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INTERVIEWS WITH SYRIAN REFUGEES IN REYHANLI - I<br />
ORSAM<br />
morning, bombardment starts immediately.<br />
We can only cross the border during the night<br />
in dark. We do not have enough food, or any<br />
winter clothes. We hope that the current regime<br />
topples as soon as possible. Otherwise<br />
we will die of starvation and misery like all<br />
other poor and homeless Syrians.<br />
* This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar<br />
in Reyhanlı district of Hatay, on 27 December<br />
2012.<br />
An Interview with Nevvaf Muhsin al Seyyid,<br />
who came from Aleppo Syria to Turkey<br />
and settled in Hatay<br />
Nevvaf Muhsin al Seyyid, who is a senior at<br />
Faculty of Law, migrated to Turkey with his<br />
family due to harder living conditions and<br />
lack of life safety.<br />
Nevvaf Muhsin al Seyyid: I am from Kellese<br />
Neighborhood of Aleppo in Syria. I am single.<br />
I am a senior student in Faculty of Law at University<br />
of Aleppo.<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 />
Nevvaf Muhsin al Seyyid: I am a member<br />
of an anti regime group at University. Most<br />
of my friends were killed. As I thought that<br />
my family was in danger, I brought along my<br />
parents, my two sisters and my nephew, and<br />
we came to Turkey. My father opened a stall<br />
in Hatay and he sells wraps. And I work as a<br />
porter. Otherwise I work in coal packaging<br />
job. As long as the regime goes on like this, it<br />
is not possible for me to go back to Syria. In<br />
fact, I am even afraid of some Syrians in Turkey.<br />
Following the outbreak of the civil war, I<br />
took part in many demonstrations. Some of<br />
my friends are lost, and even their families<br />
do not know where they are. When Aleppo<br />
was attacked by jets and cluster bombs, I<br />
witnessed many people were buried in the<br />
wreckage. There was no hospital to carry the<br />
injured people, nor any medical intervention<br />
to treat them. People treated the injured<br />
through primitive methods. During the day<br />
it was not possible to do anything with bodies,<br />
we could bury them only at night. While<br />
being persecuted by our own army and our<br />
citizens, Aleppo turned into an invaded city.<br />
On one hand destroyed houses, fires, scent of<br />
gas and gunpowder; and on the other hand<br />
gangs of thieves robbing destroyed houses<br />
and shops. Some days we longed for a hot<br />
plate of food and even for bread. It was not<br />
possible for us to change our clothes. There<br />
was no water to clean ourselves. Neither any<br />
washing machine, detergent, nor soap. We<br />
stank. Under these circumstances, it was not<br />
possible to stay at home in Aleppo. The only<br />
option was to migrate to Turkey.<br />
* This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar<br />
in Reyhanlı district of Hatay, on 27 December<br />
2012.<br />
An Interview with Shakir al Zammar Tillavi<br />
abu Shahab, who came from Aleppo<br />
Syria to Turkey and settled in Hatay<br />
Running a grocery store, Shakir al Zammar<br />
Tillavi abu Shahab hopes to go back to Syria<br />
if the civil war comes to an end by the end of<br />
winter.<br />
Shakir al Zammar Tillavi abu Shahab: I am<br />
from Muarra town of Aleppo in Syria. I am<br />
55 years old. I have 4 children. I run a grocery<br />
store.<br />
ORSAM<br />
Report No: 157, May 2013 63
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