Front Burner - ‘I feel very hopeless that I’m stuck here’

Episode Date: August 25, 2021

Today, the harrowing story of an Afghan doctor — currently in hiding from the Taliban — and his Canadian wife, who are desperate for the Canadian government to help them escape Afghanistan.

In the Dragon's Den, a simple pitch can lead to a life-changing connection. Watch new episodes of Dragon's Den free on CBC Gem. Brought to you in part by National Angel Capital Organization, empowering Canada's entrepreneurs through angel investment and industry connections. This is a CBC Podcast. Hi, I'm Jamie Poisson. So there I met Mayim and literally I got, was attractive. Ahmed and Maryam met at a wedding in Dubai in 2017.

Slowly, slowly we start talking and we then start chatting over Facebook and then WhatsApp. Their families are both from Afghanistan, but they grew up elsewhere. Mariam was born first in Iran, and then she and her family moved to Canada in 2010. She went to high school in Toronto, and she's a Canadian citizen now. Ahmed was born in Kabul, but grew up in Pakistan. When they met, he was working as a doctor in Pakistan. She was a up in Pakistan. When they met he was working as a doctor in Pakistan. She was a student in Toronto. Ahmed what I like about him he's he's very gentle and he's a social person. I like overall I like everything about his personality. That's pretty nice that you like everything. That's a pretty nice compliment.

Yeah. And Amu, what about you? I like the way she talks and especially her politeness and calmness that she always has in her behavior and in general, her everything, as she said. So I should stop here and say, the story I'm about to tell you,

it isn't just a love story. And Ahmed and Mariam aren't their real names. We've agreed to change them because they both have very real fears for their safety. But we'll get to that in a bit. So then we decided to get married with each other. So they got engaged in the summer of 2020. And this meant a lot of big conversations about where they were going to live. Mariam wanted to live in Canada. I never wanted to live in Afghanistan because in how I grew up, I never thought about that I could live in Afghanistan. I always thought that I wouldn't go back to Canada.

But Ahmed wanted to live in Afghanistan because by this point he had moved back to the city where he was born, Kabul. His parents had moved back and he city where he was born, Kabul. His parents had moved back, and he wanted to be closer to them. And he had started doing really fulfilling work there as a doctor. So then when I came here, suddenly the COVID-19 started. So then I volunteered here in this hospital, one of the finest hospitals of Afghanistan. The hospital ended up promoting him to this pretty high up position. And then he used that position to start lobbying the government to give the hospital more supplies

because people were dying just from it being so under-resourced. We lost many lives in the start because of the not availability of the, even though x-ray. Now we have all the things that we need in our hospitals. When you see that now my nurses, my doctors, they are doing things very well.

So these things, the feeling that it gives us, I cannot express that feeling. And he's ended up playing a really important role in Afghanistan's COVID-19 response. I was one of the doctors who was involved in making of the guidelines for treatment of the COVID-19. And I helped the government on making policies for COVID-19 to how to deal if the COVID-19 turned to crisis. And so for Ahmed, to know he's helping save a lot of lives in this country where he was born, it meant a lot to him. And he wanted to stay there and continue to be part of that. But eventually he relented and they agreed that after they got married, he would apply

to join Mariam in Canada. So this past May, Mariam flew to Kabul and they had a wedding. So this past May, Mariam flew to Kabul and they had a wedding. There were more than 1,200 people came to our wedding. And our wedding was quite enormous. Especially the best part of my wedding was that when I practiced a song to dance with her, it was memorable. And especially the boys, they were enjoying that till 3 a.m. in the morning. Mariam was planning to stay in Afghanistan till the end of summer. She'd spend some quality time with her new husband and get to know this country that her parents are from.

I was feeling happy and excited in the beginning to see, like, really what, where my parents were from and how people were friendly. Their food is also delicious. Then she'd fly back to Toronto on August 26. She had the flight booked already. And when she got home, she'd start the long process of applying for a spouse visa for Ahmed. But then everything changed. The United States will begin our final withdrawal. We'll not conduct a hasty rush to the exit.

We'll do it responsibly, deliberately and safely. Ahmed and Mariam's wedding was on May 18th, just one month after U.S. President Joe Biden announced that after 20 years, the American military would be withdrawing from Afghanistan by September. While we'll not stay involved in Afghanistan militarily, our diplomatic and humanitarian work will continue. We'll continue to support the government of Afghanistan. We will keep providing... While Ahmed and Mariam were still making these last-minute preparations for their big day, the Taliban launched a major offensive in the country's south.

