Articles & Essays

I heard my name “Hussan Sa Rezi” on the loudspeaker. Puzzled, I looked at my cellmate for confirmation. During my whole imprisonment, the security guards hadn’t pronounced my name right. My cellmate nodded that it was my name among a list of thirty refugees who would be released from Balikpapan refugee prison.

Refugee people have been protesting for the last seven years due to uncertainty of their futures. They are stranded for nearly a decade and want from the UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) to accelerate their case process and get resettlement to a third country. I analyse the strategies, mindset, challenges and achievement of the refugee protests in Pekanbaru.

Like many of you, I have seen the Taliban from a long distance. You might have seen their photos and videos on newspapers and TV screens … I never thought I would see one of the key bases of the Taliban in Kabul from the closest possible distance. Eventually, it happened. On Wednesday, September 8, a group of young women had a peaceful gathering in front of a Taliban militant base in Karte Chahar, west part of Kabul, protesting against the violations of their human and civil rights. Two of my colleagues went to the scene to cover these peaceful protests.