Syrian Australians disturbed by civil war

27 Jul 2012, 7:45 pm   -   Source: Christine Heard, SBS
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SPECIAL REPORT: Syrian Australians say Syria is caught in a geo-political struggle, and have concerns about any government that may take over in a near future.

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Syrian Australians have been watching intensely the development of the conflict in their homeland, and say they are disturbed by what they are seeing. 

Eighteen months on, the uprising in Syria has become a civil war with no immediate end in sight.

May Fahmi, a Syrian Australian, fears for her extended Sunni family in Damascus.

To her mind, last week's bombing in the capital marked a turning point. 

"It's clear now that people in Damascus are willing to fight for their cause, and they're ready for the fighting to come to their city, which is the heart of the Assad regime," she said.

Yet she struggles with feeling glad that four men from President Bashar al-Assad's inner circle were assassinated.

"Any killing is reprehensible," she said. "But I think in this case it signals, hopefully, a step towards a resolution".

For Hanadi Assoud, another Sydney-sider, the assassination heightened her concerns about the Opposition.

"I'm not against them, but I cannot support somebody who is already causing atrocities. If the government is doing that, we're not with them either, but we don't want a government that's going to rule with this mentality, no".

Hanadi, an Alawite and Tania - her best friend and Christian - represent Syria's minorities. 

Tania doesn't wish to give her last name - an indication of the tension here which, she says, doesn't reflect the Syria she knows.

"In Syria we all practice our religions, there is no tensions between us, we're unified," she said.
"(What is happening) is far from what Syria is. This isn't Syria, there's just so much more to it".

The prolonged conflict has left all three drained.

Ms Fahmi still protests, but says it's online where she engages most. There, she says, she's found some unity among Syrian Australians.

"Unified just with the common goal to see this repressive regime fall," Ms Fahmi said.

Hanadi says the media cannot be trusted entirely to know what's happening in Syria.

"Why don't you look around, read reporters that have been on the ground. This to me is credible - more than people just quoting often the opposition and saying 'this is the facts we have, but we cannot verify,'" Ms Hanadi said.

Robert Bekhazi agrees, and says the media are selling a story of 'bad dictator versus peaceful protestors' when in reality, Syria is caught in a geo-political struggle.

"The situation in Syria has become more of a regional situation than a domestic one," Mr Bekhazi said.

For that reason, Bekhazi's group, which includes Syrians Australians from all sects, support International Envoy Kofi Annan's plan for political reform.

"A very large number of people of Syrian and other backgrounds here hold rallies, sign petitions and send them to our foreign minister. We (often) try to get meetings with politicians, yet we are totally being ignored, being labelled as 'regime sympathisers'".
 
As the fighting intensifies, the Opposition and its motives are coming under increasing scrutiny.

"Well, we think 'Is that the democracy that they want to bring into Syria?'," Ms Assoud said.

Ms Fahmi is a bit more optimistic.

"I really think that it's just putting your trust in what the Syrian people can produce for themselves. And hoping that that will be a better alternative to the repression and suppression they've suffered for 40 years before that".

Syrian Crisis

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