KABUL (SW) – Following the rise of insecurity in the country and the resulting poverty, immigration has been on the rise in recent years.
Hundreds of young people leave their homes daily for Europe and other countries. Of these, a small number travel legally and large numbers of people travel through Iran without legal permission, and from there to Turkey, Greece, and so on.
Ashraf is one of the youths who feared his country’s security situation will deteriorate. Hence, he too gambled, and embarked on irregular migration by spending huge sum of money and accepting risks.
In conversation with Salam Watandar, Ashraf shared what he went through during that bitter journey. “I wished I could go to one of the safe countries so my children could study and grow up in peace. We headed to Moscow for a better life, but even after bearing all the hardships, I didn’t reach my destination”.
He said traffickers are particularly encouraging young people to travel to other countries illegally. He said they show people fake dreams and picture an ideal world free of troubles.
Ashraf said one of his friends in Moscow also encouraged him to come over illegally so that he can eventually go to Canada from there. After consulting with his friend, he sold his home and spent all of his savings worth some $ 30,000 to reach and live in Moscow for a while.
But, eventually, he returned to Afghanistan empty handed. He said he came back to Kabul with the help of his relatives. Now, Ashraf runs a small shop in Kabul, and is living a normal life next to his home and apparently looks happy.
Mohammed Hades Pardis, spokesman for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said in this regard that the organization and other organizations working for immigrants have always tried to prevent irregular migration through various programs. According to him, the IOM has considered many incentives to prevent people from choosing irregular migration.
Many returnees, however, acknowledge that these incentives are not even close to mitigate the losses they sustained while gambling for a better life through irregular migration.
Murtaza Rasouli, head of refugees and legal affairs at the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, said that for refugees returning to their country of origin receive assistance after being registered.
Afghanistan is located at the heart of Asia, and has been faced with war since decades. A majority of the citizens here choose irregular migration as a way out of miseries associated with the war. Of the large population who migrate illegally every day, only few make it to their destinations while the rest return to their country heavy with a heavy heart.
ENDS
