Published: Just now
The phones died. The network died. But mom then?
Ehood Ahmed Ali did not get hold of his mother in time.
Mamma Salwa therefore missed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ evacuation flight out of Sudan.
– It was extremely tough. We thought she missed the only chance to get out alive, says Ehood Ahmed Ali.
But hope lives on. After all.
– We heard her voice today. It was very nice. Mother is very tired, says Ehood Ahmed Ali.
Right now, 65-year-old mother Salwa is sitting on a bus heading towards the border with Egypt. The journey has lasted for over 24 hours. Her meds are running out. She has chronic pain in her body and is not very mobile.
– But she doesn’t want us to worry more than we do and the pain is the least right now. We’re just glad she found a bus. It has not been easy to find a way out, says Ehood.
The mother is a Swedish citizen, but was unable to get in touch with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when the unrest broke out. Ehood and her sisters have therefore taken care of the practicalities.
“Too dangerous on the streets”
On Sunday both telephones and the internet died. Once the sisters got hold of the mother, there was only half an hour left until the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ evacuation flight was due to take off.
– It was too dangerous to go out into the streets. It was extremely tough, we thought she missed her only chance to get out alive.
A feverish work was begun by the sisters.
They got hold of an acquaintance who picked up the mother and drove her home to her large family.
Since then, the sisters have been waiting for information about a new Swedish evacuation flight. But there haven’t been any more.
On Monday, the sisters made a decision – like many others – that mother Salwa would try to catch a bus to the Egyptian border. And soon she will hopefully reach the border with Egypt.
– I have a hard time putting into words how it feels. While we want to get mother home, we also want to help everyone else.
The family did not come to Sweden as refugees. That is why the images that are now broadcast on television from Sudan are shocking.
– We have been to the places you see on TV. The restaurants, the hospitals… We have family and friends who have built their lives and houses there – the fact that it is about to be completely destroyed is hard to take in.
The sisters are still in contact with family and friends, coordinating new routes for people to get out of Khartoum.
– But not everyone has a Swedish passport as a mother.
How is Mother?
– She struggles, but is probably on autopilot to keep her spirits up. We are very worried about what will happen when she reaches the Egyptian border.
The plan is then for mother Salwa to get to the nearest city to fly home to Sweden.
– She is with people who risked their lives for her sake. It feels unfair that she can get a visa and cross the border, while a pregnant or elderly person might not be allowed to enter.
At the same time, there are many who have chosen to escape via the same route that mother Salwa is now taking.
– Is it even safe? Will she cross the line? What happens to the rest that don’t make it over the line?
The sisters have so far managed to get good information via social media and Sudanese in other countries.
Tips on what to – and not to – do.
Long wait at the border
The hope now is that mother Salwa will arrive at the Egyptian border late Tuesday afternoon. Then she will probably have to wait – for a long time.
People have reportedly queued for over twelve hours to enter Egypt.
– We hope she crossed the border tonight, but we have no idea. Extremely many have fled that way, we do not know if there is capacity for visas and the like.
Ehood and the sisters try to keep their spirits up. But it is a challenge.
– We have family and relatives in other cities, outside Khartoum, and we don’t know how everyone is going to get out. The water is running out, gas is hard to come by, if you find a bus it doesn’t have enough gas to get there.
The sisters do their best to solve logistical challenges.
– We are extremely grateful to everyone who shares testimonials, tips and shares.
People in villages in the countryside have given water and hibiscus to the refugees on the buses.
– There are two military groups fighting each other, but the rest in Sudan are fantastic people. A community where you help both friends and strangers. So I hope that help is returned.
Ehood Ahmed Ali thinks it is great that Europe is evacuating its citizens. But believes that the difficult situation will lead to even more people fleeing.
– I hope that the help for all those fleeing is coordinated to the same extent as the help for diplomats, she says.