Brave boys reunited in brave new world

By ANGELA GREGORY

The boys had escaped alone, many with all their family savings, from Afghanistan three years ago.

Yesterday, the brave young Tampa refugees were reunited with their parents or close family members at Auckland Airport.

Wahidullah Akbari, now 20, was almost bowled over by weeping younger brother Jawidalie's twirling embrace after their years apart.

The emotional reunion was one of dozens as 109 long-sought relatives of Tampa refugees arrived in New Zealand.

The weary travellers were related to 14 of the 40 youths who arrived in the country as unaccompanied minors in September 2001.

Those who arrived yesterday were granted refugee status as part of a humanitarian gesture.

The youths had fled Afghanistan for Pakistan and continued on to Jakarta, where they joined other asylum-seekers on a dilapidated ferry bound for Australia.

The vessel sank and they were picked up by Norwegian freighter MV Tampa.

After a standoff with Australian authorities, they were taken to Nauru, then on to New Zealand.

Wahidullah, now dressed in crisp cotton shirt and trendy jeans, looks like he just stepped off Ponsonby Rd.

He is working as a plasterer, hopes to own a business soon, and speaks fluent English, a language he did not know on his arrival.

Beaming and excited, he greeted an uncle, aunt and four young cousins. Wahidullah was chatty before their arrival, but overcome and stumped for words as they departed together.

"It's so ... " He just grinned as he whisked his relatives away to a bus that would take them to the Mangere refugee centre.

Others were also nearly immobilised by their emotions.

Aziz Mussa, a 16-year-old Selwyn College student, was lost in a deep hug and the flowing black robes of his mother, Zahra, whom he had not seen for nearly three years.

"I was scared and nervous," he confided before translating his mother's beaming response as "so happy".

Immigration Service representative Qemalj Murati was also thrilled.

Wahidullah had earlier grabbed his hand and asked: "How's it going, mate?"

Startled for a moment, Mr Murati spoke to himself out loud in reply: "When they arrived they were just little boys. I can't believe it."

Mr Murati said some of the youths would not have seen their parents for four years.

There would be some culture shock as their families set eyes on the Westernised youths with their stripey shirts and loop earrings.

But those boys would also be a huge help in settling their relatives into New Zealand, he said.

"They have somebody to speak English."

Julie Sutherland, of Child, Youth and Family, said the service had been the legal guardian of the boys.

She has cared for them from the night they arrived in Auckland and cried alongside them yesterday.

"I'm more excited than they are."

Ms Sutherland said the boys - whom she described as a "band of brothers" - were all grateful for the opportunities New Zealand presented and wanted to repay their good fortune by being good citizens.

Many already had jobs and were increasingly assertive and confident.

She expected all would eventually be reunited with their families, but it was a long, complicated process.

Ms Sutherland said the Afghan youths were mixing well with other teenagers and loved hip-hop as well as their traditional music.

"We want them acculturated not assimilated - to be proud of who they are."