Community of Afghans in Ecuador denounces that no refugee has been received under the ‘purple visa’

The Government of Ecuador, a country with a long tradition of welcoming refugees, announced last October 22 the temporary implementation of the ‘purple visa’ for the Afghan citizens who are victims of the conflict that their country is going through after the return of the Taliban. But the community of Afghans residing in Quito denounces that so far no such visa has been processed, in which their relatives, some 200 Afghans, are interested.

Hasibullah Habib, a member of this community of some 150 people, seeks to bring part of his paternal family who managed to escape from the Taliban regime that returned to dominate Afghanistan since last August 15, causing tens of thousands of people to flee from the country.

Habib, who has lived in Quito since 2015, says that since August 20, the process began to help their families come to Ecuador and that when the implementation of this visa was announced, it was hopeful news for which they immediately managed. meetings with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide information on their relatives and everything seemed positive.

However, he says that when there was a change of authorities in the entity in September, he practically had to restart the entire process, but that they did not make any progress, it is better to point out that he encountered discriminatory attitudes from certain officials in the portfolio and samples disinterest in the subject.

“I met and the official questioned why I didn’t return to my country, I told him that I have refugee status and also that what is happening in Afghanistan is not the fault of the Ecuadorian government,” says Habib, and says that from there process was frozen.

Given the lack of information from the Foreign Ministry, the community began a campaign to request that the “purple visas” be enabled, approved through ministerial agreement 0000146 and, at the same time, a petition through change.org to make visible the problem and seek support, for which they constantly maintain sit-ins in front of the Carondelet Palace.

The Afghan Hamayon Zarjan also rejects the administrative silence towards the Afghan community that they have encountered from the competent authorities and says that his only wish is that his family can join him in Ecuador, where he has lived for twelve years, married and obtained Ecuadorian nationality.

He mentions that it is not an option for him or his relative to return to Afghanistan.

“Neither I nor my family can return to Afghanistan because the Taliban took everything from us. There is no path or way to return to Afghanistan for my family, who only hope to arrive and join me in Ecuador”, she stresses.

The situation in Afghanistan is alarming. According to a United Nations report, 18.4 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian assistance. One in three Afghans goes hungry; 75% of those in need are women and children.

Mohammad Saber Haidari, 28, is another Afghan citizen residing in Ecuador; in his case, for two years, and requests the violet visa for his brothers who are in a situation of vulnerability due to the conflict.

“The purple visa is the only option to save my brothers, we are not sure if tomorrow is too late to save them. We do not accept the Taliban regime because they do not recognize human rights and we are human beings and deserve dignity, peace and freedom”, he points out.

The purple visa, which has no cost, was announced in October as a stay permit that enables the person who carries it to reside in Ecuador for one year without renewal; after a year the refugee will be able to regularize their situation or travel to another place to continue their migration process, something that worries Afghans in Ecuador, mainly because they believe that after one year of the announcement they will be suspended and no one has been able to apply .

Carmen Gómez, an academic expert in migration and part of the Humanitarian Corridors group, indicates that it is important to look at this issue with caution, since Ecuador has a long history of granting humanitarian visas that later perpetuate the irregularity of displaced persons in the country.

Until before the conflict, Afghan citizens in general they already had the visa requirement imposed since September 3, 2010, which is in force. In Ecuador, 186 Afghans have received refugee status from 1989 to 2021.

The Foreign Ministry reported at the time that the Zonal Directorates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be in charge of receiving and processing the applications of Afghan citizens who wish to enter and remain in Ecuador.

“I want to ask all the Ecuadorian brothers to support us so that my family can come, I have not seen them for twelve years and I want it to be soon, before something happens to them,” laments Zarjan, while Mohammad emphasizes that he feels “part of the Ecuadorian society” and wants the people to support them so that their families “have the same rights” that they enjoy in Ecuador.

For his part, Habib says that in these years the Afghan community, which has more than three decades of history in Ecuador, has done nothing but contribute to the development of the country and states that they have provided support in the different tragedies or emergencies that have occurred. have been presented as the 2016 earthquake or the recent flood in La Gasca.

He refers that all the Afghans who decided to emigrate to Ecuador or seek refuge have legal businesses linked to trade, such as imports, restaurants and have come out ahead, for which he reiterates that his desire is only for his relatives to obtain visas since they have a place to go and they would not represent an expense for the State.

“Never in thirty years has the Ecuadorian government listened to us, nor have we received any type of support, nor had we asked for it, but now it is different, there are lives in danger and those people did not choose that, we only ask that they grant the visa, we are already against time, we feel mocked by the Foreign Ministry”, adds Habib. (I)