It's 8:15pm in Afghanistan right now. And at this time, 10 days ago, I was sitting in an eight-foot-by-eight-foot cell in the basement of a maximum-security prison in Kabul, where I was being held captive by the Taliban. I'd been in that cell for 104 days, and yet, I was one of the lucky ones.
Sada je u Avganistanu 8 i 15 uveče. U ovo vrijeme, prije deset dana sjedio sam u ćeliji od dva i po kvadrata u podrumu najstrože čuvanog zatvora u Kabulu, gdje su me talibani držali kao zatvorenika. U toj ćeliji sam proveo 104 dana, pa ipak sam bio među onima koje je poslužila sreća.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me go back to the beginning. This is me. I'm five years old and living in an Afghan refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan. You can see the two patches on my UNHCR-donated jeans. One patch is an American flag and the other is the Statue of Liberty, the quintessential beacons of the American dream I so badly wanted. But as a refugee, I didn't have a state to call home. And not having a state, I didn't have rights. And not having rights, I didn't have a voice. I needed someone to advocate for me. And I was fortunate to have two advocates. My parents, who had emigrated to the US four years ahead of me, fought tirelessly to get me to America for those four years. They gave me a voice. They gave me the American dream. And my parents' advocacy allowed me to join them, to emigrate to Omaha, Nebraska, to go to high school in the states to serve in the military, to graduate as a Tillman Scholar from Georgetown University, to get accepted into medical school. I became the American dream.
Nego, previše otkrivam. Vratiću se na početak. Ovo sam ja. Ovdje imam pet godina i živim u avganistanskom izbjegličkom kampu u Pešavaru, u Pakistanu. Vidite da farmerice od UNHCR-a imaju dva prišivena detalja. Jedan je američka zastava, a drugi je Kip slobode, ključni simboli američkog sna koji sam žarko želio. Ali kao izbjeglica, nijednu državu nisam mogao nazvati svojom zemljom. A bez zemlje, nisam imao ni prava. Bez prava, nisam imao ni glas. Trebao mi je neko da se zauzme za mene. Srećom, dvoje ljudi se zauzelo. Moji roditelji, koji su izbjegli u SAD četiri godine prije mene, i za to vrijeme neumoljivo su se borili da me dovedu u Ameriku. Dali su mi glas. Oni su mi pružili američki san. Njihovo zauzimanje je omogućilo da im se pridružim. Da emigriram u Omahu, Nebraska, da pohađam srednju školu u SAD-u, da služim vojsku, da dobijem stipendiju Tilman Univerziteta u Džordžtaunu, da me prime na medicinski fakultet. Postao sam otelotvorenje američkog sna.
(Cheers and applause)
(Klicanje i aplauz)
And in my dream, everything came full circle. This past summer, I deferred one dream for another when I put medical school on hold, founded Human First Coalition, an organization dedicated to aiding Afghans in need. Having spent the first 17 years of my life stateless, I rather abruptly found myself in the role of the humanitarian aid worker who had shaped so much of my life. I became that advocate and that voice for others. And becoming an aid worker, I got to provide food, medical care and shelter for thousands of Afghans. I got to operate resettlement flights for thousands more, and I got to make multiple trips to Kabul, with the Taliban’s blessing, to oversee it all.
Međutim, u mom snu, sve se vratilo na staro. Ljetos sam jedan san stavio na čekanje zbog drugog, odložio sam studiranje medicine i osnovao Prvi humanitarni savez, organizaciju za pomoć ugroženim Avganistancima. Budući da sam prvih 17 godina života proveo bez državljanstva, sasvim neočekivano sam se našao u ulozi humanitarca, a to je snažno oblikovalo dobar dio mog života. Ja sam danas taj koji se zalaže i pomaže drugima. Postavši humanitarac, mogao sam da obezbedim hranu, njegu i utočište za hiljade Avganistanaca. Mogao sam da upravljam letovima za još na hiljade raseljenika i da, uz pristanak talibana, često putujem u Kabul da sve to nadgledam.
But then, on December 18, 2021, everything changed. That morning, which started off like any other morning, I was suddenly, inexplicably and unexpectedly taken into Taliban custody. As I was being driven to the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence headquarters, I was told that I just needed to answer a few routine questions, and then I’d be sent back to my hotel. Instead, a few hours later, I was brought into that basement room. Three roommates, no blanket, no mattress, no pillow, no sun, no way to communicate with the outside world and no clue what was to become of me. And from that moment on, I stayed in that basement in the dead of the Afghan winter, for 105 days.
