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ORSAM
CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES
hands. From this point of view, I started to
give lectures against the injustices, mistakes
and oppressions. I have never resorted to
brute force. I have never taken part in actions.
I only expressed my opinion. I have not adopted
any will coming by force. Military men,
administrators, ministry officials know me
and people around me very well. They wanted
me to change my attitude, and to give pro
Assad advices. These demands even turned
into oppression. I resisted, I did not do what
they wanted me to do. In the first place, they
only warned me. Then their attitude changed.
In the dead of night, they took me away from
home and brought me somewhere I did not
know and tortured me. I was kept at a place
which looked like a prison. I heard the screams
of people around me. I saw that 40 50 people
were kept captive in 16 20 m2 rooms of 4x4.
They showed all those in order to intimidate
me. However, I did not change my way. They
resorted to various torturing methods such
as bastinado, strapping etc. They told me to
leave the country. Finally I left my home, family
behind, and came to Turkey. I had some
savings. I live in Turkey without any problem
also thanks to the financial support from the
people around me. Homeland means everything
to me. Nevertheless, I will go back to
Syria as long as cruel people continue to stay
in power.
* This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar
in Reyhanlı district of Hatay, on 5 November
2012.
An Interview with Muhsin Ali Zeki abu
Farac, who came from Syria to Turkey and
settled in Reyhanlı district of Hatay
Muhsin Ali Zeki abu Farac, a tradesman in
Aleppo, had to migrate to Turkey when the
living conditions became harsh in the city.
Muhsin Ali Zeki abu Farac: I am from
Masharka neighborhood of Aleppo in Syria. I
sell woman children clothes and cosmetics. I
am 48 years old. I have 5 children.
ORSAM: Could you tell us about your experiences
in Syria and the reasons why you
came to Turkey?
Muhsin Ali Zeki abu Farac: My store is close
to Emevi Mosque in grand bazaar. When the
bazaar was bombed, the mosque was also
bombed. Then Jaish al Hur seized the control
of the area. As the air attack continued, the
bazaar went to rack and ruin. All the stores
in the area were destroyed and ruined. Some
of them were plundered. During those bombardments,
my uncle and niece were trapped
in the wreckage and died.
Firstly wired telephone service was cut, then
the electricity. As we could not use the mobile
phones that ran out of battery, we could
not communicate through them. Bazaar is
closed, bakeries are closed, and groceries are
closed. There is trade only in the areas where
Syrian regular army seizes control. In the area
where Jaish al Hur seize the control, there is
no shopping opportunity. Because the area
where Jaish al Hur seize control is constantly
bombed. Syrian regular army dominates
one third of Aleppo. In other words, trade
came to a stop in two thirds of the city. The
people who are locked in their homes due to
the bombardment are hungry and miserable.
Those who live in the areas where Bashar
seizes control can meet all their needs. Our
fellow citizens coming from those areas bring
food and sell here. However, everything is too
expensive. Everything went on the black market.
My elder son is married with 2 children.
When the whole family started to live on my
savings, we became miserable in economic
terms. We had to migrate to Turkey. We settled
in the tent city. We won’t return to Syria
until peace is brought about here.
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ORSAM
Report No: 157, May 2013