Afghan Refugees Denounce Germany’s Buyout Plan

DID Press: A group of Afghan refugees who had been approved for resettlement in Germany have condemned the government’s proposed payment scheme that offers money in exchange for withdrawing from the program, calling it “humiliating and unethical.”

According to German media reports on Sunday, November 9, several Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan sent an open letter to Chancellor Olaf Scholz and several ministries, rejecting the Interior Ministry’s offer.

In their letter, they wrote that they fled Afghanistan not because of poverty but to escape violence and threats to their lives — and now feel unsafe and betrayed by a country that had promised them protection. The signatories described the plan as “contrary to human principles and Germany’s moral commitments.”

The proposal, introduced by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, would grant Afghanistani refugees who forgo resettlement up to €6,500. Under the plan, part of the payment would be made in Pakistan and the remainder upon return to Afghanistan or relocation to a third country.

Official figures show that around 1,900 Afghan refugees accepted under Germany’s previous relocation program remain stranded in Pakistan.

Although the resettlement program has been officially suspended, some refugees have managed to reach Germany through legal appeals.

Observers warn that Berlin’s new plan could further erode trust in Germany’s migration policies and deepen the humanitarian crisis faced by Afghan refugees in neighboring countries.