John – as this Syrian person living in Cardiff prefers to be called – is not much different from any typical family man from Wales: he has just picked up his little kid from school. Once they get home, the father sits on the couch while the child does not waste a second to play with his siblings. The happy cries of the children playing in the living room are in sharp contrast with the shocking words of their father:
“In Syria you don’t have a say,” he states. “Basically you don’t have dignity over there: you can’t say your vision, you can’t say your view, you can’t say anything. If you speak, you go to jail.” John gives an example: “My sister has two sons and they were arrested just because they demonstrated on the streets.”
Even more than 3,000 miles away from Syria, John still cannot speak with full freedom. He keeps real his name secret, as the revelation of his identity could put his family from Syria in danger. “Lots of people know who I am, so I can’t show my face or say my name,” he says.
On February 11, more than 40 supporters from Cardiff and Bristol went to London to demand the end of the civil population oppression in Syria. According to John, those who demonstrated in Trafalgar Square were filmed by people who defend the Syrian regime with the purpose of threatening their families back in Syria.
This illustrates to what extent the Syrian community in Cardiff is living in a state of fear. John gives the example of some students living in Cardiff, sponsored by the Syrian government, who apparently back the regime but, internally, are on the side of the revolution.
“Lots of students here they try to keep quiet, because they know that if they speak one spy could transfer the information back home and your family can be in danger. You have to be very careful who you talk to, who you transfer information to, unless you don’t care about the possible consequences to your family back in Syria,” he explains.
Does it mean that people from the Syrian government are working here? “Of course!” he cries. In spite of the dangers, John points out that most of the Syrian people living in Cardiff are trying to spread the awareness about what is happening in Syria. In Wales, the group Welsh Solidarity for Syria, for example, is working to let the people know the (until know forgotten) reality of Syria through peaceful demonstrations on the streets.
In Syria to provide help
The lack of prospects in Syria – “the economy is ruled by them”, says John referring to Assad’s family – as well as the lack of rights to say anything, made him come to Cardiff to study. Now, after ten years living in Wales, returning to his homeland is not an option to him. “Not only because of the education of my children, but also for a matter of security,” points out John. His option, instead, is to stay here and go back just on holiday, as he did two months ago.
Unlike many people, the purpose of his holidays was not to relax, but to help his family. “When I go there, even if is just for a month, I can help in many ways: mainly financially, but also by offering moral support.” With a mixed expression of rage and impotence, he says: “I do fear for my family but, what can I do?” His resignation is caused by the whole situation in Syria, with defenseless people being killed by Bashar Assad’ regime – the UN estimates that 7,500 people have been killed so far since the uprisings against the tyranny of Assad to stay in power took place a year ago.
But, how is the situation now in Syria? “It is a war, is a civil war,” John explains. “It is beyond the imagination, people now don’t fear anything, they will go out demonstrating every single hour, every single minute.” John stresses the attitude of the people in Syria, willing to demonstrate in the streets even when it means risking their lives. “If you die, you die” – he says, and adds: “Either you die with dignity or get slaughtered by a soldier.”
The macabre reprisals of the Assad’s regime are diverse, from killing – “it is so easy, so cheap for them,” says John – to continuous rapes of the female population and the lack of supply of food, electricity and water, so the population surrenders to the ruling power. “The situation is really bad, especially in Homs,” he explains.
While the regime is trying to control Syria’s two main cities, Damascus and Aleppo, so they can manage to control other cities – says John – the civilian population is paid to fight each other. Men have got weapons, females spy. “You can’t trust anyone,” he adds.
Regarding the international community reaction, John points out: “Everybody has an interest in Syria, but they don’t defend its people.” Many of these interests are geopolitical, as Syria is the link point between Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Israel.
For John, military international intervention could be an option, but he hopes that the regime will collapse internally rather than having to rely on external intervention. “The free army, formed by people who have split from the regime army, is protecting the demonstrators,” he says, and adds: “We hope that they will help to the revolution.” To him, the weak economy of Syria at the moment will help to collapse the regime very soon, apart from the influence of the demonstrations, which are becoming more and more continuous across the country.