And just a week later, they captured a district right outside the capital. Afghan forces fell back to safer fighting positions in Baghlan in what they called a tactical retreat. To the Taliban, it's another victory. According to the New York Times, in the weeks starting April 30th, 140 government forces and over 40 civilians were killed across Afghanistan, the highest death toll in a single week since October. The Afghan government said the Taliban were responsible. In a recently overrun army base in northern Afghanistan, Taliban show off captured heavy weapons and ammunition. Afghanistan, Taliban show off captured heavy weapons and ammunition.

By June, the Taliban started claiming territory in the north, which they didn't even control when they took over Kabul in the 90s. When Taliban slowly, I heard on the news, taking one city after another, I kind of felt stressed and scared because I do hear how Taliban brutally kill people. Mariam's ticket home, as you might remember, it wasn't until August 26th. And she started to wonder if she should be waiting that long. So I started searching for the tickets to leave Kabul, but unfortunately, there was nothing available. Ahmed was trying to stay positive. He told himself that the Afghan government was strong enough to push back the Taliban. But at work and in his neighborhood, it was clear that things were changing fast. Our president was changing the ministers weeks after weeks and in my ministry

that I usually go to that ministry, Ministry of Public Health, the high officials they were resigning and they were going to leave the country because the salaries were suspended for six to seven months. People were getting panic. Our neighbors they were leaving to Turkey, other neighboring countries. So they were feeling to Turkey, other neighboring countries. So they were feeling that something bad was going to happen. Everyone was feeling that. In the Dragon's Den, a simple pitch can lead to a life-changing connection. Watch new episodes of Dragon's Den free on CBC Gem. Brought to you in part by National Angel Capital Organization. Empowering Canada's entrepreneurs through angel investment and industry connections.

Hi, it's Ramit Sethi here. You may have seen my money show on Netflix. I've been talking about money for 20 years. I've talked to millions of people, and I have some startling numbers to share with you. Did you know that of the people I speak to, 50% of them do not know their own household income? That's not a typo.

50%. That's because money is confusing. In my new book and podcast, Money for Couples, I help you and your partner create a financial vision together. To listen to this podcast, just search for Money for Couples. By late July, U.S. intelligence was reporting that the Taliban controlled half of all district centers in Afghanistan. Well, the Taliban has been steadily taking control of districts across Afghanistan.

More than 100 districts are now in the Taliban's control. The white flag that signifies the Taliban takeover is flying in large swathes of the country right now. And they're creeping closer to the capital. I was feeling weird, like it was worrying. It was worrying, like everyone. I was feeling weird, like it was worrying. It was worrying. Like everyone, I was feeling the same. And I usually talk with my wife and my family that we should think about the next option, that what should be our next exit option. A next exit option, a plan to get out of the country faster. Because even though they had all the papers lined up to apply for a spouse visa to Canada, they knew that this could take a year and a half, maybe more.

And also beyond the instability in the country, they had another more specific reason to be worried. Ahmed had been getting these strange calls for several months now from people all over the country that he didn't know. Threatening calls. Sometimes when I receive calls, they give you warnings or they give you some hints. So these things make you worried. Once I received a call from someone with a no-caller ID. And he was saying that, I know from where you're going home. I know your hangout spaces and I know your car plate number.

Ahmed's work on COVID-related issues meant he was in touch with President Ashraf Ghani's government a lot. And the callers told him he needed to stop working with the government or else. These people never identified themselves, but he says that by their greetings, it was clear they were Taliban. When Taliban start talking to each other or to anyone, they say, Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, like this thing. And after that, they say that I'm calling you with the permission of my head. So these are the things that gives you the clear intention that these are Taliban. He also says he received two threatening letters on Taliban letterhead.

And the thing is, Ahmed had good reason to be worried. In early August, Human Rights Watch published a report that found that the Taliban was summarily executing soldiers, police and civilians with ties to President Ashraf Ghani's government. The United Nations had similar findings. After over two hours of heavy fighting, all ammunition spent, Afghan commandos walk out with hands in the air. Surrender, commandos, surrender, yells a Taliban member. But the rules of war don't exist on this battlefield. Seconds later, more than a dozen members of the elite special forces have been executed. Ahmed changed the SIM card in his phone.

He stopped posting online. He tried to keep a low profile. He hoped that he and his family would be safe. And then on August 15th, the Taliban breached Kabul. By late afternoon, the Taliban made a brief incursion into Kabul, probing. They met no resistance. Kabul would be a walkover. Afghanistan's army gave up without a fight.

The only part of the capital Kabul not under Taliban control is the airport. Now the Taliban are out in full force. They took over the presidential palace, occupied Kabul's version of the Oval Office. Afghanistan's president fled the country. This is what the Taliban want the world to see. Their long-exiled de facto leader, Abdul Ghani Baradar, returning to Afghanistan ostensibly to a warm welcome. Mariam knew that Ahmed needed to get out of the country now, so she tried to contact the Canadian government for help.

