A group of female students from Afghanistan celebrating a special moment in Goa.
PANAJI
Their dreams and aspirations of completing education and returning to their country to start new lives and livelihoods have been dashed, as a group of 20 female Afghan students presently in Goa are shocked and petrified over events in Afghanistan, which has been taken over by the Taliban.
Not only are they terrified to return to Afghanistan, but also distressed over the plight of their families in the country and are unsure about what the future holds.
These students had obtained scholarships for higher education in India and many of them are pursuing studies in different parts of Goa.
When contacted through an intermediary, these students sent their comments on condition of anonymity, afraid to reveal their identity due to the situation thousands of kilometres away in Afghanistan.
TRAUMATIC PAST
None of them had ever expected the Taliban to return to power in Afghanistan.
“Losing one’s nation entails the loss of one’s hopes, dreams, and identity. When I wake up these days, I wish it was a nightmare that would go away,” said one student.
Added another student: “We are a generation that opened our eyes to Afghanistan which valued democracy and freedom. Taliban’s previous regime was a dark and traumatic memory for our parents and we have been looking at their terrorist attacks as vicious remnants of the past attacking our future. We never thought of them coming back to power.”
WORRYING PRESENT
All of these students were extremely worried about their families in Afghanistan.
“I am worried about my family and our future under the Taliban. I am worried that women will no longer be allowed to study and work. After much struggle with poor mobile connectivity, I managed to call my family. They are alarmed and have locked themselves inside the house,” said one student.
Another student said: “I have the feeling of fear, fear of a dark future, fear of loss of my rights and freedom as a girl, fear of losing my family members, which is my biggest fear that has stolen my sleep these nights. I fear the uncertain future of my two young sisters. Will they will be allowed education? Will they be killed for not wearing a Hijab?”
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
These students are grateful that Goa and India have given them safety and security to pursue their studies, but are now unsure about their future as their student visas will expire on completion of their studies and their lives would be in peril if they were to return to Afghanistan.
“I’m grateful to the governments of India and Goa for providing us a safe environment to study. But I don’t know where to go and what to do after completing my studies. I had so many nice plans for myself but right now I don’t,” said a student.
Claiming that the political upheaval has disrupted their lives, another student said: “We all wanted to go back and work in our country, for change and development, but now every hope has vanished. We are afraid to return to Afghanistan. The Kabul we departed from in 2019 is no longer the same, there is an imminent danger awaiting us.”
Added another student: “I obtained a scholarship to pursue business education at a college in Goa. I had a tremendous desire, hope and enthusiasm for my professional future: I would go to Afghanistan and open my own business, putting whatever knowledge I had gained in Goa to use. I believed that when I returned to my homeland, I would make a significant difference. However, all those beautiful dreams will now be just that: fantasies.”
