In Afghanistan, where the Islamist Taliban has seized power, a series of voices from former foreign students studying in Japan wanting to leave their homeland for safety reasons, and university teachers seeking support for their students on the 19th. We held an urgent meeting and urged the Government of Japan to take all possible steps to evacuate former international students.
Approximately 400 Afghanistan have arrived in Japan, including former Japanese embassy staff, from Afghanistan, but many former international students remaining in the area have been threatened by what appears to be the Taliban. There are a lot of voices calling for support for evacuation.
For this reason, a support group made up of faculty members from universities nationwide, who have accepted international students from Afghanistan, held an urgent press conference on the 19th, of which Professor Keiko Sakai of Chiba University said, "Their lives as part of reconstruction assistance. I want the government to play a role in protecting the government. "
One of the former international students who still remains in Afghanistan and strongly desires to retreat to Japan responded to an interview with NHK on condition of anonymity, "I hope that the Japanese government and the Japanese people will not abandon us. I said.
In Afghanistan, terrorism is frequent and there are concerns about the deterioration of public security, and the support group will soon submit a request to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to take all possible measures to evacuate former international students. I have decided.
Former international student "I hope we will not abandon us"
One of the former international students who still remains in Afghanistan and wishes to evacuate to Japan responded to an online interview with NHK on condition of anonymity, "I hope the Japanese government and the Japanese people will not abandon us." I told you.
A former international student, who returned to Afghanistan after earning a PhD from a graduate school in Japan a few years ago, continued his research to increase food production amid the widespread drought, and also helped train younger generations at university. I am.
According to the man, several acquaintances who had taught at other universities after taking control of the Taliban were killed by forces believed to be Taliban because of their study abroad experience.
In addition, men who feel intimidated by a series of threatening phone calls and e-mails, saying that they are related to Japan and overseas, continue to change their whereabouts every other day. about it.
A former international student said, "The security situation is getting worse day by day. Thinking about the future, I am desperate and exhausted."
Even under these circumstances, the former international student cherishes the colored paper that he wrote "peace" in Chinese for the first time during his stay in Japan, and says that the connection with Japan is really important.
"I hope the Government of Japan and the people of Japan will not abandon us. How long should we wait? What should we do to evacuate to Japan?" Is it? Every day, we are always in danger of life. "