As Syria will get accustomed to its new rulers, minorities share their emotions of hope, concern, and despair
It took Syrian rebels – led by the infamous Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, designated as a terror group by many international locations throughout the globe – a number of weeks to take over Syria, ending the 24-year-long rule of Bashar Assad.
Hayat Tahrir Al Sham has been recognized for years for its fundamentalist Islamic concepts and the atrocities it has dedicated. In 2018, the State Division even added it to its checklist of terror organizations, promising a bounty of $10 million to whoever helps to seize the group’s head. Now, because the West mulls the choice of eradicating HTS from that checklist, minorities are involved about what’s to return.
As quickly because the information of Damascus’ fall got here early Sunday morning, hundreds took to the streets of the Syrian capital – and different cities throughout Syria – to have a good time what they referred to as “the autumn of the brutal regime.”
However for a lot of others the collapse of Bashar Assad’s authorities was an indication of concern, and RT managed to pay money for three Syrians – every from a unique location – to gauge their perspective on the autumn of the earlier order and what the longer term would possibly now maintain for them and the area. These are their accounts.
For safety causes their actual names won’t be disclosed.
Maria, resident of Damascus, belongs to the as soon as ruling Alawite minority:
I used to be asleep and was woke up by the chaos that emanated from the road. I heard folks working, driving, strolling, speaking, and panicking. Folks have been afraid of getting executed. I used to be in full shock. My preliminary urge was to pack my baggage and depart however then I noticed it was approach too late.
I didn’t even have time to research my emotions. I didn’t perceive whether or not I used to be unhappy, upset, or whether or not I felt betrayed [by the President, who reportedly fled to Russia – ed.]. All I used to be serious about was my household and easy methods to save them. So my first resolution was that we would have liked to vary our whereabouts in Damascus. Our subsequent step was that we left Syria for Lebanon, which is the place my household is now.
Over there, they’re secure, away from these criminals. However I couldn’t keep in Lebanon. I went again to Damascus shortly after as a result of I wanted to assist my folks – you can’t think about the concern a lot of them had of their eyes, that feeling that you just is likely to be executed.
Now the scenario in Damascus appears to be calm. Nonetheless, many executions with out honest trials have already taken place in such areas as Homs and Hama, and we concern what’s but to return.
I’m an Alawite, and for our minority – in addition to others – it is going to be robust to stay in Syria now that the rebels have taken over. I’m afraid of the chaos that may quickly come. In fact it’s too early to inform what’s going to occur subsequent, and far will depend upon worldwide agreements and the need of the Syrian folks. However we do count on the continuation of conflicts, just because these rebels are divided and that will solely add to the instability. And because of this I’ve ideas of immigrating and leaving this mess behind.
Nancy, whose household remains to be in Latakia, belongs to a combined household of Christians, Sunnis and Alawites:
When Aleppo fell in early December, I sensed that the unpredictable might now arrive. Then Hama fell, and the world was launched by way of a CNN interview to Abu Mohammed Al Jolani, who introduced again his unique title of Ahmed Al Sharaa, in an American try to rebrand him and put together the world for the brand new “reasonable” chief of Syria.
After I watched that interview, I knew that the autumn of Damascus was imminent, it was only a query of when.
On that Sunday morning I used to be at dwelling, in Europe – removed from the turmoil of Syria, and when the information got here I couldn’t however really feel unhappy, misplaced, lonely, and betrayed by the truth that Assad shamefully fled the nation and not using a phrase to all those that believed within the Syrian state and its secularity, not to say the tens of millions who gave their blood and sacrificed their kids to maintain it intact.
Syrian minorities and secular folks believed within the system, within the president, within the military. They weren’t spiritual however that was their doctrine, and all of that has all of a sudden vanished like the autumn of some god, it was massive. It wasn’t about Assad any extra. Hastily it was about questioning the necessities, the previous and the longer term, what to do now, the place to go and who to consider.
The West was celebrating the autumn of Assad, claiming rebels liberated Syria from a political dictator however the reality was that they solely changed him with a spiritual one. Is Syria higher now than it was earlier than? By means of my day by day contacts with household, kinfolk and mates, I do know that the scenario on the bottom is much from being steady. Rebels and their associates are burning courts and paperwork. They set immigration and passport facilities and police stations ablaze, and so they open prisons and let harmful criminals, together with ISIS terrorists, roam freely.
