Walking the streets of liberated Homs, June 2014.
UPDATE: Due to reasons out of my control, my intended return to Syria is delayed. I will update on my next plans when they are confirmed.
Friends, in the not too distant future I will again be returning to Syria. This is a fundraising appeal to support the expenses of the visit (flights, hotels–as affordable as possible–and any related expenses) and also the purchase of a new camera if at all possible. Details on how to donate, should you wish, are at bottom of this post.
Please note my writings from and on Syria in the past year are collated here: My published articles and other musings from and on Syria (2014/2015)
Since April 2014, I have thrice visited Syria. These visits have afforded me a direct look, on the ground, at the situation in key places like:
–Latakia: where we met displaced Syrians from Kassab and Harem, both under NATO-backed terrorists AND Turkish forces attacks. [see: testimonies from Kasab, attacked by Turkish and foreign mercenaries March 21 & horrors from Harem, Nobbul, Zahra ]
–Homs (twice): where we visited a residential area that had been double-car bombed by the west’s “revolutionaries” and also met with peacemakers involved in the reconciliation movement in Syria [see: April car bombing testimonies .
My second visit to Homs, in June 2014, as an independent journalist, took me to the heart of the Old City which had recently been liberated. There I saw some of the ancient churches which has suffered varying degrees of damage, vandalism and fire. I also met residents who had been driven out of their homes as well as Zeinat & Aymen al-Akhrass, christian Syrians who had remained in their Old City home until the last terrorist left Homs. I also spoke with a close friend of Father Frans van der Lugt, the Dutch priest assassinated by the NATO-alliance’s terrorists. He’d been extremely vocal that from the beginning, he saw armed men in the so-called “nonviolent” demonstrations, and that this was no “revolution”. [see: Liberated Homs Residents Challenge Notion of “Revolution” and Homs: “We wanted to protect our house”]. Their accounts contradicted that of the MSM on the so-called “rebels” and Homs being the “capital of the revolution”.
In Homs, I also came across a neighbourhood party continuing late into the evening, celebrating the recent overwhelming election of President al-Assad. Two interesting aspects about that party (aside from the awesome Dabke dancing and music) was that it was roughly a week after the elections… people were STILL celebrating. And that it comprised local residents AND Syrian soldiers… which again contradicts the MSM narrative that the Syrian people are afraid of and abused by their army. [VIDEO HERE]. And I spoke with a resident who gave his account of the sectarianism present from the beginning in the demonstrations in his district [see: “freedom”: Homs resident speaks of the early days of the “crisis”].
–Ma’aloula: which had two months prior been liberated of its terrorists who had rain mortars and sniper’s shot down on the residents and the Syrian soldiers, who had ransacked its historic sites, destroying and stealing antiquities [see: Devastation…and Inspiration: Recalling Liberated Ma’loula].
–Damascus: where in two different delegations I’ve twice met with the very open-minded Grand Mufti, Sheikh Hassoun, in which he’s shared his own tragedy–the terrorists’ murdering of his son Saria–and his incredible forgiveness–he pardoned the terrorists immediately and asked for Syrians to remain united. He preaches of love and against extremism [see: “They want to start a religious war; we want to extinguish it” – Mufti of Syria]. I’ve also met with Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban, Media/Political Adviser to President al-Assad [see: The real Syrian moderates: voices of reason], with Minister of Information Omran al-Zoubi, Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Fayssal Mikdad, Minister of Justice, Najm Hamad al-Ahmad [see: excerpts from US delegation visit to Syria, Feb 2015 & Media Black-Out on Arab Journalists and Civilians Beheaded in Syria by Western-Backed Mercenaries].
On two different occasions I’ve visited injured Syrians–including many children–in hospitals. These would be victims of terrorist mortars on residential areas of Damascus and environs and on schools, as in the April 2014 mortar attack on Manar school, killing one child and injuring over 60 [see: children injured by “rebel” shelling of Manar school, Damascus & University Hospital, Damascus: Meeting Victims of Western-backed Mortar and Rocket Terrorism].
On the note of terrorist mortars, I’ve had my own experiences, staying independently in a small hotel in the Old City of Damascus both in April and June 2014. At both times, the Old City (and elsewhere in Damascus) was under daily mortar fire. I wrote about it here: The Terrorism We Support in Syria: A First-hand Account of the Use of Mortars against Civilians.
A small group I was with in April 2014 visited the outskirts of the Yarmouk neighbourhood, getting a glimpse of the area but not able to fully enter due to snipers within. We also visited two centres housing displaced Syrian and Palestinian Yarmouk residents. Their voices spoke of terrorists infiltrating their district, of the need to rid Yarmouk of the terrorists from outside.
Perhaps surprisingly to some, there were many beautiful, inspiring, and moving encounters during my various visits. Like attending an Easter ceremony led by Patriach Laham and hearing his words of peace, seeing the absolute devotion from the congregation…and some days later, attending a lively Easter celebration in an Old City restaurant, where men, women and children danced, food and drink were abundant, and the Syrian flag–as well as photos & songs of President al-Assad–was ever present. Incidentally, I was invited by a Muslim friend. I had interesting conversations with Syrians of all walks of life, in Damascus, Latakia, Homs, Ma’alouloa, including one with the lovely Qamar, a Sunni woman who worked at the Old City hotel I was staying in. I had the chance to interview the man behind Damascus’ stunning Gaudi-esque wall mural, to interview the head of Damascus’ antiquities, and to watch Syria’s rugby team, the Zenobians, practise with threadbare equipment but loads of enthusiasm. I attempted to portray the sense of life and love emanating from Syria, in spite of all odds.
All of these experiences have given me a greater understanding for the tragedy that has been foisted on Syria in this war on Syria. I have no doubt that my upcoming visit will add to that knowledge, and just hope that when I write/blog about these experiences, it in turn helps in some small way to enhance others’ understanding of Syria. As with my advocacy work in Palestine, my intent is always to transmit the voices and desires of Syrians to the best of my ability.
If you feel this is something you can and would like to support, here’s how to do so:
-Donate via Paypal using the button below:
-Those in Canada can do an online e-transfer, which is simple, instantaneous and convenient.
-Western Union is one other possibility.
Filed under: Syria