KABUL (SW) – In recent years, many young Afghans have migrated to other countries to escape from unemployment, insecurity and seeking the imaginary life often promised to them by traffickers.
Nematullah is one of dozens of young people in Jawzjan province who went on irregular migrations to reach their aspirations and traveled to Iran on difficult routes, but along the way three of his friends were sold by smugglers to thieves. .
The robbers also torture them until they get money and moved them from one place to another. Nematullah told Salam Watandar that the smugglers would beat him with weapons and knives for money, and if they did not pay, they would cut off the migrants’ fingers and ears.
Nematullah said he has had many difficulties along the way with some young people falling down the mountains on their way to Iran and breaking their bones or losing lives.
He believed that he will lead a comfortable life in Iran, sold everything he and his family had to achieve his goal, but the reality proved bitter for him. Despite all the difficulties and hardships, he returned to Afghanistan empty handed after spending five years of his life in Iran.
Abdul Malik Rustami, Jawzjan's director of refugee and repatriation affairs, told Salam Watandar that the newly arrived refugees from Iran and Pakistan have been provided with aid and support. According to him, 127 families returning from Iran and Pakistan were given 18,000 afghanis per family and 440 other families were given 500 US dollars per family for accommodation and livelihood.
Sayed Sher Hussain Hunaryar, coordinator of the Refugee Information Center, told Salam Watandar that the agency was planning to raise awareness about the negative consequences of irregular migration, but that the process was moved to online as soon as the corona virus spread.
Hunaryar added that he was trying his best to make Afghans aware of the negative consequences of irregular migration in order to prevent illegal migration.
Every year thousands of young Afghans go to Iran and then to European countries for a better life, but most of them fall prey to human traffickers and thieves along the way.
In some cases, young people even lose their lives in the mountains, forests and deserts during irregular migration.
ENDS
