Only three Afghan families come to NI under scheme

Hundreds of Afghans tried to flee the country as the Taliban recaptured Kabul

After the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, the Stormont Executive offered to welcome 300 Afghan refugees per year through schemes.

But only three Afghan families have come to Northern Ireland under the schemes - many more are living in hotels while seeking asylum.

The Home Office was unable to provide a figure on how many Afghans are living in NI hotels.

But it said that in the UK more than 9,000 Afghans are living in 63 hotels.

Some Afghans living in Northern Ireland recently launched their own community group called Alghochak to promote and celebrate Afghan culture.

Bagher Maghsoudi was at the launch of the group to take pictures - he wants to become a professional photographer.

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However, because he is still in the process of seeking asylum, he cannot work yet and he has been living in a Belfast hotel for several months.

"Living in a hotel is very hard, there are a lot of rules," Bagher said.

Bagher Maghsoudi wants to become a professional photographer

"The first thing for refugees here - let them find a job.

"It's much better for me, for people like me, and also for the government because then they don't have to pay us and we can pay taxes."

'I can live better'

Mustafa Sarwari also wants to build a life in Northern Ireland after fleeing the Taliban with his family, and the next stage of that for him, is getting a job.

He spent months living in a hotel with his family, with seven of them split between three rooms, but they are now living in a house.

"In the hotel was hard, the house is much better," Mustafa said.

"We are happy here and we are feeling safe.

Mustafa Sarwari also wants to build a life in Northern Ireland after fleeing the Taliban with his family

"I like the people and I like Belfast city, life is going on in Belfast. I was a graphic designer and I can do that.

"Getting a job means I can do better, have more opportunities for my family, I can live better.

"But because of my status, that's not possible yet."

Those still working to get people out of Afghanistan, are frustrated at what they see as broken promises around housing and the right to work.

'People going through trauma'

Darren Ferguson is from the charity Beyond Skin.

He works with Afghan people seeking asylum in Northern Ireland and said "assurances given around housing and the right to work have not been delivered on so there's frustration there".

"These people are going through trauma as well," he added.

"They've had to flee a country that they did love and their culture is dying out there because of the Taliban.

"And they just want a place where they can feel welcome and belong and be treated like a human being - fairly.

"At the minute that's just not happening and they're seeing that they're being forgotten about.

"When Afghanistan at one point was well on the radar and all these promises were being thrown around, it's kind of faded away now."

Tim McCullagh and Darren Ferguson say assurances need to be delivered on

Tim McCullagh resigned from the Royal Navy over the government's handling of resettling Afghans who worked with the British forces.

He said his frustration is with government.

"Disappointingly we've left behind those who we made promises to, who we asked for so much from," he said.

"Stick to your promises - you made a commitment - you promised people they'd be given the opportunity to resettle.

"Carry through on what you said you'd do."

Executive response

A spokesperson for the Executive Office said that in the autumn of 2021, the executive had made a commitment to playing its part in resettling Afghans who had been brought to the UK through the two resettlement schemes established by the Home Office and preparations had been made for welcoming those that seek refuge in Northern Ireland.

"The focus of the Home Office over the past year has been to find more permanent housing arrangements for the Afghans who are currently living in bridging hotels in Great Britain," they added.

"Many of those families have expressed a strong preference to be housed in the areas close to their hotels because they have found work or school places there.

"However, we can confirm that three Afghan families have arrived in Northern Ireland."

The Executive Office spokesperson said the UK government would soon open the strand of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme "that will help vulnerable Afghans who have sought refuge in the countries neighbouring Afghanistan".

"Northern Ireland has offered to welcome up to 300 people per year through this scheme," they said.

"Northern Ireland has welcomed refugees from many different countries.

"Almost 1,900 Syrian refugees arrived here between the end of 2015 and 2021 and we have provided a safe refuge for 1,800 Ukrainians since March this year."