The opinion of Afghan refugees on housing in Qatar
One of the essential matters that Qatar paid attention to in hosting Afghans in Qatar was placing them in appropriate residences. Housing, so, was done in two stages; the first during the US evacuation until August 31, when the evacuation took place to Al Udeid Base and Al Sailiya Camp, both of which are military bases. The second was the civil evacuation carried out by Qatar, where the refugees were housed mainly in the Park View villa complex, and a small number in the Umm Al-Naseem Specialized Center.
Residences included all living requirements such as shelter, food, and treatment. All services were provided, including educational, commercial and entertainment facilities. So what do the Afghans who lived there think about the housing they got?
Ahmed Wali Sarahidi, 28, is an Afghan journalist who arrived in Qatar and settled in a two-storey building. The house contained two sofas, air conditioning, a television, and a fully equipped kitchen. “In our original house, there was no such equipment,” Wali Sarahidi said.
Akbar Shinwari is a journalist who works for international TV channels, and Qatar helped his exit from Afghanistan. The Qatari ambassador to Afghanistan provided him transport to the airport in a 45-minute trip, which was exceptional for him, according to Shinwari, as the trip to the airport usually takes two or three days due to the security procedures.
Shinwari arrived in Doha at 10 p.m., stayed in a shelter for a short time, and was then transferred to a residential complex. “They take care of us and provide us with food and full care,” he said of his stay.
Maryam Sayar is a translator and coordinator in an Afghan project funded by Canada and the US. “In Qatar, they showed us the true spirit of hospitality, and did everything good for those coming from Afghanistan. Since we came here, we have not faced any problem or shortage of food or water; everything is available,” said Maryam of her experience, after being in Doha for 15 days.
Among those living in the housing places was the child Mansour Dur Muhammad and his sister Zahal, and the two expressed their happiness with the place and the possibilities available there.
Khaled Andish lived with his friend Ahmed Wali, and he talked about the housing experience 10 days after his arrival in Doha, “The reception was wonderful from the Qataris, and all the capabilities are available to us.”
Ahmed is married to Maria, a Canadian national, and they moved from Afghanistan to Qatar, before deciding on their final destination. Ahmed spoke about his experience living in Qatar, “We thank Qatar and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which helped us a lot and provided us with everything we needed from housing, food, and health care.”
Tawfiq arrived in Qatar with the help of the media network he works with, after coordinating with Qatari government agencies that facilitated his exit from Afghanistan. After three months of stay, Tawfiq said, “Everything we need for our stay is already there. We are grateful to the Qatari institutions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for providing aid and assistance to us, for providing decent housing and all needs such as food, health care, and entertainment.”
Nodia Ziadi, an English language teacher, expressed her feeling of security and peace after arriving in Qatar, saying that the presence of her children in the country allowed them to play freely and enjoy the air and greenery in a beautiful place. “I am very grateful to the Qatari people for providing care for us, receiving us with love and affection, and providing services from health care to food and education,” she said.
Ibrahim, 16 years old, whose father works with the Afghan military, arrived in Qatar and stayed there for a while. He talked about his stay in Doha for more than 6 months, saying, “I do not lack anything in terms of food, entertainment, and care.”
Omari, 17 years old, arrived in Qatar with the help of US forces. He spoke about his stay in Qatar after seven months, “The Qatar Charity and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided us with the necessary care. I am learning Arabic and English, in addition to recreational activities and visiting tourist attractions. I am very grateful to Qatar, which took care of me and provided me with shelter.”
The above-mentioned testimonies highlight Qatar’s pioneering role in providing shelter for Afghan refugees, and confirm the success of Qatari efforts in providing a safe and stable environment for them. Through such efforts, Qatar established a role model in the field of humanitarian response and hospitality and succeeded in strengthening its position as a symbol of humanity and dignity.
