Key Points
- Ahmed Al-shubili has not seen his children for almost four years
- He says he's been calling on the government to evacuate his family from the warzone for a number of years
- Mr Al-shubili's children are all Australian citizens however his wife Heba is not
Sydney man Ahmed Al-shubili tells SBS Arabic24 that he lives in fear every day for his family who are in “constant danger” in Yemen, which has been embroiled in a civil war since 2015.
An Australian citizen since 2005, he returned to Yemen to marry his wife Heba in 2009, and the couple decided to remain in the country to raise their three young children.
However, after the outbreak of war, he says he contacted the Australian Embassy in the Saudi capital Riyadh, and its officials “promised to help” evacuate the family.
“The danger [in Yemen] increased and I decided to knock on the doors of the Australian government," he says.
“I contacted the embassy in Riyadh and instructed someone to contact me on a daily basis and they said they would get us out in three days' time.”
However, he says "no such action occurred."
Mr Al-shubili decided to return to Australia in 2016 to facilitate efforts for his family to be evacuated.
“I finally got desperate and decided to travel so that I could help my children from abroad," he says.
“A friend bought me a ticket so I could return to Australia to support my family.”
In the years since, his children have received Australian citizenship while Heba is attempting to obtain a visitor's visa to travel to Australia.
Mr Al-shubili says he has not started the process of obtaining such a visa for his wife because of the expense, around $8000.
Ahmed Al-Shabaili and his children five years ago. Source: Supplied
He says he's even ready to incur a debt with the government for the evacuation that he will pay off.
Mr Al-shubili claims he he has exhausted his appeals to government departments including Immigration; Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Home Affairs.
"After my arrival back to Australia, there were telephone calls with DFAT. They gave me unconvincing reasons. Then came the journey of knocking the doors of federal MPs, including Greens leader Adam Bandt," he says.
"No one was willing to help except Senator Mehreen Faruqi, who gave me some hope by giving me appointments, and asked me by email to give her authorisation to speak on my behalf.
"And they did send emails on my behalf. But in 2021 they cut that hope short. During that time there was big government fundings to evacuate Australians stuck overseas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I was hopeful that Faruqi’s office took interest in my case. But then the government stopped that funding and at the same time I received a sad email from Faruqi’s office that they won’t be able to help me."
After the federal election in May, Mr Al-shubili says he has been in contact with the Member for Parramatta Dr Andrew Charlton.
"We are exchanging emails and telephone calls, and until now I haven't been given the opportunity to meet Mr Charlton in person to explain my issue," he says.
Same treatment demanded
“Since 2015, my children have been suffering inside Yemen, where war, siege, diseases and epidemics are taking place,” Mr Al-shubili says.
“I want the government to give my family the same attention as it gives Australians evacuated from Europe and Asia.”
He says he has offered the option of the government evacuating his family to Oman or Saudi Arabia before travelling to Australia but feels this will be exorbitant.
"It would be unfair because the government usually evacuates Australians who are in danger without asking them to incur the cost," he says.
He mentioned that DFAT had offered to cover the cost of renewing his children's passports on the condition that he repays the cost later. However, he said that this was not the help he was asking for.
READ MORE
Yemen’s Children of War
Since 2015, my children have been suffering inside Yemen, where war, siege, diseases and epidemics are taking place.
'Consular assistance': government responds to case
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson told SBS Arabic24 that the department was providing consular assistance to an unspecified Australian man in relation to several members of his family who were long-term residents of Yemen.
"Owing to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further details," the spokesperson said.
"Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in Yemen and a limited number of commercial airlines operate flights from or to the country. Our ability to provide consular services in Yemen is extremely limited."
A boy looks at a house destroyed by a past airstrike carried out by a war-plane of the Saudi-led coalition in Sana’a, Yemen. Source: Getty
"Owing to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further details."
The Australian Government has advised against all travel to Yemen since 2010 due to the ongoing civil and international conflict there.
The war in Yemen is a conflict has been ongoing since 2015 between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, led by President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, and the Houthi rebel group.
The war has is estimated to have resulted in more than 10,000 deaths, with the majority of casualties being civilians.
The United Nations has called the war in Yemen “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,” with over 24 million people in need of assistance.
There is extreme political instability, airstrikes and a very high threat of kidnapping and terrorism.
Travellers are also advised they may not be able to get enough food, water or medical care. Most international airlines no longer fly to Yemen and nearly all countries have suspended embassy operations and withdrawn diplomatic staff. Yemen does not recognise dual nationality.
A spokesperson from the Department of Home Affairs said the department did not comment on individual cases.
"This Government is committed to generous and flexible Humanitarian and Settlement Programs that meet Australia’s international protection obligations and positions Australia as a global leader in international resettlement efforts," they said.
The spokesperson said a program of 13,750 places in the 2022–23 Humanitarian Program would ensure the department could provide permanent resettlement to those most in need as well as provide appropriate support for the travel and resettlement of refugees and others requiring Australia’s protection.
"The world is experiencing its greatest humanitarian need since World War II. Any person who believes they meet the requirements for a humanitarian visa and wishes to seek Australia’s assistance can make an application," the spokesperson said.
Mr Al-shubila says DFAT had offered to pay for his children's passports to be renewed but that he had rejected this assistance.
Children trapped in war zone miss their dad
In a telephone interview with SBS Arabic24, Mr Al-shubili's son Al-Watheq, 11, said that he and his siblings missed their father and hoped that Australia would allow them to travel soon because the situation in Yemen was “...an ongoing war with continuous killing.”
We are the most beautiful gift for my father.
When asked what they would bring him from Yemen as a gift, Al-Watheq said that he and his siblings would be the most beautiful gift their father would receive.
, and that essential health care programs are at risk of closure. It is providing cash assistance to empower displaced Yemeni families.
Mr Al-shubili says this situation puts his children in constant danger.
“The danger is facing them. War continues. There is also a risk of diseases. Yemen has no hospitals, even food is not available, Yemen is besieged," he says.
"The whole world and international organisations are talking about the tragic situation in Yemen and the Australian government is aware of what is happening in Yemen. They know everything.”
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