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INTERVIEWS WITH SYRIAN REFUGEES IN REYHANLI - I
ORSAM
Velid Mohammad Zeydan was persecuted
and injured a lot. Thus, he came to Turkey for
treatment.
Velid Mohammad Zeydan: I am from Idlib
province of Syria. I am 62 years old. I engage
in trade.
ORSAM: Could you tell us about your life
before the civil war in Syria, what you went
through during the civil war and the reasons
why you came to Turkey?
Velid Mohammad Zeydan: When the civil
war broke out, all neighborhoods were
bombed by jets. Our shop was plundered,
and our animals were taken away from us.
Everyone around me immigrated to survive.
My married children along with my grandchildren
came to Turkey, but I stayed in Syria.
I was prevented from engaging in trade. I was
restricted. I was manhandled and insulted
wherever I went. But still, I did not migrate
on purpose. “I will die in Syria,” I said. I was
beaten to within an inch of my life. Ultimately
I took to my bed. My relatives said I needed a
medical intervention, and forced me to go to
Turkey. When I came here, I found my children.
I received treatment. However, many of
the injuries I already had could not be treated.
A couple of days later this interview was carried
out, Velid Mohammad Zeydan’s son tells;
“We immediately had my father treated.
But he passed away in Hatay Reyhanlı on
24.12.2012. My father’s wish was to live and
die in Syria. However, he passed away in Turkey.
We will take his corpse to Syria after completing
necessary legal procedures.
* This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar
in Reyhanlı district of Hatay, on 27 December
2012.
An Interview with Semi Necib Abdullah
abu Hikmet, who came from Aleppo Syria
to settle in Reyhanlı district of Hatay
After the outbreak of the civil war, outfitter
Semi Necib Abdullah’s shop and home were
destroyed. Then he came to Turkey and began
to send food and ready to wear products
to Syria.
Semi Necib Abdullah abu Hikmet: I come
from Ayn al Tel neighborhood of Aleppo,
Syria. I am 58 years old. I am father of 4 children.
I am an outfitter. With my two sons and
16 employees, we sell both underwear and
outerwear products to Jordan, Saudi Arabia,
Qatar and Kuwait. When the civil war broke
out, trade routes were blocked and demands
were declined. First, the chances of export to
foreign market, then in domestic market were
lost. I started to dismiss my employees. Fabrics,
accessories I had bought for manufacturing
remained unsold. My capital of millions of
SYP was of no use anymore.
ORSAM: Could you tell us about your life
before the civil war in Syria, what you went
through during the civil war and the reasons
why you came to Turkey?
Semi Necib Abdullah abu Hikmet: The
trade center where my shop is located was
bombed. My neighborhood was invaded.
When everywhere was destroyed, everybody
started to leave. I started to struggle for my
life, left Aleppo and came to Turkey. I had
some savings. In addition, I asked for financial
help from the businessmen I know in the
Middle East. I opened a shop in Reyhanlı, and
started export food and ready to wear products
to Syria. Those who live in Hatay Reyhanlı
and export goods to Syria apply share based
trade. They go to rural areas, villages or less
damaged towns and warehouse the goods
over there. They make sale depending on the
ORSAM
Report No: 157, May 2013 59