Let me tell you all a story. It’s a short one, but it’s a story that needs
to be told, for the life of a man and his family hangs in the balance.
In 2008, Lieutenant (now Captain) Matthew Zeller
was an embedded combat advisor deep in the battlefields of Afghanistan. That April, he met a man who would become his
interpreter, his friend, and his brother – the man who would, ultimately, save
Matt’s life. His name was Janis
Shinwari, an Afghan hired by the U.S. Army to act as an interpreter and guide
to American forces as they made their way through entrenched Taliban
strongholds. For an American soldier in
Afghanistan, a native interpreter who knew the environment was crucial to his
survival. For the U.S. Army and coalition
forces, Janis, and the services he provided, was indispensible – and, for the
Taliban, the reason Janis was, and is, at the top of their kill list.
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| Janis Shinwari (right), saved Lt. Matt Zeller's (left) life in Afghanistan. |
There’s a code of honor embedded
deep in Afghan culture – a code that ensures the utmost hospitality is given to
a guest; that an Aghan should, and will, protect his guest’s life with his
own. In April of 2008, Janis made that
pledge to Matt, and two weeks later, on April 28, Janis made good on that
pledge. While patrolling the Ghazni
province, Matt’s convoy was ambushed by Taliban forces from a nearby
village. While back at their base, Janis
heard that Matt was in deep trouble and came out with a reaction force to
provide reinforcements. When he arrived,
a Taliban fighter was coming up behind Matt to kill him. While an interpreter is not obligated to
fight, Janis picked up a rifle and shot and killed the man seeking to end
Matt’s life, fulfilling his pledge to protect Matt and sealing his fate should
the Taliban ever get his hands on him.
On that day, Matt and Janis became brothers, and when Matt left
Afghanistan, he promised Janis that he would stop at nothing to bring Janis and
his family to the United States to start a new life.
After five long years of assisting
American troops in the bowels of Afghanistan and waiting for a new life, Janis
finally received it – his visa was issued to him and his family several weeks
ago. Janis called Matt in a fit of joy –
finally, he was leaving Afghanistan and coming to America! Janis talked of moving to Virginia, close to
Matt, and becoming an interpreter in Washington. He spoke of the dream that he could finally
give his family something they could never have in Afghanistan – a life free of
terror.
However, this joy was short-lived:
on September 21st, just a few short weeks after receiving his visas,
the State Department revoked them and put his application back under
review. By the time this happened, Janis
already quit his job at the Army base, sold his house and most of his
possessions, and registered to leave Afghanistan. Now, Janis and his family is in hiding; they
live every day in fear that the Taliban will find them. And, if Janis and his family don’t get their
visas back, the Taliban will find them, torture and kill them, and parade them
through the villages as a warning to other Afghans who dare cross their path –
and our own government is the ones that are allowing it to happen.
I tell you this story because I
know Matt well – back in 2010, I worked as an intern on his congressional
campaign in Western New York. Spending
many days with him traveling throughout the Southern Tier, I consider him a
good friend, a wonderful person, and a man who keeps his word, no matter
what. Working for him and getting to
know him solidified my dedication to a life of public service, and I currently
work for the City of New York, working towards making people’s lives better.
However, without Janis’
selflessness and courage, I would have never worked for Matt, because he would
have lost his life in the fields of Afghanistan – just another number in a
growing tally of American men and women who have lost their lives in the Middle
East. I would have never known Matt, nor
would I have never seen pictures and videos of his baby girl that he posts on
Facebook all the time. I would have
never seen him write his book on life in Afghanistan, nor watch his analysis on
the War on Terror on a myriad of news shows.
The fact that the United States can
turn its back on a man who gave everything to the promise America offered him
and his people – a promise for a better future – is reprehensible. The Special Immigrant Visa program, authorized by Congress in 2008, promises over twenty thousand visas to Afghan and Iraqi nationals who worked as an interpreter or translator for the United States government - however, in 2012, only 12 percent of allocated visas were given to Afghan nationals; in Iraq, 22%. The red tape the State Department has these interpreters jump through are difficult and time-consuming, and there are thousands of people just like Janis waiting for their ticket to a new life and will likely never see it. Janis lost his visa because an anonymous tipper, perhaps a member of the Taliban, called in to put a red flag on his application - without vetting the tip, or checking the credibility of the tipper, the State Department has halted Janis' chance to save himself and his family, and now Janis is on the run, looking over his shoulder everywhere he goes, waiting for the moment where someone puts a bullet in his head. Janis saved countless American lives in a war
that has taken so many. Now, we can – no, we must – save Janis, and make good on our word not only to Janis, but
to thousands of Afghan and Iraqi interpreters who made the same sacrifice Janis
did in the hopes of a better life.
I implore all who read this to
spread the word; spread this article, sign
this petition, call your
representatives – make enough noise that Janis’ plight cannot be
ignored. While you’re at it, call your
representatives and demand that Congress fund the Special Immigrant Visa
program, which expires on September 30th, for another year to
fulfill the promise we gave to Afghans and Iraqis like Janis in exchange for
their service and sacrifice. The power
of many can overcome any obstacle – let’s come together to save some lives. For Janis, we owe him at least that.
That's all for today. Class dismissed.
