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Thursday, 4 July 2019 01:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
“I came to a point where I didn’t have a single rupee left in my pocket.”
A musical prodigy who started a successful production company in his 20s, John* never imagined that he would face such a desperate moment in his life.
Music has been the defining aspect of his story; his livelihood and passion, it has brought him success and tragedy in equal measure.
“I love music because it lets me express my feelings. If I’m sad or if I’m happy or if I do something I want to share, even if there’s no one else around me, I can share whatever is going on in my life with music.”
He started sharing his passion as a teacher at just 12 years old and has taught an estimated 500 students in his career so far.
The production company he founded was well recognised and regularly worked with the international market.
Fast forward a few years and today, at 30 years old, he is on a limited monthly allowance provided by UNHCR, unable to work and earn for himself. Compelled to be idle and stifle his productivity.
“I had a full schedule: I was studying in college, working as a businessman with my production company, and teaching as well. Those were years full of happiness; I lived a very joyful, full life. So now it’s very difficult for me from that level to come down here, and not be able to do anything.”
John is a refugee from Afghanistan – he was forced to flee his country leaving his company, students and music career behind because he dared to speak against the Taliban.
He used his music and productions to regularly advocate against terrorism, even appearing in a music film by Oxford Films that depicted the true stories of people caught up in the violence.
The movie cost him his life in Afghanistan. He received death threats and had to flee the country for his own safety.
He sold his car and flew to Sri Lanka with those funds in May 2015, and has lived here peacefully for the last four years.
His stay here, however, will be temporary – Sri Lanka does not permit refugees and asylum-seekers to live in the country permanently.
The Government allows families to remain in Sri Lanka until they are resettled in another country by UNHCR. The average refugee stays in Sri Lanka for three to seven years until they are permanently moved to a country that accepts refugees for resettlement.
His stay in Sri Lanka has not been easy. When he first arrived, John registered his claim for asylum with UNHCR and waited until his claim was processed to be granted status as a refugee.
As an asylum-seeker, he was completely dependent on whatever funds he had brought with him or could have been sent to him to survive.
Asylum-seekers and refugees are not allowed to work in Sri Lanka, but refugees are provided with a limited monthly allowance.
“I was an asylum-seeker for more than a year and I faced a day where I didn’t have a single rupee left in my pocket. That was very difficult for me, it took me one year to spend through my savings as an asylum-seeker. I didn’t spend on enjoying myself, only to survive. But there is a big difference in the cost of living with everything in Sri Lanka, even when I cook for myself – it’s still very expensive.”
Although he spent all the savings he brought with him, John was granted refugee status and now receives limited monthly support from UNHCR. He has a positive outlook on his time in Sri Lanka and looks forward to restarting his career in music.
“I think I may be lucky because I never faced any bad people in Sri Lanka. Everywhere has good and bad, but I’ve faced very good, very helpful people in Sri Lanka.”
He has recently produced a love song in Sinhalese with a local artist under conditions of anonymity. It’s the first production he has worked on since he was forced to flee Afghanistan in May of 2015.
He sings Sinhala lyrics along with the local artist in the production and, according to him, this song will be what he remembers and cherishes the most when he looks back on his time in Sri Lanka.
The song and his passion are bringing him good fortune once again; John’s new landowner was wary of letting him rent a room in his property after the Easter Sunday attacks, but his talent earned him a home.
“My friend convinced my landlord to let me stay because I was a musician. The landlord didn’t believe that I had produced a Sinhala song, so he made me sing it for him.
After I sang it for him, he said ‘you are very close to the Sri Lankan culture’ and agreed to let me rent a room. Now, I look after his children and teach them music, so he doesn’t even charge me rent.”
