The plight of asylum seekers in the UK

By Hanan Habibzai

Zamarai Ahmadzai from Logar province of Afghanistan found himself in England when he came out from a container on a lorry.

His journey begins in Logar province of Afghanistan in mid-2001 but it was August 2002 when he got in to the UK. Alongside the time, the journey cost thousands of US dollars paid to several layers of human traffickers.

Now, he lives in east London. However, despite his eight-years-stay in the UK, he has not succeeded in obtaining the right to live in the UK as a resident.

‘’This is all because of our own government.’’ He added. ‘’One dollar earned at home is better then in a foreign country. I didn’t know but now I regret I should not have come to the UK.’’

Since he left his country of origin, he suffered long tiredness, but his efforts to get asylum in the UK were unsuccessful.

Zamarai illegally came to the UK in search of a safer and better life and to be able to repay the money his family had borrowed to furnish his journey.

Though out of terrible journey via Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and France and finally to England he suffered various tortures and abusing situation. As a result of all these sufferings and abuses, Zamarai cannot live as a happy individual.

His dream of the kind of life in the UK did not come true. ‘’When we were in home, we didn’t know this.’’ He said. ‘’Every one used to say that London is good and you will earn good money but you know, we have some boys here working 12 hours per day but get paid only £20.’’

Zamarai is not the only asylum seeker, thousands of others, many of them under the age of 18, is experiencing the same fate.

14 year old Javeed Ahmad from Dhaka, Bangladesh, is always singing songs which are killing his stress feelings. This is almost two years since he got in to the UK. ‘’I was unable to obtain legal documents in the UK, my future is doubtful.’’He regretfully added.

The UK border Agency is trying to stop the increasing number of asylum seekers illegally coming to the United Kingdom but there is no change seemed yet.

The parents across overseas give their children in the hands of human traffickers while they don’t know their child going through what kind of troubles. That’s why, despite all these problems illegal migrants are increasingly flooding to Europe and the United Kingdom.

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