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ORSAM<br />
CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES<br />
* This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar<br />
in Islahiye district of Gaziantep, on 10 August<br />
2012.<br />
An Interview with Abdullah abu Najip al<br />
Shammari, a Syrian who fled to Turkey and<br />
currently lives in tent city in Islahiye district<br />
of Gaziantep<br />
While studying in the Department of Commercial<br />
Accounting at Aleppo University,<br />
Abdullah abu Najip al Shammari staged protest<br />
actions along with university students<br />
and joined the ranks of Free Syrian Army<br />
(Jaish al Hur) by receiving weapon training<br />
with the opponents.<br />
Abdullah abu Najip al Shammari: I study at<br />
Aleppo University, Department of Commercial<br />
Accounting.<br />
ORSAM: Could you tell us about the process<br />
bringing you to Turkey?<br />
Abdullah abu Najip al Shammari: The<br />
outbreak of the Arab Spring led to mobility<br />
in university. We came together with students<br />
sharing the same opinion, and started<br />
to make plans about the future. We brought<br />
other students into our fold. We aimed at<br />
fighting against the Bashar Assad regime. We<br />
staged protest demonstrations within and out<br />
of school, and held meetings. We organized<br />
a march to make ourselves heard all across<br />
Syria last year. As it was also supported by the<br />
people, the march created a tremendous impression<br />
in Aleppo.<br />
Then the members of this group was started<br />
to be identified. Most of us were detained,<br />
exposed to torture; families were threatened,<br />
their economies and peace were disturbed.<br />
Some people in the neighborhood supported<br />
us, but they couldn’t provide open support.<br />
They didn’t employ us, I had been dismissed<br />
from the school. I went into depression. My<br />
friends from the university suggested to<br />
join the ranks of the opposition and to fight<br />
against the regime, and I accepted. I received<br />
weapon training with them, and joined the<br />
ranks of Jaish al Hur (Free Syrian Army). My<br />
family and people around me were detained<br />
because of me. They were humiliated and<br />
tortured. When I secretly talked to my family,<br />
they asked me to leave Syria. “As long as you<br />
stay here and participate in demonstrations,<br />
they will further torture us. We are already in<br />
pain thinking about your fate, and besides pro<br />
Assad supporter torture us. Please convince<br />
your friends and go to Turkey,” they said. And<br />
we came to Turkey with a group of friends.<br />
Currently, we live in tent city in Islahiye.<br />
* This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar<br />
in Islahiye district of Gaziantep, on 10 August<br />
2012.<br />
An Interview with Naji Selam al Istaz from<br />
al Sahur Neighborhood in Aleppo province<br />
of Syria<br />
Naji Selam al Istaz, who is the state supply office<br />
authority responsible for Aleppo and its<br />
neighborhood, still insists on living in Aleppo.<br />
During our conversation on the phone, we<br />
talked about the living conditions of those live<br />
in Syria and the developments in the country.<br />
ORSAM: Everybody is leaving Syria, but<br />
many people like you prefer to continue living<br />
in the country. Could you tell us about what<br />
you have been going through, and Aleppo in<br />
general?<br />
Naji Selam al Istaz: Our neighborhood is<br />
full of opponents, it has been besieged by the<br />
opposition forces for approximately 15 days.<br />
14<br />
ORSAM<br />
Report No: 157, May 2013
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