Name: Nematullah Rajabi

Profile: Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, living in Indonesia.

Advantages: UN-certified, good English skills, experienced constructor, farmer and tailor.

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

Canadian contact: Stephen Watt

Nematullah Rajabi, a Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, faces grave threats from the Taliban due to his culture and past encounters. Born in Ghazni province in 1992, his life took a perilous turn in 2014 when the Taliban targeted him and his friends. Fleeing for safety, he embarked on a harrowing journey to Indonesia, seeking refuge.

After years in a challenging detention centre, Nematullah dreams of resettling in a safe country. Now certified by the UNHCR, he hopes for a new life in Canada through private sponsorship, and he needs a group of five Canadian friend who can help him start a new life in Canada.

The Incident

Nematullah was born in January 1992, in Jaghatu district in Ghazni province in Afghanistan.

The Hazara people of the region have long been targets of persecution and massacres because of their culture, religion, and love for education. Nematullah used to work as a farmer to support his family. One day in 2014, Nematullah and his friends decided to go for a shopping in a place named Maktab Bala and it was near their village. On the way upon reaching a place named Gandab, they saw some armed members of the Taliban who told Nematullah and his friends to change their way. After changing their way and walking for a few minutes, they saw foreign soldiers and Afghan soldiers. One of the Afghan soldiers was Nematullah’s friend. Nematullah shared everything with him and he understood that the Taliban were about to ambush them. Nematullah and his friends then continued walking towards the marketplace. About 30 minutes later, they heard gun fires.

When Nematullah and his friends returned to their village from the marketplace, they learned from the villagers that some members of the Taliban had been killed by Afghan soldiers.

Rising Hazard

The next day, A villager named Sakhi approached Nematullah and told him to leave the village immediately because the Taliban had been searching for him. Also, the two of Nematullah’s friends who were with them had been killed by the Taliban.

“Knowing that my two friends had been killed, I was shivering with fear.”

Nematullah and his remaining friends fled to Ghazni and then he fled to Kabul where he arranged for a people smuggler and stayed at the people smuggler house until his travel documents were being arranged. There, he got the news of his maternal uncle being abducted by the Taliban. The Taliban then demanded Nematullah’s presence in return of his uncle’s release. Later on, the elders of the village released his uncle saying that Nematullah and his uncle did not have close relationship.

The Way to Indonesia

After Nematullah’s travel documents got arranged by the people smuggler, he flew from Kabul to New Delhi, India on August 15, 2014. From there, he went to Malaysia by plane and then on to Pekanbaru, Indonesia by boat on September 01, 2014.

Life in Limbo

After arriving in Jakarta, he registered himself with the UNHCR on September 04, 2014. Nematullah’s family told him on the phone that the Taliban had distributed a threatening letter in which the names and details of Nematullah and his friends were written including the threats that they would be captured and killed soon.

With no right to work or way to support himself in Indonesia, Nematullah went to Balikpapan Immigration Centre to ask for assistance. On December 18, 2014, he was transferred to a detention centre in Balikpapan where he kept himself busy learning the English language and doing exercise. The detention centre was overcrowded and badly ventilated. Refugees there faced many challenges like, lack of food, water and proper medical care.

“Living in the detention centre was very challenging for me and my refugee fellows. We were being treated like criminals there.”

His Life Now

After about 4 years living in the detention centre, Nematullah received his freedom and was transferred to a community house on November 15, 2018. Since then, he has been living there.

As a refugee, Nematullah do not have the right to work, get proper education, drive and travel to another city. His dream is to resettle in a safe country where he can live a life with freedom and contribute to society.

A Way!

There is a way for him to pursue his dreams. Since Nematullah 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.

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 Nematullah directly on Facebook.

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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