Home is Here: Sami Ullah

I am Sami. I am 36 years old. I came by boat in 2013 to seek safety in Australia. I had thought Australia was a good country before I came here. I left behind my wife, my brother, my sister – everyone dear to me is back in Afghanistan.

I spent four weeks on Christmas Island, then another three months in Curtin Detention Centre. The situation there at the detention centre was really bad. After that I moved to Adelaide with the hope of finding an Afghan community or some friends but it was not easy to settle in. I then decided to move to Melbourne to find a good community who might help me.

I didn’t have work rights for the first three years. I had to live in one room with four people as I couldn’t afford to rent a room on my own. I feel like a liar talking to my family that I am still waiting for a permanent visa after so long. Sometimes they don’t answer my calls anymore. This is a very bad situation for me. This makes me feel helpless. My mental problems are getting worse.

I am not a criminal, I pay bills, I pay taxes. Why does the government keep me waiting in limbo? I feel like we are discriminated against. This Government has never given me help. Where is the so-called ‘humanity’? I want my freedom.

I would ask the Minister to try and even spend just a few weeks away from his family to see how he copes, I have had to live 11 years away from my family. I want to build my life here, and be with my family.