Syria: Overview : SBS Insight

Overview

A faraway conflict hits home.

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In a passionate and at times volatile discussion, Syrian Australians on all sides of the political divide join Insight to give us their take on the fighting in their home country, and speak out about how it’s affecting the communities here.

Syria has been embroiled in civil war since rebels staged an armed uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s rule 18 months ago. A recent spate of assaults on Syrian military and government installations has sparked some of the fiercest fighting yet between rebels and the Syrian Army, in a conflict that activists say has killed more than 32,000 people. As the violence and divisions worsen, tensions are simmering in some Australian neighbourhoods.

A number of Syrian Australian supporters of the Assad regime say they’re being intimidated into silence, reporting mysterious knocks on doors and a bashing in broad daylight. Claims and counter-claims are being traded freely and bitterly.

Producer: Fanou Filali
Associate Producer: Hannah Meagher

Meet the Guests

Tamer Kahil

Tamer Kahil is a Sydney-based orthopaedic surgeon. He’s just returned from a trip to the Syrian city of Aleppo where he helped treat rebel fighters and civilians caught up in Syria’s conflict. Tamer says he’s made regular trips to Syria and the Turkish border to give medical aid. He thinks the rebel forces, known as the Free Syrian Army, should be trusted and believes the government is deliberately fuelling sectarian tensions.

‘Nadia’

‘Nadia’ says what’s happening in Syria is not a revolution – it’s a terror movement. The Syrian-Australian says several of her family members have been killed in the past year at the hands of opposition forces, including a couple who were shot dead in front of their 5 year old son. Since speaking out about her experiences, ‘Nadia’ says she’s been targeted here in Australia by other local Syrians who oppose her political views.

Yousef Hariri

Yousef Hariri left the Syrian city of Daraa in January last year, a couple of months before the uprising began. He says the fighting has claimed five close friends and relatives, including his eldest brother who was allegedly killed by government forces. He says another of his brothers was kidnapped and the family haven’t heard from him in eight months. Yousef says the Assad regime is corrupt. However, he’s also worried that rebel forces are being infiltrated by foreigners.

‘Mohamad’

‘Mohamad’ is 24 years old, recently unemployed and lives in Aleppo. He says the Free Syrian Army is a bunch of terrorists destroying the city’s ancient infrastructure and opening fire on anyone opposing them. ‘Mohamad’ says some of his relatives can’t leave their houses for fear of being shot or kidnapped and forced to join the armed opposition. He says he wishes Syria could return to what he felt was a safe, harmonious way of life.

Nick Kaldas

Nick Kaldas is the Deputy Commissioner for Specialist Operations with the NSW Police. He headed up the 2009 U.N investigation into the assassination of Lebanese Prime minister Rafik Hariri. During that time he worked closely with General Wissam al-Hassan, intelligence chief of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces who was killed in a bomb blast in Beirut this month. Nick says NSW Police are working to resolve tensions in the Australian Syrian community.

Rodger Shanahan

Rodger Shanahan served as a U.N. military observer in South Lebanon and Syria and is a non-resident Fellow at the Lowy Institute. He thinks the hard-line reaction of the Assad government at the start of the Syrian uprising fuelled the conflict. He says the Free Syrian Army is a mish-mash of competing factions and that the opposition’s disunity is exacerbated by countries who are funding different rebel groups.