Afghan surgeon who fled Ukraine says he was treated differently at Polish border | Ukraine

Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and later constructing a life in Ukraine, Ruhullah Haji has been displaced by conflict twice in 34 years.

So when the center surgeon made it to Britain after fleeing Russia’s invasion, he was determined for safety and the fitting to stay as a Ukrainian. Many different Afghans have struggled to safe such rights because the fall of Kabul final 12 months, and stay in limbo.

Haji’s utility to the Ukrainian household scheme was accepted on Thursday, a few month after he utilized and a day after the Guardian approached the Dwelling Workplace about his case.

Nevertheless, his lawyer stated a choice for his spouse and daughter has but to return.

It marks the tip of a protracted and arduous street. Every week after Ukraine was invaded in February, Haji crossed the Polish border alone in quest of his spouse and little one who had already fled. On the border, he stated he was handled in another way. Different BAME refugees have reported related experiences.

“As a result of they [volunteers] noticed me: that I’m not white and I don’t have inexperienced eyes and I’m not blond,” stated Haji, who waited on the border for 3 days with no belongings. “However … I serve for Ukraine greater than [many] Ukrainians.”

He then travelled by practice from Poland by way of Romania, Hungary, Austria and Germany over two days in quest of his household, earlier than flying to the UK. “I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t drink, I used to be simply strolling and operating, in two days,” he stated.

Haji had left Afghanistan for Ukraine in his teenagers to hitch his older brother. He studied Russian, including a seventh language to his arsenal, and accomplished his medical diploma to turn into a coronary heart surgeon. He additionally held language courses for greater than 100 Afghan refugees, labored as a refugee physician throughout the Odesa area the place the household lived, and later based a clinic of his personal.

After reuniting along with his household in Britain in March, they visited the Dwelling Workplace and the next day have been despatched to a resort in Blackpool to await information of their asylum utility.

Haji’s solicitor, Nicola Burgess of the Larger Manchester Immigration Support Unit, has been serving to Haji’s household, and others who’ve utilized for asylum, change to current Ukrainian schemes.

Burgess recognises that with out the Ukrainian scheme, the household can be caught in a resort with out the fitting to work – the expertise of many Afghans. “In the event you simply needed to flee a conflict zone, you may have been subjected to trauma. And if you happen to’re caught in a field room resort, it’ll have a damaging impact on an individual.”

The Ukraine schemes have operated with vital delays. Burgess stated: “Ruhullah is a refugee mechanically, it must be a extra easy course of … They’re fleeing a conflict zone, there must be an automated grant of some kind of go away to stay slightly than some drawn-out course of.”

Haji walks and jogs to remain motivated. He has began visiting a close-by library to maintain on prime of his research, and the British Medical Affiliation has just lately accepted his credentials.

“In fact, I wish to return, however now I’m a father and I’ve my small little one, I ought to take into consideration my household greater than myself, than about my individuals who can’t stay underneath the bombs, as a result of now we have as Afghans, now we have this expertise,” Haji stated. “In conflict there isn’t any loser, there isn’t any winner.”

A UK authorities spokesperson stated that after launching one of many “quickest and largest visa schemes within the UK historical past”, over 102,000 visas for Ukrainians to stay and work within the UK have been granted.

“The adjustments the Dwelling Workplace has made to streamline the visa system, together with simplifying the kinds and boosting workers numbers, are working and we at the moment are processing visas as rapidly as they arrive in – enabling 1000’s extra Ukrainians to return by way of our uncapped routes.”