KABUL (SW) – Afghan refugees in the region and worldwide continue to grapple with socio-economic as well as security issues as war rages on in Afghanistan.
Reza is one of the Afghans who migrated to Turkey four years ago due to a series of problems in Afghanistan. For a year, he says, they were deprived of their basic rights, such as access to work and healthcare. Reza said that in Turkey, people without ID cards cannot go to the hospital and this is the biggest problem for asylum seekers.
According to him, their problems have doubled since the spread of the coronavirus and now even those with an identity card cannot go to the hospital or use city transport.
“One of our main problems was that we did not have a work permit,” he said. “Asylum seekers are not allowed to work in Turkey. Another problem was that we did not have an identity card, which we received almost about a year later.”
Meanwhile, Habib, another refugee who has been living in Indonesia for about five years, told Salam Watandar he has been living in dire conditions in a refugee camp.
According to him, many refugees living in Indonesia are deprived of all basic rights and some are forced to live as in camps for years. With the spread of the corona virus, embassies have been closed and the flow of refugees has been delayed, Habib said.
“The main problem for asylum seekers in Indonesia is that they are deprived of basic rights such as work and education,” he said. “A lot of refugees are tired here and some have been in camps and prisons for years and have become desperate.”
These refugees call on international organizations to do more to improve their lives amid difficult times.
Mina Asadi is also a refugee who has been living in Indonesia for 3 years. She is a karate instructor. According to her, her passion for the sport led to grim threats from various quarters aimed at her.
Even after moving to Indonesia, she tried to teach karate to children and teenagers.
In the early days of migration, she started working with a few students from a small community, but now she teaches to dozens of refugees. “My message to other asylum seekers is to learn from each other, be strong and never give up, don’t miss the opportunity. This is a good time to utilize your skills. We can (succeed) by helping each other. ”
Meanwhile, a number of refugees in Indonesia have been using the hashtag “Hazara Refugees” on Twitter for the past two days, calling for support in Indonesia and Thailand.
The US Embassy in Kabul has said in a statement it will continue to support Afghan refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people.
ENDS