Onda, 18. decembra 2021, sve se promijenilo. Tog jutra, koje je počelo kao i svako drugo, neobjašnjivo i neočekivano, talibani su me odveli u zatvor. Dok smo se vozili ka talibanskom generalnom direktoratu Obavještajnog centra, rekli su mi da samo treba da odgovorim na par redovnih pitanja, i da me onda vraćaju u hotel. Umjesto toga, nekoliko sati kasnije, odveli su me u podrum. Tri cimera, bez ćebadi, dušeka, jastuka, svjetlosti. Nisam imao vezu sa spoljnim svijetom, niti ideju šta će sa mnom biti. Od tog trenutka, ostao sam u tom podrumu u jeku avganistanske zime narednih 105 dana.
The entire time, I feared that I might be taken in front of a firing squad, at any minute. And on the 45th day, I was beaten and tortured by 11 men wielding pipes, after eight days on a hunger strike. I had done nothing wrong.
Sve vrijeme sam se plašio da će me odvesti pred streljački vod u bilo kom trenutku. Četrdeset petog dana, jedanaest muškaraca me je tuklo i mučilo koristeći cijevi nakon osmodnevnog štrajka glađu. Ništa nisam skrivio.
But again, I was lucky. I not only had several exceptional advocates, but I had a state. The US government game me a voice and asserted my human rights, and that's what ultimately led to my release 10 days ago.
A ipak, dobro sam prošao. Ne samo da sam imao nekoliko sjajnih zaštitnika, već je i država bila uz mene. Američka vlada mi je pružila glas i moja ljudska prava, i to je, vremenom, dovelo do mog oslobođenja prije deset dana.
(Applause)
(Aplauz)
And on the day of my release, following a four-hour flight from Kabul to Qatar, the euphoria I felt as I walked off that plane is indescribable. But amidst the triumph and joy of homecoming, something was amiss. On the day of my release, I returned to society to find that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan was only getting worse, the whole world was fixated on Ukraine, and nearly every Afghan resettlement effort was on pause or had ground to a screeching halt, with no effective resolution in sight. And that was a huge letdown. And that is why I decided that before even visiting my family, I had to get back to work. Because the truth of the matter is 95 percent of Afghans are currently not getting enough to eat. 22.8 million are facing crisis levels of hunger. 97 percent are living below the poverty line. And 9 million are living in extreme poverty. And these are the individuals who fought alongside us in the international coalition for the last 20 years. They are our allies. They are our brothers and sisters, and they are in desperate straits.
Na dan mog oslobođenja, nakon četvoročasovnog leta od Kabula do Katara, osjetio sam neopisivo uzbuđenje kada sam izašao iz aviona. Ali uprkos trijumfu i sreći zbog povratka kući, nešto nije bilo kako treba. Na dan mog oslobođenja, vrativši se u društvo saznao sam da je humanitarna kriza u Avganistanu sve gora, da se cijeli svijet bavi Ukrajinom, a raseljenička bitka skoro svih Avganistanaca bila je na čekanju ili naglo zaustavljena, bez konačnog razrješenja na vidiku. A to je bilo ogromno razočaranje. Zato sam odlučio da, čak prije nego posjetim porodicu, moram ponovo da se bacim na posao. Jer istina je da 95 posto Avganistanaca nema dovoljno hrane. Njih 22,8 miliona suočava se sa velikom glađu. Njih 97 procenata živi ispod linije siromaštva. A devet miliona ljudi žive u ekstremnom siromaštvu. Riječ je o ljudima koji su se borili uz nas u međunarodnom savezu prethodnih 20 godina. Oni su naši saveznici. Naša braća i sestre, a u očajničkoj su situaciji.
The magnitude of the work ahead is staggering. But we have to start somewhere. And the question becomes "What should we do?" In my mind, four things.
Obim posla pred nama je zapanjujući. Ali odnekud moramo početi. Postavlje se pitanje: „Šta možemo učiniti?” Imam četiri stvari na umu.
