Outside of Afghanistan’s stately embassy in Washington, DC, it’s hard to tell if the republic has fallen. But inside, the stairs were dark, the hallways were empty, and the offices were empty.
Laura Sullivan / NPR
hide captions
switch captions
Laura Sullivan / NPR
For more than 70 years, the Afghan Embassy in Washington, DC, has kept the corner area in the vicinity of major embassies. With its giant black, red and green flag, lush landscape, and stately brick and stone, it’s hard to know the republic has fallen.
Inside, though, it’s clear Afghanistan is now a broken country.
The stairs were dark, the hallways were empty, and the offices were empty. Except for one, on the top floor. Abdul Hadi Nejrabi, deputy ambassador, is the highest-ranking official here. A new ambassador was supposed to arrive this summer, but then Kabul fell to the Taliban.
“We continue to operate here at the embassy,” he said from his office overlooking a large manicured garden. “We have to move on. We don’t have any other choice.”
Nejrabi has a full price binder on Afghanistan election results and Afghan opinion surveys. Two things are no longer important.
“We choose to serve people,” he said. “That’s why we’re here. We can’t close the embassy.”
They haven’t closed yet, but they probably won’t be open much longer. The Republic of Afghanistan, the pre-Taliban government, used to fund the embassy in quarterly installments. Now that money is almost gone.
Abdul Hadi Nejrabi, deputy ambassador, is the highest-ranking official at the Afghan embassy and one of the few remaining staff members. “We choose to serve people,” he said. “That’s why we’re here.”
Laura Sullivan / NPR
hide captions
switch captions
Laura Sullivan / NPR
Abdul Hadi Nejrabi, deputy ambassador, is the highest-ranking official at the Afghan embassy and one of the few remaining staff members. “We choose to serve people,” he said. “That’s why we’re here.”
Laura Sullivan / NPR
Nejrabi let most of the staff go. He and 11 other diplomats here are working for free, racing to help the thousands of Afghans still trying to escape the Taliban and also help refugees get the paperwork they need to start a new life. Nejrabi says they can continue operating for a few more months. But in the end, even he, the diplomats, and some of the rest of the staff, will have to find a way to pay their own rent and electricity bills. The State Department told them they would be allowed to stay in the US
The embassy, once a mighty symbol of the new Afghanistan, was commissioned to serve a republic that no longer existed. Nejrabi said that none of them could see a world where they would serve the Taliban. But they can’t go home either.
“Now they’ve caught [my] “He said,” the house in Kabul, was built by my father 35 years ago. “
The Taliban took all of his family’s assets. Now they are in hiding, hoping to get out.
Every week, he talks on the phone with his former colleagues at the State Department. They are also living in fear. They begged him to help them get out, and he was trying. He only heard from the Taliban once. A few weeks ago, the acting secretary of state sent all ambassadors at embassies around the world a link to an enlarged meeting.
“The Taliban tried,” he said. “All of our embassies denied that and no one attended that zoomed-in call.” A small smile crossed Nejrabi’s face. He explained that he and the other ambassadors confirmed to each other that none of them showed up.
“We turned them down because we didn’t recognize them,” he said. “We do not represent them and they are a terrorist group.”
Most embassies are too far away for the Taliban to reach, but they cannot survive on their own. Embassies need countries – countries whose governments are recognized by the host country.
You can see this playing out in a long hallway outside Nejrabi’s office, where dozens of portraits of former ambassadors line the walls. “You can see it from there,” he said, pointing to the first portrait at the end of the hallway, “from the first time we opened the embassy. [in] In 1943.”
As he scrolls down the portraits, he stops at 1981. The portraits suddenly change to 2002.
“The void is here,” he said, holding his hand up between the frames. “The next ambassador was 2002 after the Taliban were removed from power.”
The void is only a few inches of beige wall, but it represents 20 years of chaos, civil war and brutal dictatorial control. During those 20 years, this building was closed and closed. State Department officials said the United States retains the trust of embassies until new governments are recognised. Not far ago, the Iranian embassy was frozen in such a state for more than 40 years now.
In a long hallway at the Afghan embassy, dozens of portraits of former ambassadors line the walls in order of their years of service. The portraits omit the years from 1981 to 2002, a gap that includes the time before the Taliban were in power.
Laura Sullivan / NPR
hide captions
switch captions
Laura Sullivan / NPR
As Nejrabi went down to the stately rooms on the first floor, he said he worried every day that America would eventually recognize the Taliban. Pressure is mounting as Afghanistan descends into economic chaos and famine, and terrorist groups ISIS-K and al-Qaida threaten its stability.
In recent weeks, the Taliban have also made several inroads with Russia, China and Pakistan to gain credibility on the world stage.
At the embassy, the reception room is still anchored by the flag of the republic. Nejrabi says he cannot imagine the Taliban here.
“This room is a symbol of Afghanistan,” he said. “When I come here every day, it gives me hope. That we have one country, one tricolor flag and one day we will liberate our country again, and we will take it out of the hands of the Taliban.”
The room is still set up for a party. White tablecloths line the table with candlesticks and golden Chiavari chairs, waiting for guests who no longer come.
Nejrabi said that he and the other diplomats would stay as long as possible. Then they’ll turn off the lights and hopefully it won’t be 20 years before someone turns them back on.
