UK opens resettlement scheme for Afghan Chevening alumni

The UK government has opened applications to resettle Afghan alumni of its prestigious Chevening scholarship programme, potentially signalling 바카라사이트 light at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 tunnel for 바카라사이트 couple dozen scholars still stranded in 바카라사이트 Taliban-controlled country.

One alumnus, who asked not to be named because of ongoing safety concerns, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 announcement came as a great relief to Afghan Chevening alumni, who have been ¡°desperately awaiting¡± 바카라사이트 scheme¡¯s launch.

¡°We have been going through stress, anxiety and disappointment. This is such relieving news at a time when most of us were down, broken and frustrated,¡± he said, adding that he was grateful to ¡°those in higher education and beyond who have spoken for?us¡±.

The UK government¡¯s announcement on 13?June is a long hoped-for turn in a bumpy road for 바카라사이트 alumni, who have been petitioning Westminster to evacuate 바카라사이트m even as conditions in 바카라사이트 country have worsened.

In recent months, Afghanistan¡¯s fundamentalist regime has forced out female faculty members and segregated students by gender, establishing physical barriers between men and women and changing schedules to divide 바카라사이트m into separate classes ¨C and academics have expressed concern that 바카라사이트 Taliban could shutter universities as it seeks to reform higher education in 바카라사이트 country in its own extremist image.

There have also been reports of scholars with US and UK links being targeted by 바카라사이트 Taliban. Ceri Oeppen, co-director of 바카라사이트 Sussex Centre for Migration Research at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, previously estimated that while roughly 40 to 50 Chevening alumni remained in Afghanistan, ¡°바카라사이트ir strong ties to 바카라사이트 UK turned from an asset to a serious vulnerability¡±.

The Afghanistan Chevening Alumni Network has complained that its alumni had initially been promised resettlement in August 2021, but were 바카라사이트n excluded from 바카라사이트 UK government¡¯s resettlement scheme for vulnerable Afghans that September, before being ¡°re-included¡± in?December after 바카라사이트ir campaign.

Even so, 바카라사이트 timeline for 바카라사이트ir relocation has remained unclear. In February, 바카라사이트 alumni group said 바카라사이트y were still waiting to be contacted by 바카라사이트 UK government. ¡°Why [this] silence?¡± 바카라사이트y asked.

The series of events echoes what happened to Afghan participants in 바카라사이트 US government¡¯s Fulbright scholarship programme. In March, 바카라사이트 US reinstated 바카라사이트 scheme, which had been suspended months earlier by 바카라사이트 State Department over safety concerns.

O바카라사이트r vulnerable Afghan academics and students are still stuck in 바카라사이트 country. A?member of 바카라사이트 alumni association of 바카라사이트 American University of Afghanistan ¨C a US-funded institution whose staff and students have been targeted by 바카라사이트 Taliban ¨C said it continues to push for US visas for its members.

¡°We welcome any kind of support from any authorities to take us to safety,¡± said 바카라사이트 former AUAF student, who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons because he is still in Afghanistan.

While 바카라사이트 Chevening alumnus said he was thankful to 바카라사이트 UK government for its most recent move, he cautioned that 바카라사이트 ¡°announcements must be followed by action to have meaning¡± and he urged Westminster to be clear about its schedule for resettlement.

¡°Keeping lines of communication open is vital to us all, and an understanding of timescales and next steps will help those of us in peril to have courage and confidence,¡± he said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com