Here Now

Waiting in limbo for an evacuation from Afghanistan


Listen Later

In the second part of stories from Afghanistan, Kadambari Raghukumar speaks to one Afghan waiting in Kabul for evacuation to New Zealand, and one woman who recently arrived in Auckland from Afghanistan in the first week of the Taliban's takeover.

Last month as the Taliban took over control of Afghanistan district by district, Nowrozali and his family have been on the move, desperately been trying to get out the country.

Listen to Nowrozali's full story in this weeks Voices podcast:

FOLLOW Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Nowrozali, 29, spent over six months working as an interpreter for New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) in the region of Bamiyan.

He managed to get a visa to New Zealand a day before the emergency evacuation flights operated out of Kabul by NZDF were ceased. He missed getting out on one of the mercy flights.

While he feels thankful for the visa, the uncertainty of when the next evacuation by New Zealand may take place makes each day fraught with fear and despair for him and his siblings who are in hiding.

"We feel left behind and in limbo. We're just hiding and living in fear. I hope there's a plan soon."

Along with other support staff to the NZDF, Nowrozali had been applying to come to New Zealand for many months now. He was finally issued a visa on 26 August, the day of the explosion outside the airport in Kabul.

"For us minorities, we feel there's no future. Afghanistan is a multi-ethnic country. We have Pasthuns, Uzbeks, Tajiks Hazara..that's why we need an inclusive government."

Born in 1992 in Bamiyan, Nowrozali is Hazara.

"In 1996 people from my village were tortured and beheaded by the Taliban. That's why people are just trying to get out using whatever means they can now."

Someone who managed to get out in the first emergency evacuation the NZDF conducted, is Amina Hassanpoor. Amina was employed in an eco-tourism project in Bamiyan that was funded by New Zealand.

A week ago she landed in Auckland with her two children and husband.

Listen to her as she spoke to RNZ from her MIQ hotel close to Auckland airport.

FOLLOW Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

"We're so thankful to New Zealand government for giving us this visa. Physically I am here, but mentally I'm with my parents."

Amina had to leave her parents behind since they didn't meet the criteria for the refugee visas Amina and her family were issued.

"It's so hard to explain the situation for Hazaras and women now" she says as she breaks down over the phone.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Here NowBy RNZ

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

1 ratings


More shows like Here Now

View all
Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today by ABC listen

Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

72 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,623 Listeners

Our Changing World by RNZ

Our Changing World

28 Listeners

99% Invisible by Roman Mars

99% Invisible

26,143 Listeners

Gone By Lunchtime by The Spinoff

Gone By Lunchtime

28 Listeners

FROM ZERO by RNZ

FROM ZERO

1 Listeners

The Science Of… by RNZ

The Science Of…

1 Listeners

Go Ahead Caller by RNZ

Go Ahead Caller

1 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

111,294 Listeners

Voice of the Iceberg by RNZ

Voice of the Iceberg

28 Listeners

Slice of Heaven by RNZ

Slice of Heaven

1 Listeners

The Lost by RNZ

The Lost

40 Listeners

Pants on Fire by RNZ

Pants on Fire

104 Listeners

The Front Page by NZ Herald

The Front Page

16 Listeners

Today in Focus by The Guardian

Today in Focus

985 Listeners

The Worst Sitcom Ever Made by RNZ

The Worst Sitcom Ever Made

7 Listeners

The Detail by RNZ

The Detail

54 Listeners

Short Wave by NPR

Short Wave

6,246 Listeners

Best of Storytime by RNZ

Best of Storytime

2 Listeners

The Fold by The Spinoff

The Fold

7 Listeners

This Day by Jody Avirgan & Radiotopia

This Day

986 Listeners

The Citizen's Handbook by RNZ

The Citizen's Handbook

3 Listeners

After the Virus by RNZ

After the Virus

0 Listeners

The Service by RNZ

The Service

29 Listeners

Mata with Mihingarangi Forbes by RNZ

Mata with Mihingarangi Forbes

3 Listeners

When the Facts Change by The Spinoff

When the Facts Change

17 Listeners

Short Story Stack by RNZ

Short Story Stack

0 Listeners

Fight for the Wild by RNZ

Fight for the Wild

3 Listeners

Sci Fi / Sci Fact by RNZ

Sci Fi / Sci Fact

3 Listeners

Hair and Loathing by TAHI

Hair and Loathing

0 Listeners

Deer Wars by RNZ

Deer Wars

4 Listeners

Voice of Tangaroa by RNZ

Voice of Tangaroa

0 Listeners

Flightless Bird by David Farrier

Flightless Bird

2,972 Listeners

The Stolen Children of Aotearoa by RNZ

The Stolen Children of Aotearoa

1 Listeners