First, we must bolster humanitarian aid provisions for the international community by increasing support for and donations to grassroots organizations that have infrastructure to ensure aid is getting directly into the hands of the people who need it the most. And that's not just my organization -- there are so many support-worthy groups doing exceptional work in Afghanistan, and we need resources now.
Prva, humanitarna pomoć se mora slati u većoj mjeri za međunarodnu zajednicu tako što ćemo povećati podršku i donacije lokalnim organizacijama sa infrastukturom zahvaljujući kojoj će pomoć dospjeti direktno u ruke onih kojima je najviše potrebna. I to nije samo moja organizacija - mnogo je grupacija koje zaslužuju podršku zbog izvanredne pomoći Avganistanu, a sredstva su nam potrebna odmah.
Second, we, government and citizens of the 36 countries who fought in Afghanistan must keep our promises to our Afghan allies, to whom we owe a debt, by fast-tracking their resettlement, be it in the United States or elsewhere.
Druga stvar, mi, vlada i građani iz 36 zemalja koji su se borili u Avganistanu moramo održati obećanje dato saveznicima kojima smo dužni tako što ćemo ubrzati preseljenja bilo da se odnose na SAD ili druge zemlje.
(Applause)
(Aplauz)
This, first and foremost, necessitates resettling refugees who are currently waiting in camps around the world, to reach a place that they can call home. It also calls upon the international community to increase quotas for Afghan allies to accept more at-risk Afghans for permanent resettlement and to expand programs like humanitarian parole, to generate more pathways for those in need.
Prvo i osnovno, ovo znači da raseljena lica, koja trenutno čekaju po kampovima širom svijeta, što prije nađu zemlju koju će zvati svojom. Takođe, ovim se poziva međunarodna zajednica da poveća kvotu za Avganistance da bi više rizičnih grupa dobilo trajno preseljenje kao i da kreira nove programe poput humanitarnog propusta zarad novih rješenja onima kojima su potrebna.
Third ... As we find pathways forward for these individuals, we must not separate families, we must preserve them.
Treće... Kad nađemo rješenja koja znače korak naprijed, ne smijemo razdvajati porodice, već ih moramo sačuvati.
(Applause)
(Aplauz)
Or, at the very least, create strict limits for the amount of time that families can be separated. Family separation like mine generates irreparable harm. But clear and specific change to existing admission policies can ensure that other minors do not face the same fate that befell me and my family.
Ili da, u krajnjem, postavimo stroge limite u okviru kojih porodica može biti razdvojena. Razdvajanje porodica, kao u mom slučaju, dovodi do nepopravljive štete. Ali jasnim i konkretnim izmjenama u postojećim politikama prijema osiguraće se da druge manjine ne dijele istu sudbinu koja je zadesila mene i moju porodicu.
Fourth -- and this is the most important of them all -- we must reestablish an international diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, to hold the Taliban accountable for their actions and provide consular services to the people. It opens a channel to address Taliban’s actions, rather than cutting off, isolating and eliminating avenues for influence. And I've witnessed what engagement with the Taliban can look like firsthand. The negotiations that resulted in my release from captivity were the direct result of effective diplomacy with the Taliban on the world stage. Diplomats spoke to each other openly and resolved an issue of mutual concern. And while the success of this discussion is perhaps an anomaly, the kind of diplomacy demonstrated by my release can and should serve as a model for achieving other desired change for the future of Afghanistan, such as the restoration of girls' education above grade six, freedom of press, bolstering women's rights, and most urgently, increasing humanitarian assistance. At the same time --
Četvrta stvar - koja je i najvažnija od svih - ponovo se mora uspostaviti diplomatski štab u Avganistanu u kojem će talibani odgovarati za svoja djela i koji će narodu pružati konzularne usluge. Mjesto na kojem će se neko pozabaviti talibanskim činjenjem umjesto odbacivanja, zanemarivanja i eliminacije puteva kojima se nešto može postići. I vidio sam svojim očima kako izgleda dogovaranje sa talibanima. Pregovori čiji je rezultat bio moje oslobođenje bili su direktan ishod efikasne diplomatske saradnje sa talibanima naočigled svijeta. Diplomate su razgovarale otvoreno i riješili pitanje od obostranog interesa. Moguće da je uspjeh te diskusije nešto neuobičajeno, ali pregovaranje kakvo je viđeno u slučaju mog oslobođenja može i treba da služi kao model za postizanje željenih promjena za budućnost Avganistana, kao što su nastavak školovanja za djevojčice i posle šestog razreda, sloboda medija, jačanje ženskih prava i povećanje humanitarne pomoći, što je prije moguće. Istovremeno -
(Applause)
(Aplauz)
At the same time, our diplomacy can't be a blank check. The Taliban must live up to their end of the bargain to demonstrate that they are ready to engage in diplomacy, as an actor that upholds basic human rights, that ensures necessary freedoms and that does not take or hold hostages.
