This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/25/syria-refugees-dima-jamal-revolution
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Syria's refugees: Dima Jamal | Syria's refugees: Dima Jamal |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| From Aleppo Now Egypt In exile More than 12 months | |
| Aleppo stayed calm for months though other cities in Syria were boiling. We were happy with our life and even worked late at night without any problems. Security was perfect and most people had a good standard of living. | Aleppo stayed calm for months though other cities in Syria were boiling. We were happy with our life and even worked late at night without any problems. Security was perfect and most people had a good standard of living. |
| I worked as a teacher and would give private lessons in the evening. | I worked as a teacher and would give private lessons in the evening. |
| I know there is corruption within the Syrian regime but these who claim they are rebels and are launching a revolution to liberate Syria are no better. Most of them are mercenaries and Syria's future with them would be grim. | I know there is corruption within the Syrian regime but these who claim they are rebels and are launching a revolution to liberate Syria are no better. Most of them are mercenaries and Syria's future with them would be grim. |
| For many months, I watched and tried to decide who was right and who was wrong till the Free Syrian Army (FSA) entered Aleppo to destroy the city. I remember I had a chat with a member of the FSA in the city and he told me: "Men of Aleppo are in fact women, they do not have any manhood. All other cities in Syria are uprising against the regime except them, only when we got in the city, we encouraged them to rise up, they are cursed." | For many months, I watched and tried to decide who was right and who was wrong till the Free Syrian Army (FSA) entered Aleppo to destroy the city. I remember I had a chat with a member of the FSA in the city and he told me: "Men of Aleppo are in fact women, they do not have any manhood. All other cities in Syria are uprising against the regime except them, only when we got in the city, we encouraged them to rise up, they are cursed." |
| I chose to wear a hijab a long time ago, but never thought that one day a man would stop me to recommend I should wear a veil. I was heading home after work and one of the fighters with a long beard, stopped me to say: "Your hijab is not OK, you have to wear a veil." | I chose to wear a hijab a long time ago, but never thought that one day a man would stop me to recommend I should wear a veil. I was heading home after work and one of the fighters with a long beard, stopped me to say: "Your hijab is not OK, you have to wear a veil." |
| I could tell he was from [jihadi rebel group] Jabhat al-Nusra, that was too much. It was really terrifying to watch fighters of the al-Nusra front touring Aleppo with their swords. | I could tell he was from [jihadi rebel group] Jabhat al-Nusra, that was too much. It was really terrifying to watch fighters of the al-Nusra front touring Aleppo with their swords. |
| Any man in support of the regime would be killed or dragged in the street by the front fighters. If he was poor, he would be killed immediately but if he was rich, he would pay a ransom to survive. | Any man in support of the regime would be killed or dragged in the street by the front fighters. If he was poor, he would be killed immediately but if he was rich, he would pay a ransom to survive. |
| Since the arrival of the FSA in Aleppo, the number of women being kidnapped has increased. One of my colleagues was kidnapped, another woman, who was with her husband heading home, was stopped by armed gangsters on motorbikes and all her jewels were taken. | Since the arrival of the FSA in Aleppo, the number of women being kidnapped has increased. One of my colleagues was kidnapped, another woman, who was with her husband heading home, was stopped by armed gangsters on motorbikes and all her jewels were taken. |
| At that time, people in Aleppo, including my father, decided to keep a gun at home to protect the family, but with repeated kidnappings and killings, my father decided to send the family to a neighbouring country and stay at home alone. | At that time, people in Aleppo, including my father, decided to keep a gun at home to protect the family, but with repeated kidnappings and killings, my father decided to send the family to a neighbouring country and stay at home alone. |
| We contacted him every day to make sure he was still alive till one day, one of our relatives got in touch to ask about my father and if we had found him. We were really shocked to learn he had been kidnapped by armed men who had been touring the city and found him with the gun. They suspected him of being pro-regime and working as a shabiha [pro-government militiaman] against other people. | We contacted him every day to make sure he was still alive till one day, one of our relatives got in touch to ask about my father and if we had found him. We were really shocked to learn he had been kidnapped by armed men who had been touring the city and found him with the gun. They suspected him of being pro-regime and working as a shabiha [pro-government militiaman] against other people. |
| My father is 65 and has always stayed out of politics. He has his own business. But he was taken by a pick-up loaded with armed men. They handcuffed and blindfolded him. They toured him around liberated districts as shabiha. | My father is 65 and has always stayed out of politics. He has his own business. But he was taken by a pick-up loaded with armed men. They handcuffed and blindfolded him. They toured him around liberated districts as shabiha. |
| All the way, according to my father, they pointed their guns to his head and told him he would soon be killed. My father told them: "You can slaughter me, but please do not tell my family that you have taken me." | All the way, according to my father, they pointed their guns to his head and told him he would soon be killed. My father told them: "You can slaughter me, but please do not tell my family that you have taken me." |
| They stopped somewhere near the Turkish border, took my father to a house and tied his hands to a window while beating and kicking him. They brought him a glass of water and told him to drink, he said: 'How can I?" as he was handcuffed. They laughed and poured the water in front of his eyes. | They stopped somewhere near the Turkish border, took my father to a house and tied his hands to a window while beating and kicking him. They brought him a glass of water and told him to drink, he said: 'How can I?" as he was handcuffed. They laughed and poured the water in front of his eyes. |
| They checked his mobile and found our telephone number. They said that they had got a man who knew us and would slaughter him for being shabiha. We told them he was an old man and had nothing to do with shabiha. They said he only had a few hours left. | They checked his mobile and found our telephone number. They said that they had got a man who knew us and would slaughter him for being shabiha. We told them he was an old man and had nothing to do with shabiha. They said he only had a few hours left. |
| After contacting all the people we know in Aleppo we were able to find someone who could reach the kidnappers and convinced them to take ransom instead. They agreed to take 55,000 Syrian pounds to release my father and took him back home to loot all our belongings. | After contacting all the people we know in Aleppo we were able to find someone who could reach the kidnappers and convinced them to take ransom instead. They agreed to take 55,000 Syrian pounds to release my father and took him back home to loot all our belongings. |
| I believe the revolution is for thugs who only listen to themselves. They have divided Syrian people in two: pro- and anti-rebel. Most of the people I meet wish we had not had a revolution and had stayed living in peace. All I wish now, is that President Bashar al-Assad and his soldiers would prevail and restore peace and security to Syria to enable all the Syrians who have left their homes to get back. | I believe the revolution is for thugs who only listen to themselves. They have divided Syrian people in two: pro- and anti-rebel. Most of the people I meet wish we had not had a revolution and had stayed living in peace. All I wish now, is that President Bashar al-Assad and his soldiers would prevail and restore peace and security to Syria to enable all the Syrians who have left their homes to get back. |
| As told to Mona Mahmood. Name changed for security reasons | As told to Mona Mahmood. Name changed for security reasons |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. |