Syrians speak of their hopes and fears

Ten months after the start of the Syrian revolution, it has become clear that the events have taken a critical turn, putting the pacifism of the revolution at risk. Many point the finger at the regime, accusing it of aggravating the situation by resorting to repression to end the crisis. Since day one, the authorities have used violence to deal with peaceful protesters, arresting, torturing – and killing the main features of a popular revolution that its supporters intended to keep peaceful.

The majority of protest hotbeds such as Homs, Hama, Deir ez-Zor and Reef Dimashq – the countryside surrounding Damascus – are witnessing daily killings, leading to acts of revenge on the part of families that have suffered losses. The Free Syrian Army, which has among its ranks soldiers and officers who have defected from the official Syrian forces, has also started carrying out attacks against the regular security and military forces. In addition to the increasing trend of militarisation, which according to many Syrians risks starting a civil war, economic hardships are making the situation increasingly challenging, while the Arab League resolutions have failed to bring about any positive change.

Syrians from various backgrounds gave their own accounts of their hopes and fears as the crisis in Syria continues.

Fadia Mohammad, housewife, thinks that that the militarisation of the revolution might be useful in protecting civilians to some extent, but in the end, more killing is not the solution.

“All of the Syrian [soldiers] are our sons,” said Fadia, adding that while she is in favour of having international protection for civilians, she does support any foreign intervention such as the one that took place in Libya. She also expressed her disappointment with the Arab League since its resolutions have not contributed to finding a solution for the crisis.

Having lived in a police state where she has never been able to speak about any injustice, Fadia tried to instill that same terror in her children, as she herself admits. But nine months of revolution have started to put an end to this fear, at least for the young.

“The new generation does not [know] fear,” says Fadia. Whereas she sympathises with all the young protesters and feels concerned for their safety, Fadia experienced the harm that can come to these young revolutionaries when her younger son was stabbed in the back with a knife during an opposition-led rally. After the incident, the family sent him out of the country for his own safety.

“I hope there will be an end for this situation – a peaceful end – and that we get rid of the regime,” she added.

Fadia is not the only Syrian to live in constant fear of the regime’s brutality.

“We’re used to being scared of the oppression of the security forces since we were little, and not being able to say a word against the regime,” said Murad Raji, a worker who lives in the eastern part of Syria. “I wish this regime would be overthrown, but without any killing,” he added, acknowledging it will not an easy task.

Murad tries not to meddle in politics and to concentrate on his daily work instead, yet he cannot hide his worries about what tomorrow will bring.

“I’m scared that the revolution will fail and the regime will take revenge against everybody,” he added, listing the grievances that have resulted from the current crisis.

“There’s been more poverty, sectarian hatred has increased between those supporting the regime and those against it, and everyone is calling everyone else a traitor.” But despite all that, Murad shares Fadia’s views about opposing the militarisation of the revolution, as well as ridiculing the Arab League initiative, since all of the Arab regimes are oppressive, he says.

Jawad Ahmad, a rural worker, also supports the Syrian people’s revolution, hoping that the triumph of the uprising will put an end to his poverty.

Jawad refuses to use the expression “militarisation of the revolution”.

“All of the soldiers are our sons, and some of them do not tolerate their own people being oppressed,” he said. “When officers ask these soldiers to kill people, they don’t accept and then defect,” he added, stressing that he completed his military service and that he believes that the army’s only role is to protect the Syrian people.

“I am in favour of protecting our people, on condition that we don’t slip into a war that would destroy the whole country,” said Jawad, even though he thinks the only side that could be held responsible for a potential civil war is the regime.

But not all Syrians blame the regime for the current lack of security. Samer Jaber, a dentist, has reservations about the anti-regime popular movement.

“All [problems] could be resolved through a round-table dialogue,” said Samer, complaining about the loss of security and that his business has been negatively affected.

“We see that there are so many extremist slogans, along with militiamen who are spreading devastation and working according to other countries’ plans; the militarisation of the revolution is the proof of that,” he added.

Samer doesn’t hold the Arab League’s initiative in high esteem either, arguing that it calls for foreign intervention, which he firmly rejects.

“This is my personal point of view and I’m not imposing it on anyone,” he says, “but I’m not going to abandon my opinion either.”

The expression “militarisation of the revolution” is also problematic for Iyyad Youssef, writer, journalist and human rights activist. For him, the issue is of honourable soldiers who refuse to shoot at their own people and end up defecting, especially when they see that protesters are peaceful and unarmed, unlike what their officers tell them. As for the demands for international protection, Iyyad thinks they are justifiable in view of the events that have taken place since the start of the revolution.

“The regime has lost its legitimacy; it’s completely normal for the people to ask for protection from this killing machine which has left life in Syria devastated,” said Iyyad, reiterating the negative views of the Arab League initiative, which he considers the regime’s chance to escape “the bottleneck”.

“The regime’s refusal of the initiative [is a sign of its own] stupidity; it’s a declaration of war against the people and the whole world,” he added. “From what I and the rest of the world can see, the Arab League is offering help to the regime more than it is to the people who are suffering dozens of deaths.”

Eyad is certain that the regime will not sign the initiative.

“We all know what it means to let in international observers into Syria; the regime’s lies about armed groups will be exposed.”

(The editorial team changed interviewees’ names to protect their anonymity).