When the revolution started in Syria in March 2011, I was on a visit to my family, who live in Damascus, with my husband and my 2 year old son. Things were not that bad. However, I feared at the time that we were heading into turmoil, knowing what I did of the oppressive nature of the Syrian regime. Now, as I look back after two and half years, at least one hundred thousand people are dead, a third of the population has been displaced (internally and externally) and a state of complete lawlessness abounds.
No Syrian has been immune. Each one in some way has been affected by this crisis.
As I watch Syria hitting the news headlines I remember this beautiful and once peaceful country, where all lived in relative harmony, I feel a sense of surreality and sadness. Personally, I feel a sense of loss: I have no hope of visiting Syria in the near future and my father and my siblings have never met my second son, who is nearly 15 months old.
My family have been forced to leave their home in Damascus for another home in a village called Mashta Hulu in the North of Syria. A large number of my relatives have had to flee their homes in Homs where there had been intense fighting. Their children have had to put their education on hold indefinitely.
Sadly, a few friends of mine have been badly injured when they were caught in explosions in Damascus. They were lucky to survive. Furthermore, my sister’s fiancé was kidnapped and ransomed in February last year at around the same time that my cousin’s husband was also kidnapped for one week. He was only released when his wife paid a large amount of money.
My friend’s flat was destroyed by an airstrike against the Harasta neighbourhood near Damascus. I remember how passionate she had been about refurbishing it to start a new life in Syria with her young family.
Most of my friends have been forced into exile in cities like Dubai and Beirut, in search for new opportunities after losing their jobs in Syria. The collapse in the economy has meant that most Syrians are unable to cope with their daily needs.
Recently a spokesperson for the UN claimed that the human tragedy in Syria is now worse than that which has been experienced by any country since World War 2.
I know from my own modest efforts at raising money for Syria’s refugees how much empathy exists for those suffering this tragedy. Syria still needs a lot of ongoing help. I feel very positive from the responses that I have had that this will be provided.
Further information about Hand in Hand for Syria can be found at www.handinhandforsyria.org.uk
Syria – a ‘sad story’
Suzi Takla