Government plans deportations to Afghanistan: What will happen to Mohammad?

Government plans deportations to Afghanistan: What will happen to Mohammad?

The political structures in Afghanistan are driving the German federal government to revive deportations, despite the precarious situation under Taliban rule. Loud daily news There are regular deportation flights to Afghanistan, which poses major challenges not only for those affected, but also for society in Germany.

A particularly tragic example is 24-year-old Mohammad, who fled the Taliban in 2018 after they murdered his father. Although he has integrated well in his new home of Germany, where he has been training as a painter near Stuttgart for two months, his application for asylum was rejected. The Federal Office for Migration apparently does not see sufficient reasons for his claim to asylum and is planning to deport him. This only leaves him with a short period of three weeks to try to stay in Germany.

Dangerous returns and increasing repatriations

The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is catastrophic and Amnesty International warns urgently about the dangers posed by deportation. Since coming to power, the Taliban have severely restricted women's rights and persecuted people of other faiths. This circumstance increases concerns about the safety of the deportees, as well Daily Mirror reported.

Recently, 81 Afghan criminals were deported to Afghanistan on a charter plane, and this is only the second deportation flight since the Taliban came to power in August 2021. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described these people as “serious and most serious criminals.” Although the German government has no official relations with the Taliban, negotiations regarding repatriations are ongoing through Qatar, which is acting as an intermediary. There have been past reports that the Taliban would be willing to accept returnees, but there is no guarantee of the safety of those deported.

Opportunities in crafts and resistance to deportations

Michael Bräuninger, master painter and responsible for Mohammad's training, highlights the shortage of skilled workers in the trade and argues that people like Mohammad should be given a chance. Its integration story shows that many refugees can make valuable contributions to German society. But while the government is planning deportations, the Pro Asyl network speaks out against the returns and describes them as a violation of international law.

The traffic light government had originally announced further repatriations after the first deportation flight in August 2022, but these plans were implemented only slowly. Now the times seem to call for drastic measures. The challenge for Germany remains not only to carry out deportations, but also to integrate refugees, like Mohammad, into society and offer them prospects.