Back row: Ismail, Faiz Mohammed photo: Mike Ferner
When asked what he hoped the next two years would bring, Ismail immediately replied, "Just looking for peace" and the children need education."
Rahmatullah, a man introduced as the "camp representative," said his duties included helping people with the Ministry of Immigration red tape and being a liaison to the various aid agencies serving the camp. A year ago he had moved his family from Helmand Province, where most of the camp's residents originated.
It took him only moments to determine what he would like to tell the world: "For the UN please, to stop the bombing and please help. This is not a place for life. We need more help and support from people in the U.S. and the UN."
Growing suddenly more irate, the camp rep asked, "Where is your humanity? What is human rights in Afghanistan?" Pointing to a man standing on the edge of a small knot of people, holding a few dusty, cracked photos, Rahmatullah demanded, "Is that picture human rights?"
A slight man of 30 years came forward and introduced himself as Faiz Mohammed, also from Helmand. His face did not bear a smile. In his hand he held a well-worn image of a girl, perhaps eight years old, lying in repose on a piece of carpet, with what appeared to be several wounds in her bloodied chest and upper abdomen.
Faiz Mohammed's daughter photo: Mike Ferner
"That is his daughter," several of the men said at once. "And the girl in the other picture was her friend," added another.
When asked what happened to them, Faiz Mohammed looked slightly quizzical and said, "The bombing."
Dr. Ahmadzai interjected that Mohammed, like many others in the camp, suffered from rheumatism and general body pain due to the living conditions. "There is a lot of sickness here," the doctor said. "Faiz Mohammed has a daughter suffering with pneumonia and a chest infection; his wife the same. Their wood ration is not enough. Not enough. A large family needs at least 15 kilos per day," he said, pointing to a nearby "house" consisting of one 12x18 room, covered with tarps. "Sixteen people live in that house."
Rahmatulla rejoined the conversation to make an announcement, confirmed later that day by news service reports, that the Afghan government and the Taliban had agreed to a temporary ceasefire in Helmand. "When fighting stops, that day I return to my home. We are people of one country," he added with a mixture of pride and indignity. "Taliban are from Afghanistan. We are from Afghanistan. Government forces are from Afghanistan."
As the camp visit drew to a close, I asked Rahmatullah what kind of work he did in Helmund. "Gardener," he replied, hesitating a moment. Then, with a quiet smile he added, "Poppies."
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