First, she tried the Canadian embassy in Kabul, but no one picked up. The embassy had suspended operations in Afghanistan that same day. Then she tried two different email addresses for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. I have emailed, contacted to some, like any contact I found from Canada, I try to email them and ask them that my husband's life is in danger But she didn't hear back. I haven't received any response from them yet. So Mariam got the contact for a former Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan. He still works for Global Affairs and emailed him. He did reply.

He copied the Global Affairs emergency assistance email and told her someone there would get back to her. Four days later, when we recorded this podcast, they still hadn't responded. During this time, something else happened. Mariam went from just worrying about getting her husband out of Afghanistan to worrying about getting herself out. Her flight home, which was supposed to be tomorrow, was canceled because of the chaos at the Kabul airport. because of the chaos at the Kabul airport. Mariam says that since then, her family members in Toronto have also tried to get in touch with the Canadian government to help get her out. But that hasn't led anywhere either.

Yeah, I feel very hopeless and that I'm stuck here and I can't leave the country in this situation. I do feel angry. When we spoke to Mariam and Ahmed, they hadn't seen each other in several days. Mariam was staying with a relative and Ahmed was hiding in a safe house. Ahmed was hiding in a safe house. Actually, if I tell you the truth, I was thinking about my mom and dad and my wife, that what will happen if they do anything with me. If I was a bachelor or if I didn't have my family here,

it would not that much make me upset. But now I'm feeling about my family that they will leave behind. So who will look after them? When my husband is not with me, it's very hard. I don't go to sleep. I'm always thinking that something will happen to me or my husband or the family. It's very stressful. I don't feel like doing anything.

We contacted the Canadian government about Mario Menomet's case. In our query, we did use their real names. We asked them why no one was responding to them and what they are doing to get Canadian citizens out of the country. A spokesperson from Global Affairs Canada got back to us. Here are a couple of points that they mentioned. They said that they're working with allies to bring as many Canadians and vulnerable Afghans from Afghanistan to safety in Canada, and that due to privacy, they can't say any more about Ahmed Ammariam's specific situation. They also said that Canada is closely monitoring the situation on the ground in Kabul, and added that officials are in constant communication with Canadians who requested assistance, though this is certainly counter to what Ahmed and Mariam say. Ahmed and Mariam aren't the only people who are angry and frustrated

with the Canadian government. There are many stories of people trying to get here from Afghanistan right now, and they paint a picture of an inept and bureaucratic response. Stories, for example, of Afghan interpreters who worked for Canada being told via text to make the dangerous trek to the airport, only to have to return to safe houses because there's no help for them once they get there. Take this man, we're not naming him for his protection, but he's a former interpreter and he sent CBC News this plea for help in an audio message on Saturday. This is my fifth attempt. Every single day I get an email, go to this gate or go to that gate.

Every checkpoint is like a death sentence for me and for my kids and for my family. What is the point of this calling us here and not taking us into the airfield? And this is while countries like France sent buses into the city and managed to get people out. On Tuesday, a Taliban spokesperson said they are now blocking any access to the airport. I asked Mariam what she wanted from the Canadian government now. I want them to take us out. I know how it's not possible right now. The airport is crowded and it's not safe for people to get out,

but I want to get out. I want the government to find a way for us to let us to get out. Ahmed agrees with Mariam. He desperately wants that too. But he also had another different kind of request of Canada and other Western governments. I'm not asking them to take all, the whole Afghanistan back to Canada or to United States or to any safe place. Make Afghanistan the safe place. Help us to make Afghanistan become a safe place for living. I know the international community, they did a lot. 20 years they helped us, but they never wanted us to

progress. So this happened and I want them to help my family, my colleagues, my country people, like everyone, I want them to help. When we said goodbye, it had been four or five days since they had seen each other and it wasn't totally clear when they'd see each other next. So I asked them if there was anything they would want to say to each other. To each other, I just want to tell her that stay safe. That's it. Mariam? I love him.

All right, so before we go today, the Canadian government has managed to get some people out of Afghanistan, more than a thousand people so far. On Tuesday, Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan said another flight with 506 evacuees had taken off from the airport, which the Americans currently control. But like I mentioned, the Taliban is now blocking access to. Meantime, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he would not extend the August 31st deadline for withdrawing all troops from Afghanistan, despite pressure from other G7 leaders to do so. Biden cited that each day of operations brings additional risks to the soldiers who remain in the country. That is all for today. I'm Jamie Poisson.

Thanks so much for listening to FrontBurner, and we'll talk to you tomorrow. For more CBC Podcasts, go to cbc.ca slash podcasts.