Afghan refugee at Camp Atterbury shares experience escaping Taliban
EDINBURGH, Ind. (WISH) — Afghan refugees often bring with them stories of survival.
News 8 got a chance to hear some of those stories during a tour of Camp Atterbury on Thursday.
Many refugees are still coming to grips with the idea that they may never see their home country again. One man News 8 spoke to said he got the call telling him to get out of Afghanistan at 7 in the morning. Two hours later, he was getting on a plane.
Camp Atterbury representatives say they’ve been implementing programs to help with cultural awareness as thousand head out to become American neighbors.
The military installation near Edinburgh, Indiana, isn’t the neighborhood or village Afghans are used to, but it’s the one they have for now. It provides a bit of calm after a whirlwind of chaos.
“I have my wife and two boys with me. We’ve been here about 46 days now,” Aziz Sadat said.
Sadat, his wife and children have made Camp Atterbury their home. On Aug. 21, he worked as a government employee in Afghanistan. The next day, he became a refugee.
“They took us to the airport, with a handbag. They didn’t allow suitcases.”
He said it’s hard to understand how the Taliban took over despite the having an American-trained Afghan army and billions of dollars worth of equipment.
“All of the things that we have in our hand and they have basically very basic things in their hands, and we lost the country that easy.”
Sadat’s family is nearly finished meeting the requirements for resettlement, and he says finding their next home is weeks away on what’s called “humanitarian parole.” Government officials said it’s an extensive process, one all Afghan refugees will undergo. Officials have called the process extremely personal.
“The mission here before us is extremely personal, as we were to reset our Afghan friends and their families who serve the United States and had to flee their country due to fear of retaliation for the service to the U.S.,” said Bill Hanson with the U.S. State Department.
Alongside the official paperwork, Afghans will have access to English and American cultural orientation, art therapy, and women and girls’ empowerment initiatives.
Sadat said they had hoped to see an Afghanistan democracy and instead they are living in America’s.
“We are grateful to be in a safe place and have the opportunity to start all over again.”
So far, three agencies in Indianapolis are assisting with the resettlement, but they will only be able to help just under 500 people. So, officials have asked the public to join a national effort to sponsor Afghan families.