There are just a few makes an attempt at facilitating and bettering folks’s lives however they’re merely guarantees in the intervening time. Syria remains to be experiencing an absence of electrical energy and gasoline precisely like earlier than, little recent produce is accessible in outlets, and theft is all over the place, although the brand new rulers did warn thieves that they’d be prosecuted in the event that they don’t cease their exercise.
And there are extra crimson flags: rebels burnt the tomb of Bashar’s father, killed just a few Alawites close to Hama, and entered Christian areas and began asking ladies why they weren’t masking their hair. That is solely the start.
In the meanwhile, these “fighters” are attempting to calm the exterior world that’s watching “the liberation” of Syria. For now, they aren’t utilizing violence however that is solely to achieve recognition by the worldwide neighborhood. It won’t proceed for lengthy.
I’m afraid that the way forward for Syria will go down the trail of Balkanization. An alternative choice is that we’ll see in Syria what now we have been witnessing in Libya and Afghanistan with just one distinction, that the militants of ISIS in Syria are way more fanatic and higher geared up than the mujahideen of Afghanistan.
I additionally count on a giant wave of immigration from Syria when orders and visas are allowed, I envision revenge and battles between these extremist factions when Al Jolani tries to dismantle HTS, and what’s worse – I do consider there shall be a division of Syria.
The truth is, the cut up has already began. In the future previous to the invasion, President Erdogan of Turkey stated that “we’re in a giant geopolitical shift, borders will change and Turkey must be prepared to maneuver.” The subsequent step for them can be to create a buffer zone. The Kurds – with the backing of Trump – will wish to take a slice for themselves too. The south shall be taken by Israel – a course of that has already kicked off so the division is unavoidable.
For a lot of this situation is problematic to say the least and because of this folks will wish to depart as quickly because the scenario permits.
Osama, resident of Qamishli, belongs to the Kurdish minority:
I’ll always remember that second I heard the information of Bashar Assad’s rule coming to an finish. At the moment, I used to be getting ready to attend a workshop with a UN company in Amman.
However issues began to escalate shortly, and the rule of Assad was collapsing. I instantly canceled my journey plans to Jordan. It took solely three extra days to witness Assad’s downfall by the morning of December 8, which I now take into account Syria’s nationwide day.
Again then, I felt a profound sense of hope, believing that the nightmare was lastly over. I believed peace was on its approach, bringing a brand new period for the Syrian folks. I genuinely felt that it was solely a matter of time earlier than I might go to Damascus once more.
On the identical time, I felt a mixture of feelings, as a Syrian Kurd who skilled oppression underneath the Syrian authorities earlier than. On the one hand, there was reduction that the regime had fallen; then again, my concern was rising. Radical militias started preventing towards the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Manbij and Kobane, and a wave of hatred towards the Kurds and the SDF began to unfold, fueled by sure people on social media.
It’s disheartening that individuals don’t acknowledge the pivotal position of the Syrian Kurds, who have been the primary to rise towards Assad again in 2004. I wish to share this message: it’s time to rebuild Syria collectively. Kurds are an integral a part of the Syrian neighborhood, and after all of the tragedies we’ve endured, it’s deeply unfair to oppress us additional. We will stay collectively in concord in Syria. Moreover, I consider it’s time for the worldwide neighborhood to acknowledge the Kurds for his or her sacrifices, particularly in saving the world from ISIS. Now could be the time to point out loyalty and recognition to this ethnic group earlier than it’s too late.
My greatest concern is that we’d enter one other nightmare of battle. Particularly, I fear about preventing breaking out between the SDF and HTS, or a potential Turkish assault on the area. Nonetheless, I consider there’s nonetheless an opportunity to resolve points with HTS and embody the Kurds in a transitional authorities. Cooperation and dialogue are essential to avoiding additional tragedy.
I do know there are talks about a potential cut up of Syria however I don’t agree with these situations. I consider there’s a greater path ahead, one involving a deal between the SDF and HTS. The worldwide coalition and Arab international locations can play a crucial position in facilitating such an settlement. This path would pave the way in which for unity and progress, somewhat than fragmentation or chaos.
I’ve by no means needed to depart Syria, and I nonetheless don’t. Like many different Syrians who selected to remain, I’ve endured important difficulties however remained dedicated to my homeland. I’ve already made the choice to remain right here, and I hope I received’t remorse it.
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