Challenges of being Afghan refugee abroad

KABUL (SW): Mohammad Wasiq twice left his hometown, Bamiyan, to go to Iran in search of work. In the second time, he left his education forever due to financial hardship to work in Iran and send money to his family back home.

He told Salam Watandar from the troubles of being an immigrant and how he was sold to a human trafficker in Nimrooz province. The smuggler had put dozens of asylum seekers in a truck as traded goods and had taken them across the border to Iran.

Bearing all the sufferings, Wasiq had finally reached Iran, however, after several months; he had been captured by the security forces in Iran and had been sent to a refugee camp.

Wasiq recalled that once the UN observers left the camps, the security forces had often beaten them and had snatched money from them for different excuses and had made them sweep the camps and wash toilets.

Wasiq told Salam Watandar that Iranian police have often insulted and humiliated Afghan asylum seekers and refugees. Most of the Afghan refugees have been working as daily laborers in the factories in the worst condition possible with the lowest compensation paid to them, Wasiq said.

“There is no insurance and work safety, on top of it, if the employers do not pay the wages to immigrant workers, there is no way to claim against them and receive your compensation”, wasiq added.

It is not only Wasiq, but many residents of Bamiyan have been refugees in Iran and Pakistan in the recent years. Jawad Sadih, a resident of Yakawlang district of Bamiyan, has spent 17 years in Pakistan.

Jawad has been extremely troubled by the Pakistani police, saying that no refugee could get rid of the police without paying bribes. According to Jawad, the Pakistani government, despite its commitment to the UHCR and receiving billions of dollars for refugees, has not helped refugees in any way.

Contrary to these deeds with immigrants and accordance with the Article 24 of the Fourth Chapter of the law on combating human trafficking and trafficking of immigrants, “the immigrants who have been smuggled are barred from arrest, imprisonment, cruel and inhuman treatment, and must be provided with all living facilities, healthcare, education, and financial support by the host government”.

A number of the returnees have also complained about the unwelcoming behavior of the government towards them saying that they have faced insults and humiliations after returning back to the country.

Human rights activists in Bamiyan province told Salam Watandar that both inside and outside the country; Bamiyani immigrants and displaced persons have faced violation of their rights against the international conventions and basic citizenship rights.

Ismail Zaki, coordinator of the civil society and human rights in Bamiyan, told Salam Watandar that refugees and immigrants have been exploited in different ways in the host countries.

According to Ismail Zaki, no other organization except the UNCHR has assisted the Bamiyani immigrants and returnees.

However, Azizullah Aminyar, head of the Bamiyan refugees and returnees said the biggest cause of problems for refugees and returnees is their lack of awareness of citizenship rights and not understanding the dangers of immigration and immigration laws.

According to Azizullah Aminyar, 15 to 20 percent of the Afghan immigrants are Bamiyan residents.

Under the law on combating human trafficking and trafficking of immigrants, the government is required to use its entire means to inform citizens of the dangers and disadvantages of leaving their country. However, Afghanistan government has not been successful to bring this awareness to its citizens so far.

ENDS