Damascus: Maintaining Normalcy Amidst War

Rajaa, 23, has not been able to focus on her job at the pharmaceutical company where she works since the February 22 explosion in Mazraa, which killed more than 50 people. “I took a two-day leave of absence after the explosion because I could not rid myself of this sense of panic,” she recalls. “I was just five minutes away from the blast. Scenes of death and carnage continue to haunt me.”

Violence has become a daily test for Damascenes, who were relatively sheltered from the scenes of shelling and explosions broadcast from the provinces.

While the explosion that struck Mazraa was among the largest to hit the capital yet, security in Damascus continues to deteriorate, slowly, on a daily basis, although it is not always reported as such in the Arab and international media.

There have been at least six explosions during the month of February alone, and the clashes between the Free Syrian Army and regime forces are starting to encroach on the city, especially in peripheral neighbourhoods, such as the Jobar quarter. Mortar shells have also been increasingly landing in areas that were distant from any fighting; the most notable of these attacks was the shelling of Bab Sharqi in the old city on Monday, March 11, which claimed the lives of four people.

The people of Damascus can no longer avoid the violent reality that has devastated the rest of the country, and so each much devise his or her own coping strategy.

Louay, a 30-year-old dentist, says he has simply stopped caring.

When the explosion hit Mazraa, he remembers, he went to a cafe where he smoked narguileh and “let off some steam.”

“What will happen will happen,” he continues. “I grew tired of grief and sorrow, so I’ve become apathetic.”

Most residents of the city avoid going out more than strictly necessary, and it has become normal for the main streets to empty after six o’clock in the evening.

“One must be very careful,” says Fadi, a young waiter who works in a cafe in the Shaalan neighbourhood. “Usually after every explosion I cancel any plans that require me to go to that area and try to minimize my movements as much as possible.”

“In the end accidents occur and no one can escape death, but caution is a necessity,” he concludes.

Unlike Fadi, Abu Mohammed cannot limit his movements because he is a taxi driver and has to work every day to feed his family. But, like many Syrians, Abu Mohammed puts his faith in God.

“God has decided all,” says Abu Mohammed. “What is happening in Syria is bigger than some problem that can be solved in a few days. Things have gotten out of control on both sides, leading to more escalation.”

“Sometimes I feel scared, but I am a believer,” he goes on. “I am confident in the wisdom of God to whom I have entrusted myself; this faith is what helps me cope with the war.”

Psychiatrist Jalal Nawfal explains that resilience is crucial for people to accept the idea of death and get back to their daily lives in the absence of security or stability. Religiosity increases this resilience, he says.

“The idea of paradise calms people,” says the doctor, adding that there are many social factors to ensure survival in the face of adversity.

“An individual’s trust in his political community…helps him overcome the sacrifices and go forward,” he continues. “Education and familial acceptance…all improve an individual’s ability to absorb trauma.”

But Nawfal does not deny that prolonged instability leads to the loss of individual confidence in society, resulting in displacement and exile.

Maysa, 36, works as a marketing manager in a private company. She says she is doing her best to deal with the lack of stability and go about her life as normal, but she is also trying to leave Syria for the sake of her son.

“My husband and I are waiting to get a visa to Australia,” says Maysa. “It was a difficult decision, but the escalating violence and explosions, which have become ubiquitous, led me to make the decision to leave in order to protect my son. He is the most precious thing in my life, and has not done anything to deserve to die here.”

More and more Syrians are looking for a safe haven somewhere outside the country. The number of registered refugees outside Syria has already reached a million, a figure that is expected to triple by the end of this year, according to the United Nations’ refugee agency UNHCR.

But despite the suffering of Damascenes and Syrians in general, life continues in the capital, albeit with difficulties.

Several days after the explosion in Mazraa, work crews set about repairing the damaged buildings; the sound of hammers and construction was a reminder of the capacity of the Syrian people to rebuild after each setback.