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INTERVIEWS WITH SYRIAN REFUGEES IN REYHANLI - I<br />
ORSAM<br />
As my family was in good shape, I started to<br />
work in the village with my dad without completing<br />
my studies in Aleppo. We have our<br />
land, sheeps and goats, tractors, agricultural<br />
equipments and machinery, and livestock<br />
carrier.<br />
ORSAM: Could you tell us about your life<br />
before the civil war in Syria, what you went<br />
through during the civil war and the reasons<br />
why you came to Turkey?<br />
Bekkar Hamid el Cannad abu Aziz: Our<br />
village is the most developed village in the<br />
neighborhood in terms of transformation and<br />
construction plan which is located between<br />
Aleppo and Hama, also which has an itinerary<br />
to Damascus. We had electricity, water,<br />
schools, health centers and everything. While<br />
we lived in a peaceful atmosphere, we did<br />
not have peace anymore like the rest of Syria<br />
when the civil war broke out.<br />
When Jaish al Hur supporters and the regular<br />
army supporters divided our village into two,<br />
we started to fight, and people were killed<br />
and injured in both parties. People started<br />
to migrate. Only 20 household population<br />
remained in the village from 150 household<br />
population. When everyone immigrated,<br />
there was no more security in the village.<br />
As our highways were closed to traffic, living<br />
in the village and raising livestock became<br />
meaningless. Besides, when my employees left<br />
the village as well, only my children and I were<br />
remained in the farm. We had hard times, we<br />
were concerned and frightened. There were<br />
burglars and gangs around us. They started to<br />
prey on us. We did not know who supported<br />
whom anymore. My agricultural equipments,<br />
and livestock were taken away from me by<br />
force. My livestock perished, and I could no<br />
more find animal feed water. Our houses were<br />
set on fire and destroyed, and I moved to another<br />
place. I sold my livestock at a low price.<br />
Only my car and tractor remained. I brought<br />
along my wife and children and came to Turkey<br />
with as much as stuff we loaded to our car.<br />
As the living conditions in Turkey is relatively<br />
more expensive than it was in Syria, I had to<br />
work. I opened a stall and here I sell wrap. In<br />
other words, I run a mobile kebab shop. Because<br />
the only thing I know about is sheepherding<br />
agriculture. I do not know anything<br />
else, or have any profession other than this to<br />
make my living. One of my adult sons work in<br />
a bakery, and my other son sells vegetable on<br />
a barrow. As we have to live here, we have to<br />
endure this hardship and poverty as the price<br />
of saving our lives.<br />
* This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar<br />
in Reyhanlı district of Hatay on 6 December<br />
2012.<br />
An Interview with Muammer Necib Hasan<br />
abu Adil, who came from Syria to Turkey<br />
and settled in Hatay<br />
Muammer Necib Hasan’s son was badly injured<br />
by a shrapnel piece, and he became permanently<br />
disabled. When poverty, accommodation<br />
and heating problems arose, he came<br />
to Turkey.<br />
Muammer Necib Hasan abu Adil: I migrated<br />
from Hamdaniye neighborhood of Aleppo,<br />
Syria. My workplace was located in Bebibecnen<br />
neighborhood. I am a father of 3 children<br />
and I am 32 years old.<br />
ORSAM: Could you tell us about your life<br />
before the civil war in Syria, what you went<br />
through during the civil war and the reasons<br />
why you came to Turkey?<br />
ORSAM<br />
Report No: 157, May 2013 51
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