LONDON, Oct 15: Many Afghans living in Britain believe that because of their nationality they are now in grave danger of being suspected as terrorist if the present crisis in Afghanistan drags on.
The problem faced by many Afghans in the United Kingdom is twofold. Firstly, they are very much concerned about the safety of their relatives in Afghan cities being bombarded in the US-led campaign against terrorism.
Secondly, they have fear about their own safety in Britain, which is a key ally in the campaign. There are more than 20,000 Afghans living in London alone.
Mohammad Akbar, a shopkeeper said: “Patriotic as we are all, we certainly wouldn’t want to have ourselves identified as Afghans.”
He says soon after the atrocities in New York and Washington an Afghan taxi driver was beaten up by a gang of white youths in a racist attack in his neighbourhood. Many Afghans in London have decided the safest thing they can do is to keep a low profile.
Ahmad Gul says with the very mention of the word Afghan every body around you would start looking at you. He says this was not the case before September 11.
Zarghoona, a housewife, is so much worried over the recent situation in Afghanistan that she has started taking anti-depressant pills. With tears in her eyes she said: “I can’t sleep during the night when I think that tens of thousands of my countrymen are displaced by the airstrikes and spending nights in open without any shelter and food.”
Jamal Khan, who works in a pizza shop, has left his country 10 years ago. He says if Arabs or other Muslims are not happy over here, they have a choice to return to their own country. “But Afghans living in other countries don’t have this choice,” he said.
Afghans are a fast growing community of Britain, most of whom live in west London. Among them some own a number of successful businesses at Oxford Street, the main shopping centre of the city. These rich Afghans are as worried as their ordinary compatriots are.
Mohammed Farooq, a businessman from the Oxford Street, fears the prolonged war against terrorism can force many like him out of business. He said that the strain on the national economy of Britain had already started to emerge.