A pregnant New Zealand journalist working with Al-Jazeera TV said the Taliban govt officials are better than her country’s government which did not allow her to enter into her own country _ New Zealand ignoring that she is pregnant.
Charlotte Bellis, Al-Jazeera TV journalist working in Afghanistan, became pregnant though she is unmarried. A few days ago Bellis went to headoffice of her media group in Qatar where she felt that she was pregnant. Hence, she decided to go back to her own country New Zealand as Qatar, a Muslim country does not allow unmarried women to get pregnant.
Bellis tried to go back to New Zealand to give birth to her baby, but she was denied re-entry to her home country due to strict Covid-19 regulations. Nevertheless, Bellis talked to some officials of Taliban government in Kabul said she has been offered refuge in Afghanistan.
“This just feels like such a breach of trust,” Charlotte Bellis told Radio New Zealand on Sunday from Kabul.
Bellis had been working for Al Jazeera in Afghanistan, but said she didn’t realise she was pregnant until she was at the media company’s headquarters in Doha, Qatar.
In Qatar, it is unlawful for a lady to be pregnant and unmarried, so Bellis kept her pregnancy secret as tried to return to New Zealand.
Upon being told she did not qualify for an exemption under New Zealand’s strict Covid border controls, Bellis said she called senior Taliban contacts and was told she could give birth there.
“We’re happy for you, you can come and you won’t have a problem,” Bellis said in an interview about what the Taliban had told her.
They also said, “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine,” she said.
“In my time of need, the New Zealand government said you’re not welcome here.
“When the Taliban offers you –- a pregnant, unmarried woman –- safe haven, you know your situation is messed up.”
After going to social media with her situation, and involving lawyers, Bellis said the New Zealand officials have contacted her and said her rejected application was under review.
What we learnt from this saga is that Taliban government officials are more kind to women than New Zealand, which out-rightly disallowed NZ national to enter the country despite being pregnant.
