11.
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) January 28, 2017
Oh, by the way, this whole thing may very well affect us too. Remember that refugee swap deal that was on the table, seemingly enabling us to move some detainees in Australian offshore detention facilities (read: literal fucking Hell) to the States? Well, Trump’s latest move certainly won’t provide any cause for optimism. None at all.
Read Yousafzai’s full statement below:
Source: Malala Fund / ABC / CNN / Reuters.
Photo: Pacific Press / Getty.
