By Tanya Steele
After many years of effort, Healesville Rural Australians for Refugee (RAR) members have warm hearts after Zaki Haidari, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan was reunited with his family on 4 March.
After over 10 years apart, Mr Haidari’s family were granted visas to fly to Australia.
While his family is safe, Mr Haidari said he will continue to fight for justice.
“For 10 long years, arbitrary policy decisions have kept me living in legal limbo and my family living in a violent, war torn country and Afghanistan is a country that has been at war for more than 40 years,” he said.
Mr Haidari arrived in Australia by boat in 2013 at age 17 after the Taliban murdered his father and elder brother.
Two years later, a RAR Healesville member helped Mr Haidari gain an education and he was appointed 2015 NSW International Student of the Year and a City of Sydney International Student Ambassador.
He is now a Campaign Manager for Amnesty International.
During his remarkable rise, Mr Haidari tried desperately to help his family in Kabul escape
from constant danger, with RAR Healesville contributing to the cause.
Iain Gillespie a longtime RAR Healesville member said after Mr Haidairi told him their story at a meeting he was pretty much an honorary member of the group.
The group later had a Zoom meeting with Mr Hairdari during a time of upheaval in Afghanistan when the Taliban were taking over and occupying the airport.
“He (Mr Haidari) described the nightmare of what was happening to his family and I think that really consolidated the (groups) emotional connection with him,” Mr Gillespie said.
“The battle then was getting his family out of there.”
For a decade, Mr Haidari said he has not been able to share treasured moments with his family and was glad to share the news that they have arrived safely.
“I could not rest, I could not sleep knowing they were in danger, I am pleased to share with you, my community, who have shared my highs, lows and fears, that my family have arrived here in Australia,” he said.
“I can celebrate Eid and Nawruz joyfully, and my heart is no longer on the other side of the world, but here.”
“I am more determined than ever that all refugee families have to see an end to their pain and suffering, temporary protection and legal limbo must end.”
Mr Gillespie said Healesville RAR will continue their efforts in the refugee and asylum seeker space.
“We all get a great deal of satisfaction from being able to help,” he said.
RAR Healesville had previously adopted Mr Haidari as an honorary member.
“Today, I have hundreds if not thousands of Australian friends and family. People who have been there for me during tough times – giving me love, lending me a shoulder to cry on, offering me the gift of family,” Mr Haidari said.
“My family’s arrival is a gift I thought I would never see. It has given me hope, hope that compassion and justice will prevail for all refugees, I will not stop fighting until justice is realised,” he said.
