[News] First Afghan refugee arrives in Chile: "I can finally sleep peacefully"

[FNX Magokiler]

This Friday, the first Afghan refugee, Zainab Momeny, arrived in our country, who managed to escape from the Asian country after the Taliban took power.

She is a 33-year-old university professor, whose sister -Zahra Habib- is already in our country studying Medicine at the University of Chile.

In fact, her arrival occurred precisely after the request for help that she made to help her sister from Afghanistan, due to the risk that she ran as a woman, professional and divorced.

After her arrival at the Santiago airport, Zahra Habib, obviously moved, showed her gratitude to all who intervened in the operation.

"I want to thank all of Chile, many people worked here so that we could rescue my sister," she said.

Zainab Momeny: "I can finally sleep peacefully"
Zainab Momeny, for her part, also thanked the Foreign Ministry's management and the organizations that managed to bring her to our country.

"My sister was in hiding with some friends when she made the decision to leave," said her sister Zahra, who helped translate her statement.

 

 

"She kind of finds it hard to believe that she is safe and feels that she can finally sleep peacefully, without worry," he added.

According to her, the Taliban do not allow women to work or study in higher levels and only go up to sixth grade, in addition to other restrictions on clothing, for example.

And although there have been protests, they have been repressed with bullets, whips and blows. Some women were even detained, their whereabouts unknown until now.

"I was hoping to find her alive, but something inside me said 'and what happens if that doesn't happen," Zahra acknowledged from her side.

"I see her more emaciated, but she tells me‘ I lived in the war, what else are you waiting for, "she added.

Chancellery: "there are more people who will come"
As detailed by the Deputy Foreign Minister Carolina Valdivia, “this has been a very long journey, not only a physical journey of moving from Kabul, crossing to Pakistan.

And from Pakistan to start a very long process, to reach Chile through Dubai, Paris and finally to Santiago ”.

In that sense, he thanked the Chilean consuls who helped in the operation, also highlighting the support of the Argentine Foreign Ministry during Zainab Momeny's passage through Pakistan, where Chile does not have diplomatic representation.

"There are more people who will come and who will arrive soon, but we are solving the procedures so that they can arrive," said Valdivia.

The option of a PhD
The rector of the University of Chile, Ennio Vivaldi, said it was exciting to witness the reunion between the sisters who met again after 14 years.

“It really is a moving scene, which has filled us with emotion. As a University of Chile, it is a privilege to have Zahra as a student and do everything on our part so that the incorporation of her sister Zainab into the country is as smooth as possible ”, he acknowledged.

In that sense, Vivaldi added that since Momeny was just looking for a place to do a doctorate, there is the option that she can pursue precisely at the University of Chile.