Name: Ahmad Rezaie

Profile: Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, living in Indonesia.

Advantages: UN-certified, good English skills, experienced Sales Person and driver, FULLY FUNDED.

Risk: At risk of being tortured and killed by the Taliban and extremist people if returned home.

Canadian contact: Stephen Watt

Ahmad Rezaie, born in Afghanistan in 1984, faced a life-threatening encounter with the Taliban during a construction materials delivery. After a harrowing escape from Taliban capture, Ahmad embarked on a perilous journey to Indonesia as a refugee in 2013.

Despite UN certification, Ahmad remains in a state of limbo, unable to work or access basic human rights. He is an experienced salesperson and a driver, and he now hopes to find a group of five Canadian friends who can help him start a new life in Canada.

His Background

Ahmad was born in January 1984, in the Jaghori district in Ghazni province in Afghanistan. He studied at Loman High School until grade 8th. His father had a construction supply store in the marketplace of Ghojur. Since his father needed help at the store, Ahmad had to leave his school, and he started working with his father at the store.

In 2009, Ahmad bought a mini truck, and he used to carry construction materials in nearby villages. Tragically, his father passed away in 2010. He had to run the business alone afterward.

Governmental Project

In February 2013, he changed his mini-truck to a bigger one to carry goods from Ghazni to Ghojur, Jaghori. Since he was not familiar with the route and had never driven a big truck, he hired a truck driver whom he used to accompany while bringing construction items.

About three months later, he heard about a big governmental project, building an airport in Ghojur, Jaghori. Ahmad was introduced to the airport project’s engineer by his relative Wahid. Since Ahmad had the truck to deliver cement for the project, he succeeded in having a contract with the engineer.

Captured and Beaten

The Hazara people of the region have long been targets of persecution and massacres because of their culture, religion, and love for education. On July 1, 2013, Ahmad and his driver went to Ghazni and brought the cement to Ghojur successfully. The second time, he along with his driver, went to Ghazni again to bring more cement on July 4, 2013. They both stayed at the Jaghori Hotel in Ghazni at night. The next day, on July 5, 2013, they loaded the truck with cement and departed from Ghazni for Jaghori.

On the way, when they reached the Qarabagh desert, four armed members of the Taliban intercepted them. The members of the Taliban started interrogating Ahmad and his driver. After checking their documents and finding out that they both had been delivering cement for a government project, the members of the Taliban started beating Ahmad and his driver. Then, they tied Ahmad’s hands, blindfolded him, put him in the truck, and commanded the driver to drive.  

“I was very scared. Though I was blindfolded, I still could guess the direction the truck was going.”

About 40 minutes later, the truck stopped and Ahmad and his driver were locked up inside a room where another Hazara man was already imprisoned. Later on, members of the Taliban came and took the driver with them.

“I thought they would kill the driver or torture him, but then I heard my truck’s engine turning on.”

Running For His Life 

Ahmad watched from the small hole of the closed window of that room that the truck driver and three members of the Taliban went from there, with the truck. He then noticed that only one member of the Taliban was outside, watching over Ahmad and the other prisoner. Knowing that they both would be killed by the Taliban at any time, Ahmad and the other Hazara man decided to escape from there to save their lives.

At the time of evening prayers, Ahmad noticed the Taliban member going to pray. Thinking that it was a great chance for them to escape, they untied each other’s hands, broke the window of the room quietly, and jumped outside. After running and walking for about 2 hours, Ahmad reached a grape farm where he hid and rested until the next morning. He then saw a car and went to Kabul in that car. 

In Kabul, he contacted his uncle and shared everything with him. His uncle gave Ahmad the contact number of his friend who had a hotel in Kabul. Ahmad went to the hotel of his uncle’s friend and stayed there for 2 days. He later learned from his uncle that the driver of his truck had been found dead. His uncle suggested him to leave the country immediately because the Taliban had his details and they could easily capture and kill him in Afghanistan.

His Journey to Indonesia

With the help of his uncle’s friend, he arranged for a people smuggler, and on July 15, 2013, he flew to New Delhi, India where he stayed at a people smuggler’s house for about 20 days. On August 05, 2013, he flew to Malaysia and stayed there for about 8 days. Finally, on August 15, 2013, he arrived in Indonesia by boat.

Detention Centre 

After arriving in Jakarta, Ahmad registered himself with the UNHCR on September 02, 2013. Due to not having the right to work or a way to support himself in Indonesia, he went to Manado Immigration Centre to ask for assistance. In January 2015, he was transferred to a detention centre in Manado. The detention centre was overcrowded and badly ventilated. Refugees there faced many challenges like, lack of food, water and proper medical care. Ahmad was detained there for more than 3 years.

On February 20, 2018, he received his freedom from the detention centre and was transferred to a community house in Tanjung Pinang. Since then, he has been living there.

There's Hope!

As a refugee in Indonesia, Ahmad has been deprived of his basic human rights. He cannot work, get a proper education, drive and even travel to another city. He says:

“It has been more than a decade since I have been living in this state of limbo. I also want to taste the freedom and live my life in a country where I can have access to my basic human rights.”

There is a way for Ahmad to fulfill his dreams of living a life with freedom. Since he is officially certified as a refugee by the UNHCR – unlike the vast majority of the world’s refugees – he qualifies for Canada’s private sponsorship program. Another good thing about him is that he is FULLY FUNDED.

If you would like to sponsor him – or if you’re just interested in helping to bring him here – please contact his friend Stephen Watt on Facebook.

You can reach out to Ahmad Rezaie directly on Facebook – or through WhatsApp: +62 838-0978-2302.

Reach out and discover how wonderful it is to privately sponsor a good person to start a new life – with your help – in Canada!

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