Full text - orsam

More documents

Recommendations

Info

INTERVIEWS WITH SYRIAN REFUGEES IN REYHANLI - I ORSAM driver friends rent a house for me and helped me. But as the number of Syrians coming to Reyhanlı increased, cord was cut. I opened a shop in Reyhanlı. I sell sandwiches, hummus and wraps. I pay 500 TL for the rent. Other expenses cost at least 600 TL. At least 1500 TL is needed for monthly expenses including electricity, water, gas bills. However, I cannot earn this amount of money. My child studies at 7 th grade in primary school. In Syria, the primary education is 8 years. A school was opened in Reyhanlı. The fee for service is 20 TL. But I cannot even pay it. My house in Syria was invaded. Like many other houses, it was destroyed and plundered. Beforehand, we could bring cheap bread and food products from Syria, but we cannot provide them anymore. Trade and production in Syria came to a stop. My relatives stocked up on flour and wheat. However, now it is a bigger crime to sell wheat than selling drug in Syria. People can neither find a mill to make flour nor can they sell their wheat. * This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar in Reyhanlı district of Hatay, on 27 December 2012. An Interview with Mahmoud al Bereci al Vihebi, who settled in Reyhanlı district of Hatay “Even those who waited in bread line were bombed,” says Mahmoud al Bereci al Vihebi engaged in food trade. Mahmoud al Bereci al Vihebi: I am from Keferdeyan village of Idlib Province, Syria. I am 47 years old. I am a tradesman, a merchant. 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? Mahmoud al Bereci al Vihebi: I used to trade on various kinds of food products, all kinds of grains, and olive in my hometown. I have a storage and a sales office in Idlib Province. I have a storage in the village as well. I purchased the products grown by villagers, stock up on these products, gathered them in the storage in Idlib and distributed them across Syria. When Jaish al Hur seized the control in our area, the trade routes with other districts of Syria were closed. Some of the stock products needed to be sold/consumed in time, but it did not happen. On the other hand, some products needed to be applied pesticides and aired, but there was no means to do so either. My employees migrated due to the bombardments. One of my children deserted the army as a result of persecutions during his military service, and he fled to Turkey. And I came to Turkey along with my family for fear as well. I have been in Turkey for 3 months. When I asked those who came here afterwards, I heard that my house and storage had been plundered. There are stock crop grain in lots of areas in the region, but there is no mill. I quietly cross the border. I have been trying to buy a flour mill from Turkey, grind flour, and to sell bread to the people in Syria. When even those who wait in bread lines in the city are bombed, people flee to rural areas controlled by Jaish al Hur. However, there is no stove in rural areas either. The people bake their own bread at home on furnace floor. I will provide the people with bread at a low price. Although baking bread currently cost more than it did in the past as a result of the devaluation of SYP, it is my job to do it as a citizen. Many people help me on this. We have to take this risk to meet the nourishment need of the people. ORSAM Report No: 157, May 2013 65
ORSAM CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES * This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar in Reyhanlı district of Hatay, on 27 December 2012. An Interview with Adil Suleiman al Kallawi abu Ahmed who came from Syria to stay in Hatay Reyhanlı As a result of the bombing attack during a demonstration, retired Adil Suleiman al Kallawi abu Ahmed lost his son. He says he is not planning to go back to Syria even if the regimes changes. ORSAM: Could you briefly tell us about yourself? Adil Suleiman al Kallawi abu Ahmed: I was retired from Aleppo Foundations. I am 63 years old. I had two daughters and a son. My son was killed during the bombardment, and we migrated from Aleppo to Turkey along with my widow daughter in law and my three grandchildren. ORSAM: Could you tell us about your experiences during the civil war in Syria, and the reasons that bring you to Turkey? Adil Suleiman al Kallawi abu Ahmed: My son Ahmed was graduated from University of Aleppo, Department of Arabic Language and Literature. His graduate friends from the same department were assigned to high positions as they took sides with Ba’ath, the power. While they received high salaries and were provided with good opportunities, none of my children or any children in my family took office due to the fact that I do not support Ba’ath and people in my family are against the regime. My son was a university graduate. But still, he opened a stall and worked in a vegetable market. He was constantly under pressure while working. When the civil war broke out, he had to join Jaish al Hur and started to fight along with them, stage demonstrations and take part in actions. During a demonstration, he was shot and killed in Aleppo. Some of my relatives, neighbors and friends went to Lebanon, and some others to Jordan. And I came to Turkey. We cannot hear from each other. Everybody is struggling for their life. I rented an apartment in Reyhanlı, Hatay. My children, daughter in law, and I live in a two room apartment. A Syrian opened a restaurant here. I work as a cleaning worker there. My daily wage is 20 liras. I also bring leftovers, vegetable fruit from the restaurant to home. I also received aids from various aid societies. For now, I can meet the needs at home. My house in Aleppo was destroyed as a result of the bombardment. I am planning to stay in Turkey for a long time as I do not have a roof over my head in Syria anymore even if the regime changes. * This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar in Reyhanlı district of Hatay on 15 January 2013. An Interview with Bashir Nazmi al Hamdo who came from Syria to stay in Hatay Reyhanlı Bashir Nazmi al Hamdo, who worked as a carrier, says that his life in Syria is over. ORSAM: First of all, could you tell us about yourself? Bashir Nazmi al Hamdo: I am from Murattıl al Numan town of Idlib, Syria. I am 48 years old, and father of two children. I work as a carrier from Syria to Jordan. I make my living as a truck owner and driver for years. 66 ORSAM Report No: 157, May 2013
Page 1 and 2:
Report No: 157, May 2013 INTERVIEWS
Page 3 and 4:
ORSAM center for mıddle eastern st
Page 5 and 6:
PRESENTATION The terrorist attack t
Page 7 and 8:
36- Abdullah Hamid’s big brother
Page 9 and 10:
ORSAM CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STR
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16: ORSAM CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STR
Page 65: ORSAM CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STR
Page 87: ORSAM CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STR
show all

Full text - orsam

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?