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-refugee-um-muhammad
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Syria's refugees: Um Muhammad | Syria's refugees: Um Muhammad |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| From Bab Siba'a, near Homs />Now Amman, Jordan />In exile 18 months | |
| I'm from Bab Siba'a in Homs. I used to live there with my husband and four children. My husband was an electrician and we were earning our living by repairing TVs, washing machines and radios for our neighbours. | I'm from Bab Siba'a in Homs. I used to live there with my husband and four children. My husband was an electrician and we were earning our living by repairing TVs, washing machines and radios for our neighbours. |
| When the revolution broke out, my eldest son Muhammad [who is 18] decided to join the Free Syrian Army and fight with the rebels against the regime, but my husband did not. In one of the raids conducted by the governmental army on the houses in Bab Siba'a, more than 15 soldiers stormed our house looking for my son and for weapons hidden in the house. They got hold of my husband, who was trying to tell them that we did not have any weapons at home and he did not know where our son was. The soldiers shot him at the front door of the house and when my son came to find out what was going on, he was killed too. | When the revolution broke out, my eldest son Muhammad [who is 18] decided to join the Free Syrian Army and fight with the rebels against the regime, but my husband did not. In one of the raids conducted by the governmental army on the houses in Bab Siba'a, more than 15 soldiers stormed our house looking for my son and for weapons hidden in the house. They got hold of my husband, who was trying to tell them that we did not have any weapons at home and he did not know where our son was. The soldiers shot him at the front door of the house and when my son came to find out what was going on, he was killed too. |
| I ran to our neighbour but my son's and husband's bodies were still at the front door. Only at night we were able to bury them in a hurry near the house. I decided to flee Homs to Damascus but the situation was no better there: rockets and bombs were falling every single hour. In addition, my savings started to run out. I and my three kids decided to flee to Jordan by heading back to Deraa. It took us a day and a half to reach Za'atari camp as the clashes between the FSA and the government army were going on most of the time. | I ran to our neighbour but my son's and husband's bodies were still at the front door. Only at night we were able to bury them in a hurry near the house. I decided to flee Homs to Damascus but the situation was no better there: rockets and bombs were falling every single hour. In addition, my savings started to run out. I and my three kids decided to flee to Jordan by heading back to Deraa. It took us a day and a half to reach Za'atari camp as the clashes between the FSA and the government army were going on most of the time. |
| "As we got to the camp, we were granted a tent and a food ration card for wheat, sugar and food oil. I arrived at the camp with very low morale. I was haunted by my son's and husband's killing and daily life in the camp was a real hardship. I accepted my fate until a blizzard stormed the camp and my tent collapsed. I was covered by a blanket with my children and waiting in the open air to get a new tent. One of the Syrian families who live in Mafraq City in Jordan were visiting the camp to help and told me that I could come and stay at their home until the weather gets better. | "As we got to the camp, we were granted a tent and a food ration card for wheat, sugar and food oil. I arrived at the camp with very low morale. I was haunted by my son's and husband's killing and daily life in the camp was a real hardship. I accepted my fate until a blizzard stormed the camp and my tent collapsed. I was covered by a blanket with my children and waiting in the open air to get a new tent. One of the Syrian families who live in Mafraq City in Jordan were visiting the camp to help and told me that I could come and stay at their home until the weather gets better. |
| Soon afterwards, a Jordanian family in Amman offered me a room in their house and they promised to help me with all my expenses until I get back to Syria. I feel much better now being out of Zaatari camp. I could not wash my face in the camp or take a bath as the bathrooms were far from my tent, and you have to queue for a long time to have access to the shower. | Soon afterwards, a Jordanian family in Amman offered me a room in their house and they promised to help me with all my expenses until I get back to Syria. I feel much better now being out of Zaatari camp. I could not wash my face in the camp or take a bath as the bathrooms were far from my tent, and you have to queue for a long time to have access to the shower. |
| Now my daughter, who is 16, is able to go to school again and all her school expenses are funded by the Jordanian family I live with. They also got me a TV to follow the news on Syria. I feel optimistic when I hear that the FSA are progressing in liberating more lands in Syria and now they have even reached Damascus. I feel my son and husband did not die in vain. It also gives me the hope that we will go back to our house in Homs. Nothing is like being at home. No one knows how cruel and brutal the Syrian regime is, only the Syrian people. I can't wait for the day when Syria will be free of Assad and his gangsters. | Now my daughter, who is 16, is able to go to school again and all her school expenses are funded by the Jordanian family I live with. They also got me a TV to follow the news on Syria. I feel optimistic when I hear that the FSA are progressing in liberating more lands in Syria and now they have even reached Damascus. I feel my son and husband did not die in vain. It also gives me the hope that we will go back to our house in Homs. Nothing is like being at home. No one knows how cruel and brutal the Syrian regime is, only the Syrian people. I can't wait for the day when Syria will be free of Assad and his gangsters. |
| As told to Mona Mahmood | As told to Mona Mahmood |
| 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. |