UPDATE
More Details Surface on Missing Afghan Students
Earlier today, I published a post about five Afghan students reported missing for more than a week from the campus of the University of Washington. After contacting a variety of individuals and government agency representatives, I am now able to shed more light on the matter.
At 2:52 p.m. CDT, I received some answers to a set of questions I had sent to Dr. Maria Beebe, chief of party for Afghan eQuality Alliances at Washington State University. She confirmed that the University of Washington is an alliance partner, despite the fact that the name of the school was not listed on the program's website.
She also provided the names of the missing students. They are as follows:
- Mohammed Ratib Abeer — Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Afghanistan;
- Masood Ghory — English Instructor for the Independent Administrative
Reform and Civil Service Commission; - Rahmatullah Hamidi — Scientific Member for Curriculum Development, Ministry of Education;
- Numan Tarin — Senior National Coach for the Independent Administrative
Reform and Civil Service Commission; and - Sayed Hashmatullah — National Consultant for the Independent Administrative
Reform and Civil Service Commission.
Dr. Beebe said the students were reported "missing" to local police by Ken Peavler after they did not show up in class and their roommates verified that they had not shown up in their rooms. As program manager at the Evans School of Public Affairs, Peavler's duties include keeping track of the study-abroad students.
ALSO at DBKP: Five Afghan Students Missing From University of Washington, School Bus Stolen in Delaware
Of the 38 students selected for the program, only 32 remain after one returned home to Afghanistan to deal with a family matter.
Since the Afghan eQuality Alliances program is attracting a number of applicants (250 for the next batch for 36 slots), Dr. Beebe said, program officials can be more selective and add a criteria related to their current job titles.
"So, for example, we can say only directors and assistant director levels would be considered," she explained. "At that level, we will also get the older (more mature) students who have children and will have more compelling reasons to go back to Afghanistan."
Apparently, at least five of the students were not old enough or not motivated enough to want to return.
I have yet to receive additional information from U.S. Agency for International Development or the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Developing…
Check back for more updates as they occur.
WANT MORE of Bob McCarty, "The Ultimate Blogging Machine"? Try these recent posts: * Supreme Court Chief Justice Pens ‘Mystery Novel’ * Democrat’s Message Flagged as ‘Junk Mail’ |
by Bob McCarty
image: dbkp file
Source: More Details Surface on Missing Afghan Students
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