Afghans in India yearn for home

In Tagore's 'Kabuliwala', an Afghan moneylender longs for his 'watan' even as he develops affection for a little girl, Mini, in Kolkata. The character of Rehmat, later immortalized by Balraj Sahni on screen, became synonymous with the Kabuliwalas who arrived in the city sometime in the late 19th century, bringing with them spices and dry fruits from Afghanistan. More than 500 Afghans call Kolkata home. They refuse to be called refugees.The scene is a bit different in Delhi, where thenumber of Afghan refugees may be as high as 25,000. Only 9,094 of them arerecognized as refugees and issued "blue cards" by the United Nations HumanRights Council (UNHCR). Most of them feel insecure. Says Jagmohan Gulati, a SikhAfghan: "The India government is insensitive to our problems. We get no aid. TheAfghan embassy also turns a deaf ear to our problems."In the TilakNagar gurdwara, also known as the "Kabuli gurdwara," the refugees exchange sadtales of separated families, bureaucratic glitches and long waits for Indiacitizenship almost every day. "If I had money I could easily become an Indiancitizen. It is my misfortune that I have nowhere to go," says an oldSikh.Since 1981, thousands of Hindus and Sikhs have come to Indiafrom Afghanistan but only 650 of them have become naturalized Indian citizens.Others are waiting for Indian citizenship. According to Nayana Bose, AssociateExternal Relations Officer of UNHCR, more than 90% Afghan refugees are Sikhs orHindus. She points out how for any foreigner interested in Indian citizenship,12 years of residency in the country is a must. This applies to refugees aswell. Consequently, the resettlement process for many has become a long andtiresome process.The ethnic Afghans too have been struggling for abetter life. A group of 38 men and 48 women, all ethnic Afghans, who have beenprovided employment by Don Bosco Ashalayam with the help of UNHCR, Delhi doesnot knpw what the future holds for them. Homaira Frotan (name changed onrequest) left Kabul for Delhi in 2006 as she was worried about her children'sfuture. "There were many cases of kidnapping. We are Christians. We had hiddenfor long in Kabul but it was no more possible. We cannot continue to live inIndia either. It is so expensive. We have now applied for citizenship in Canadaand Australia," says Frotan.The situation of all Afghans in India remains precarious because India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention, relating to the status of refugees, or the 1967 Protocol. A number of Afghans in India who are officially not recognized by UNHCR as either "asylum seekers"or post a successful interview, as "refugees," are forced to eke out a difficult unaided existence.Money is a big problem. Salar Nader (name changedon request), who came to Delhi with his wife Asiya (name changed on request) in2009, got his "blue cards" within eight months of their arrival and their kidsstarted going to school, but the couple is unable to cope with life in thecapital. "I have to pay Rs 11,000 for one room. I earn only Rs 20 per hour. Ihave two kids. How will I manage?" asks a helpless Asiya. Nader, whohas 10 years of experience in journalism and was a mixer in the 2003 documentary"Osama"has to clean beds and toilets in Afghan guest houses to earn a living. Hecannot go back to Kabul, because the Taliban threatened to killhim.For a country that is trying to make its presence felt inAfghanistan, India has done precious little. "A national legal framework forrefugees would benefit both refugees and India," says Bose. UNHCR, which was setup in India in 1981 has gone a long way in reaching out to refugees. However,operating in a country, which has no legislation for refugees, has curtailed itsimpact to better the lives of Afghanis who need help but cannot seek itopenly.