A unique narrative of a French ambassador, a young Afghan refugee, and her beloved pigeon has enthralled social media users. It is one of the rare positive stories from the Afghan situation. A mynah bird brought from Afghanistan by a girl fleeing the Taliban found a new home with France’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
Xavier Chatel, the French ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, took to Twitter to share a story he had been meaning to tell for a while. Ambassador Xavier Chatel says he was moved by the little girl. She arrived “exhausted” and was carrying the bird, named Juji, at the Al-Dhafra airbase in the UAE during the chaotic evacuations from Kabul.
The girl was left in tears after being told she couldn’t take her pet on the onward journey to France for “sanitary reasons”, Chatel mentions in a series of tweets. “She had fought all the way at Kabul airport, to bring the treasured little thing with her,” he writes. “The girl cried silently. I was moved. I promised to take care of the bird at the residence, feed him. She could visit him anytime and take him back. I won’t forget her look of desperate gratefulness.”
The bird now is friends with a dove. Dove visits him daily. After much persuasion, he finally learnt to say “bonjour. (mva.la) ” “Today, from Paris, the owner of the bird, ‘Alia’, found me on Twitter. I was so happy to see your bird so cared for, ” Chatel writes, using a pseudonym for the girl. “She wants me to teach him French. Alia, your bird has become the embassy’s mascot, but he is here for you. If I can, I’ll take him personally to you one day.” he adds.