Waseem Kazzah by no means imagined he’d see a day when he may return to his household’s dwelling in Damascus and go to the family members he was pressured to go away behind in Syria greater than a decade in the past.
As quickly because the London, Ont., man heard Bashar al-Assad’s decades-long regime had ended earlier this month, Kazzah, 33, instantly booked a flight to Jordan so he may cross the border into Syria.
On Saturday, Kazzah arrived again in his household dwelling for the primary time in 12 years.
“It is surreal. I by no means thought I might have the ability to return as a result of we thought this dictatorship will final perpetually,” he informed CBC in an interview from Damascus.
“Even in my desires, I may by no means assume this may occur … nevertheless it lastly did.”
Kazzah has been documenting his two-week journey to Damascus on social media. He says there are lots of locations he is visiting for the primary time as a result of they had been beforehand underneath navy management and off limits to residents. (Waseem Kazzah)
Kazzah has been documenting his journey on Instagram, together with the folks and locations he is reunited with and different mountainous areas he was by no means allowed to see as a result of they had been managed by the Syrian navy and off limits to residents, he mentioned.
Assad’s authorities was overthrown on Dec. 9 after the insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized management of the nation, ending greater than 50 years of the Assad household’s autocratic rule. The ousted chief fled to Moscow the place he obtained political asylum.
Though Kazzah mentioned not a lot has modified in Damascus since he left, he was fascinated to see how packed retailers and streets have been for the reason that fall of the regime.
“Damascus is so busy. Companies went again as if nothing occurred, and folks are celebrating on the streets,” he mentioned. “They’re nonetheless in shock that Assad is gone nevertheless it appears like persons are free for the primary time in 54 years and so they can breathe once more.”
Hope and optimism for future
Kazzah fled to Jordan along with his mother and father and siblings shortly after the Arab Spring rebellion protests in 2011, fearing reprisal from the federal government. They ultimately settled in London in 2014, the place Kazzah attended Western College and now works as an accountant within the metropolis.
He, like many different Syrians, additionally has family members who’re lacking or have been killed whereas they had been imprisoned within the nation’s infamous jails, recognized for brutally torturing and executing political prisoners.
Kazzah mentioned two of his cousins had been arrested by troopers at a checkpoint as a result of they had been from Muadamiyat al-Sham — a southern metropolis he mentioned was recognized for anti-government actions — and stay lacking to at the present time.
Waseem Kazzah says folks have put images of their lacking family members on statues and poles within the metropolis in hopes of discovering details about their whereabouts. (Submitted by Waseem Kazzah)
“Virtually each household I met has misplaced anyone inside [the prison]. Some folks nonetheless have hope that they will discover their kin hidden someplace however I do know for a truth they’re gone,” he mentioned.
“I went to one of many primary centres, and I noticed a statue with images folks have put of their lacking folks. They’re all nonetheless in ache and need the federal government to be held accountable.”
Whereas the nation’s future stays unsure with some minority communities fearing the brand new de facto authorities, Kazzah mentioned there is a sense of hope on this new starting.
“Individuals are very optimistic about their future proper now as a result of to them nothing is worse than Bashar al-Assad,” he mentioned.
“They’re totally conscious of the challenges they will have to beat within the subsequent few years like adjusting to the concept of a brand new democracy. Clearly there’s considerations concerning the future and everybody has their very own opinions, however they imagine will probably be brighter as a result of they’ve seen the worst.”
