One Canadian’s journey out of Sudan

As a German military aircraft took off from a base north of Khartoum last week with Canadians and other citizens onboard, Mohammed Alamin was strapped in.

Alamin, a Canadian citizen, had already said goodbye to his wife, mother and family in Khartoum and driven 85 kilometres north through checkpoints with two strangers he met along his way.

“Military airport is a dangerous area,” he said, adding that no taxi wanted to drive them.

Instead, Alamin bumped into a man from London who along with his wife needed to get to the airbase. Together they shared the cost of a car — a trip that would typically cost about $10 but was now about $200 or $300.

At times, Alamin could hear shooting or explosions.

“I said, ‘Thank you God, this bomb [is] not coming into my car,’ I drive with this guy,” Alamin said.

The car did have to cross a checkpoint. Alamin noted he was very aware this moment may not go well. He said everyone was asked where they were headed.

“I say I need to go to north of Khartoum,” he explained, and showed them his Canadian passport. On purpose, he brought a very small bag in case someone tried to rob him.

The car was waved through.

At the airbase, the German plane was waiting. But instead of flying to Canada, Alamin learned he was headed for Jordan. From there, he was flown to Frankfurt to meet with Canadian officials.

Alamin previously drove city buses in Saskatoon but had never been to Nova Scotia. He chose Halifax as his final destination.

Two days after arriving in Halifax, Alamin doesn’t know where he’ll live. When he arrived at the airport, he said no one greeted him.

He managed to find some Sudanese people at a mosque and has been temporarily taken in by people in the community but he’s also looking for help while he looks for a job and finds a place to live.

In his wallet, he has less than $2. He said he was given a $5,000 government loan to cover the flight and cost of hotels but is looking to speak with federal or provincial government officials to help navigate what he can do next.

“I don’t believe government take me to Canada to leave me in the street and with nothing,” he said.

He wants to get a job soon to help support his family in Sudan. Alamin said he can drive city busses, trucks and has a diploma for customer service.

“I like to start this job here in Halifax. I need somebody to help me how to do that, to start this job here,” he said. “I like to work. I like to pay tax. I like to help my country like my country help me.”