GLOBAL: Teodros Mekonnen: "As a refugee you have to start from zero. I have nothing left"

Washington DC, 7 November 2007 (PlusNews) - *Teodros is an Ethiopian refugee living in Washington DC. When he had to flee Ethiopia for political reasons, a job offer in the United Arab Emirates seemed like the perfect way out. But Teodros was diagnosed as HIV positive, and failed to meet the country’s immigration laws, which require an HIV negative diagnosis in order to grant a work permit. Now years later and miles away, Teodros told IRIN/PlusNews how he still struggles to deal with his status.

“One of my relatives was locked up along with the former prime minister of Ethiopia who was also the minister of defence. One thing led to another, and it was getting ugly. At that point in time, I got a job in Dubai.”

“The only thing was Emirates law requires hepatitis and HIV tests. I said fine, no problem. I called my wife back in Addis and said why don’t you come and bring our son, and let’s do this but she was very reluctant. I couldn’t understand why.”

“I went to get tested without them at Nairobi Hospital, the Mercedes Benz of hospitals. It’s very expensive but it’s the best. They told me they run several tests and didn’t give results without counselling so I had to wait 48 hours.”

“The doctor who tested me even came back on his day off to give me the results. I was worried but I felt immune to HIV. He had an envelope and wanted to read it but I told him to give it to me and then I saw I was positive.”

“You know when you kind of run out of air, and everything goes quiet around you?”

“I called my friend at the US embassy in Addis to get me back into Ethiopia from Kenya. Sure enough, he managed to switch my name on the government watch list.”

“My heart was pumping as I [went] through customs and immigration. I didn’t want my wife to know I was coming; I wanted to just show up.

“We’d gotten in a very big fight when I told her I was positive. I wanted her to tell me something; anything but she said she didn’t know what I was talking about. Right after that, the authorities showed up and arrested me. I sold everything and with some of my friends, we paid off the authorities to give me a little space to run.”

“It’s like being born again. First, you find your marriage was a total lie. Second your whole life is a lie. You have to start from zero. I have nothing left.”

“Not being able to hold your house together, as a man or a woman, it’s humiliating in our culture. I still don’t know if my son has it and I don’t have the guts to test him.”

“Here, I only get paid for 40 hours a week but I work seven days a week because it keeps me going. If you let your mind be idle and open, you leave room for other stuff to take over. If I’m told to take a break, I drink and drink even though I shouldn’t. I can’t find another way to deal with it.”

llg/kn

*not his real name

Theme (s): HIV/AIDS (PlusNews), PWAs/ASOs - PlusNews,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]