Leaving your own country is never easy – especially when you are made to.
I fled Afghanistan for the UK on 23 August and I finally feel safe, but my father, my mother and my siblings are still in Kabul. And I’m terrified for their lives.
Here, I now feel reassured that no terrorist group can target me. I’m not afraid of being killed anymore. I can finally sleep in peace knowing that there won’t be any explosions.
Still, I feel homesick. When I hear the news, such as the Taliban bringing women’s rights protests to a halt in Kabul, I feel sad for the people that were left behind.
I went to university and worked hard for over a decade to make a living and create a purposeful life for myself in Afghanistan. As a human rights and political activist for the last 12 years, I fought for freedom, democracy and women’s rights in Afghanistan and was outspoken regarding the Taliban’s ideology.
So, with the coming of the Taliban in Kabul, I immediately knew my life was in more danger than ever before. I was in major panic.
It meant that political and media personalities like me had no choice but to leave Afghanistan with all their hopes and dreams, and seek asylum in other countries.
My name was on the list of people they wanted to assassinate. Before the Taliban entered Kabul in August, my friends that had links with the intelligence service warned me to leave Afghanistan for fear that the Taliban may attempt to kill me.
The first thing I did was establish contact with the American and British embassies. I filed forms stating the reasons for my leave, then I was contacted by the UK embassy. It was hard to go through the checkpoints three days later for fear of being recognised by the Taliban even though I was fully covered from head to toe.
My dad drove me to the airport and my whole family were there to say goodbye. Under Taliban rule, in order to go out you have to be accompanied by a male companion. As you can imagine, saying goodbye was so emotional. I miss them everyday, despite being in constant contact everyday with the help of social media and apps like WhatsApp.
When I went to the airport, I was delivered into the care of American and British soldiers. As soon as this happened, I felt a little relief from one side, but from the other side it was heartbreaking to go to the airport, to leave behind my country, my family, friends and memories – but I had no choice. It was them, or death.
After four hours, I was taken to Dubai on board a military plane. After spending less than 18 hours there, I flew to London.
The UK evacuated more than 8,000 people eligible for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy from 13 August. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people whose lives are still in danger and have been left behind in Afghanistan.
I left my home with only my passport, my Afghan ID, and a tablet. I wasn’t allowed to take anything else. Like all my compatriots who fled the country, we left with only one set of clothes.
I couldn’t bring my diplomas or awards that I worked so hard to achieve, people’s gifts, or appropriate clothes for the winter. Simple things that you take for granted.
The criteria to be chosen to leave is based on how vulnerable you are. For example, if you have worked for any foreign embassies as an interpreter, or in security, as a politician – or if you’re an outspoken critic of the Taliban, and women’s rights protester, like me.
Not everyone was lucky enough to be granted asylum and board a plane.
I feel grateful that I was chosen. However, I am still in emotional pain. I had to leave because I wanted to fight for democracy and a better future from the UK, as I was being vocal about the lack of human rights in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, despite my life being in danger.
Afghans who have left need help, both financially and spiritually. We need assistance for our basic needs, and that should include a place to live.
On 16 September, after my 23-day quarantine ended, I was taken to a hotel in a city outside London. My clothes are not appropriate for the winter but I want to keep them to always remember what happened to me. At the moment I live in temporary accommodation paid by the UK Government. I am not aware what will happen in the future for me.
All I hope is to have a normal life again. I would like to reunite with my family, to bring them here. I also want to continue my activism on human rights. I have applied for the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.
If successful, I will be given the indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK. I am in touch with the Government at least once a week so they can check if I am OK or if I need any medical assistance.
I want to have a right to education, to vote, but above all, a safe place to sleep – these are basic human rights and I deserve them.
However, attention needs to be paid to women and youth left behind in Afghanistan. Some of them have been working hard and fighting for equality, the right to education, democracy, and other human rights for so many years.
Journalists, human rights activists, women have no say when it comes to the Taliban. Their lives are at stake and at the very least the Taliban must make a commitment not to harm them.
The international community should focus on the formation of a truly inclusive government, which is genuinely based on people’s votes and their will.
I really hope I can return to Afghanistan at some point, but under Taliban rule this is impossible. At the moment, there is not much I can do. I am trying to be vocal about the lack of human rights in Afghanistan on social media. I have to think about the future and try to find a job to sustain myself and live a decent life. One day, I want to create an NGO for the Afghan women and vulnerable people in the UK and Afghanistan.
Please do not abandon our people.
As told to Katerina Tiliakou.
If you are interested in donating to the Afghan evacuees in the UK, then consider organisations such as Care4Calais, the British Red Cross and Afghan Aid.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk.
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from News – Metro https://ift.tt/3o9Hism
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