Istovremeno, naša diplomatija ne može biti jednostran aranžman. Talibani moraju ispuniti svoj dio dogovora kako bi pokazali spremnost da diplomatski pregovaraju i to kao akter koji poštuje osnovna ljudska prava, koji pruža neophodnu slobodu i nikog ne uzima za taoce.
(Applause)
(Aplauz)
At the end of the day, the situation in Afghanistan is an extremely complex one. It can't be summed up in an eight-minute talk I wrote four days ago, emerging from captivity. Yet there are tangible solutions, and I'm in the privileged position of being able to advocate for them, but I'm here today to tell you that you are too. The truth of the matter is, especially in the case of Afghanistan, change has always and will continue to start with everyday people. This fall, tens of thousands of people from around the world banded together at the grassroots level to aid Afghans in need. You don't need to be an expert to engage, to volunteer, to contribute, to lobby, or even to simply welcome a refugee to advocate for them. As Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
U konačnom, situacija u Avganistanu je izuzetno složena. Ne može se svesti na govor od osam minuta, koji sam napisao prije četiri dana, kada sam oslobođen. Ipak, postoje opipljiva rješenja i ja sam u privilegovanom položaju jer mogu da se zauzmem za njih, a danas sam ovdje da vam kažem da možete i vi. Jer istina je da, naročito u slučaju Avganistana, promjena uvijek počinje od običnih ljudi, i tako će biti i dalje. Ove jeseni, desetine hiljada ljudi širom svijeta okupilo se ispred lokalnih organizacija da pomognu ugroženim Avganistancima. Ne morate biti stručnjak da biste učestvovali, volontirali, doprinijeli, uticali ili prosto dočekali nekog izbjeglicu i pomogli mu. Kao što je Margaret Mid jednom rekla: ,,Nikad ne sumnjajte da mala grupa promišljenih, posvećenih građana može promijeniti svijet.” Zapravo, to je jedino što je ikad i promijenilo svijet.
On the afternoon of my release 10 days ago, I, at long last, climbed out of my basement cell and into the sunlight, without anything binding my hands or covering my eyes. I could see the sky. I traveled out of the prison through Kabul city in a Corolla sedan. I passed the American embassy and arrived at the Kabul International Airport. I walked onto the tarmac, I climbed into the C-17, I shook hands with American, Qatari and British diplomats, and suddenly, I was a free man again.
Tog popodneva kad sam oslobođen prije deset dana, konačno sam ispuzao iz ćelije u podrumu napolje, na sunce bez ikakvog poveza na rukama ili preko očiju. Mogao sam da vidim nebo. Iz zatvora smo kroz Kabul putovali u tojota sedanu. Prošao sam Američku ambasadu i stigao na međunarodni aerodrom u Kabulu. Stao sam na asfalt, a onda se popeo u C-17, rukovao sam se sa američkim, katarskim i britanskim diplomatama, i ponovo sam bio slobodan čovjek.
But again, I was one of the lucky ones. Ultimately, being a captive reminded me of a time when I was helpless and needed a voice. Now that I'm released, I have my voice back, and, mercifully, it puts me in a position where I can advocate for that little boy with the Statue of Liberty patch on his UNHCR-donated jeans, chasing the American dream.
Još jednom, bio sam među rijetkim srećnicima. Naposljetku, zatočeništvo me je podsjetilo na vrijeme kad sam bio bespomoćan i kad mi je trebao glas. Sada kada sam slobodan i imam svoja prava, zahvalan sam što sada ja mogu da se zauzmem za jednog takvog dječaka koji nosi Kip slobode na farmerkama dobijenim od UNHCR-a i žudi za američkim snom.
I hope you'll join me.
Nadam se da ćete mi se pridružiti.
(Applause)
(Aplauz)