Plight of war-torn nation haunts asylum seekers

The unending war in Afghanistan made thousands flee for better places like India. All they wanted when they left was a normal life. Alas, it eludes.

Jan Mohammad, 34, an asylum-seeker and father of seven, left his childhood memories, relatives and beloved ones in Kabul, just to breathe in peace and to ensure better living for his wife and children. He came to city two years ago, and started eking out a livelihood, selling vegetables. But the Covid pandemic-induced lockdown has left him further impoverished. Not only that, refugees like him continue to lack facilities such as children education. They cannot produce Aadhaar papers to admit their children in government schools.

Mohammad has filed a refugee case at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to get either Indian citizenship or immigration to another country. "The uncertain future of my children here is still a great matter of concern. I have left my country so that my children do not turn to a Talib or Daesh [ISIS] militants," he said.

19-year-old Asad Afghan is another Afghan Asylum-seeker who left for India two years back and settled in Hyderabad. Back in motherland he was a social activist and a media-man and was attacked many times. He survives with meagre income in attending movie shootings – a job which is not available most of the time.

India has not signed the 1951 Convention relating to refugees, nor does it have any domestic legislation in place to ensure their basic rights of aslym seekers, with the result that they can't even get a local phone, access banking or health insurance. A few carry blue UN Refugee Cards. It offers little more than a stay. Many of the refugees depend on support from their families back home, UNHCR or NGOs such as Confederation of Voluntary Association(COVA). They are trying to care for around 5,000 refugees and asylum seekers from 12 countries.

Mazher Hussain from COVA says that they have provided food and cash during the pandemic to refugees from 7 countries on two occasions and facilitated the education in government schools for 400 children of refugees.

While refuges complain about the lack of health insurance etc, Hussain asserts that their association has been working closely with some government hospitals to facilitate treatment for them.