The parents left him in Belgrade because he is sick... They wished he were dead. Now, he returns to his homeland, and he still says that his mother is wonderful
Homayoun (26) has only the words of praise for his mother, and he doesn't want to see him anymore
Every time he saw me, this young man would cordially greet me, he would smile and move his head to the side. And he didn't know what's my name, nor who I was. He doesn't speak Serbian, nor English. He just knows that I am a part of some good team, a team which will finally help him to leave the hell his parents threw him in.
They wished that, Homayoun, were dead. At least for them. That is why they came to Serbia over a year ago from Iran, they left him alone in an unknown country, they destroyed his passport, and they escaped.
He is not a child, he is two meters tall and he is around 26 years old. But, he is a child in his soul. The young man with special needs, unusual behavior, but of a big heart. He is trapped in an unknown country, in the capt with migrants, and he is actually the only person who wants back.
Homayoun, a guy who is taller for the entire head than the average Serb, knew how to cry, to call his mother and father, to cry for his homeland. He wasn't able to hear in Serbia, until a few weeks ago, when he received a hearing aid. Rarely anyone could hear him. Among the countless migrants who are coming and going, he could barely find a friend because he only knows the Persian language.
Telegraf published the story about a guy who is wondering the Belgrade streets and calling for his parents. People in public transport turned their head away from him because who was he? Silent foreigner, a psychiatric case that went somewhere to Dedinje, perhaps to a hospital... And he went to the embassy of his country to beg for help.
As soon as we have published the text, we have received a call from the embassy. In one diplomatic conversation, they claimed that somehow they managed to confirm the identity and they prepared the travel papers which will take him back home. But... as they said, they can't force him into that. He has to come alone or someone has to bring him.
And that is where the bureaucratic ball of yarn got wrapped there. The paper has been waiting for Homayoun there for two months. Who will buy him a ticket, who will travel with him to Iran, who will wait for him at the airport, were will he be placed when his parents don't want him. Those are all of the questions that no one could solve at once. Although meetings were held, everybody did something but they had problems. Problems, problems, and no solutions. And it seemed so easy - to take the paper from the embassy, to buy a one-way ticket and to send the boy back to his state.
And then there was Tannaz Khamea, Iranian journalist from the United Kingdon, who did everything in just five days with her television crew Iran International. She took the boy to the embassy, they took the papers, they bought a ticket and found a place to stay in Iran.
Articulate and concrete, Tannaz took Homayoun by the hand and she undid the bureaucratic knot. In the end, Homayoun received the necessary paper from the embassy and the money for the ticket.
He was no longer the big boy which wonder's around with his head bowed down, afraid and let down. I have seen him for the first time as I was supposed to, from head to toe, in front of the embassy with Tannaz, while he was standing behind the reporter of Iran International.
He was overjoyed, patient, he was hugging and greeting everybody, he was looking at them as friends, saviors. Together with Tannaz, he went into the Embassy and they both left with a smile after half an hour. "We have received paper".
I have thought that it is shameful that the solution to such an easy problem, to take the passport and buying a ticket for a sick boy, requires someone from England to come to Serbia.
I wonder, how is it possible that someone leaves their child with special needs in a foreign state and that they bear no consequences for that in their own state.
"MY MOTHER IS A WONDERFUL PERSON"
The crew of television gathered everybody they cooperated within Serbia in a Persian restaurant in Belgrade. And of course, Homayoun was there. Finally, after more than a year, he received real attention, full support and someone has organized a dinner just for him.
He was sitting next to Tannez, a bit quiet this time, perhaps concerned. And when he does speak, he mentions his family. He said that his mother is a wonderful person and he loves her very much. He misses his brother.
The fight between hope and fear could be seen in his eyes, while the excitement was left hidden somewhere in the shadow of that amazing play.
And however, he smiled at me when he saw that I was sitting by the table, although he probably doesn't remember my character, and he politely shook my hand when I was leaving. Fellow countrymen, Tannaz and the television crew cheered for him, and he hugged him.
Next to him was his roommate from the center in Krnjaca. He knew that he will never see him again. He hugged him and they had a friendly pat on the head.
It seems that everything he needs is attention to keep him calm and happy. But he also needs constant medical help and therapy. Because his condition and situation gave him a lot of troubles.
They fought to give him attention and someone to rely on, to help him to go through the loneliness and sorrow, and he received a caregiver and medical help form the Welfare center.
The plan for Homayoun is to go to Iran and to go to a private facility, which has a pool, a beautiful garden and all the conditions for people like him. He will have the care which will help him to get over his mental disabilities, and the sorrow he feels for parents, the feeling of being left and the question which no one has an answer - why did this happen.
He will miss his dog Shorty, the pet from Krnjaca and he wished if he could bring him to Iran.
Before leaving for the trip, Homayoun prepared shoes for his old friend from Tehran, which will greet him at the airport and he will take him to the place where he was supposed to go.
MOTHER: "WE DON'T WANT HIM"
Tanniz contacted his parents before coming to Serbia, they just said that they don't want to accept their son.
An Iranian went to visit his family, he is acquainted with the case. He tried talking with the mother. She cried but she said that she doesn't want him, it is over, Tannaz told us.
Allegedly, they are so poor that they couldn't provide treatment for him. They decided to leave him and to forget about him. He is dead for them, and he still loves them the same.
(Telegraf.co.uk / Mateja Beljan - m.beljan@telegraf.co.uk)