Tonight's Insight: Syrian conflict hits home

30 Oct 2012, 11:11 am   -   Source: SBS
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In a heated and at times volatile discussion, Syrian Australians join SBS’s Insight to share their perspective on the situation in Syria.

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Tensions among Syrian Australians have become more pronounced as the conflict in Syria escalates.

One Insight guest ‘Nadia’ says several of her family members have been killed by rebel forces and believes what’s happening in Syria is not a revolution – it’s a terror movement.

‘Nadia’ says she’s has been targeted by those who oppose her political views. She tells Insight that a group of four knocked on her front door, looking for her family.

“I'd heard some stories of them door knocking. I was terrified when I saw them through my security door.

“He said he's looking for Muslim family with, and he said my surname,” she says. “I told him he had the wrong house. I've got four little boys in the house that were absolutely terrified looking at him through the door.”

But as a supporter of the FSA, Sydney-based orthopaedic surgeon Tamer Kahil says he’s been targeted too.

“I have two occasions in my surgery in my office; people come and put posters in there for Assad because they know that I'm anti-regime.”

Kahil has just returned from the Syrian city of Aleppo to help provide medical aid for the FSA and civilians. He thinks the rebel forces should be trusted and believes the government is deliberately fuelling sectarian tensions.

As shown on Insight, there were also reports of locals being bashed because of their political views.

But Nick Kaldas, Deputy Commissioner for Specialist Operations with the NSW Police, says these cases are rare.

“There have been a few sporadic incidents but no, overall I'd say most people – while they’re passionate about their views – have not gone out and broken the law in large numbers or anything like that.”

As an Arab who was born and brought up in Egypt, Kaldas believes it’s important for Australians to respect the freedom of speech and expression they have in Australia.

“Whatever happens over there can never be an excuse to break the law here or hurt someone or damage property or worse.

“It's the freedom of speech, the freedom of expression, the freedom of religion, the freedom of movement – all of those things, we begin to compromise all of that if we adopt values and arguments to such a degree that we begin to jeopardise that,” he says.

“We cannot jeopardise the paradise that we have here because of what's happening somewhere else in the world.”

Catch Insight tonight at 8:30pm on SBS One to hear more from Syrian Australians and their take on the conflict in Syria.

Watch a preview of the debate below:

Syria

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Your Comments

Syria: Wilfull blindness.

Ally - from Melbourne, 7 months ago

The Syrian gov responded 2the demands of reform from the beginning of the rev. They got rid of age old emergency law and abolished 1party rule. Syria changed the constitution in less than 1year at the demands of the real Syrians demanding real reform. Australia remained many years until we changed our constitution to include the Indigenous as part of our society. The Syrian gov quickly adapted to these demands. These ppl fighting are not freedom fighters, they r terrorists, and the world knows

Deadly Springs!

Milo - from Coburg, 7 months ago

How is it that fundamentalist Jihadis are suspected terrorists in Western countries but freedom fighters in a Secular Arab country not willing or wishing to convert? Why do we consider any other Arab/Gulf countries democracies when clearly they are not, Saudi Arabia is one example. There are over 20 million people in Syria, if they, the majority wished their president gone, he would've been already!

Terrorists

Shadi Aus - from Marrickville Sydney, 7 months ago

I did not get to see the program however I have heard from people about what happened. I am Australian from a Syrian background. What Australians need to understand is that there is a Salafi Wahabi movement fighting in Syria and they have been funded by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. These are the same people with the long beards and white gowns with their veiled wives who do not respect Aussie culture and way of like, giving Islam a bad name.

syria

deb - from essendon,victoria, 7 months ago

i cannot believe the show i have just watched, if these people are so concerned about their home syria GO BACK don't bring your hostilities here. They come to our country for a better life but live here fighting and causing chaos because of the country they have left.If their loyaltys are so strong to their mother country they should be there fighting for what they believe in and not enjoing the freedom Australia provides. Easy to fight for what you want from a comfortable distance.

Rebel says one thing rebel

Khaled - from Guildford NSW, 7 months ago

They don't care about Syrian people and they don't care who is muslim n not they killing all,, I'm Syrian and I never asked them to fyt on my behalf

mr

garry - from windsor, brisbane, 7 months ago

please--everyone--remember....all th3e people in the audience tonight CHOSE to migrate to australia...CHOSE to be australian....have accepted all the benefits of being australian, and the living benefits of a free democatic way of life...and they talk of going BACK--to the country they CHOSE to leave...leaving behind this free democratic, future building country, and taking up guns to kill, and fight for the country they left--which really has no hope of any future,,,,,

Terrorists fighting in syria

Karl - from Bass Hill , 7 months ago

it is disappointing to see the number of deaths which have occured in syria, but it raises questions that for so many years the country has been living in harmony and today we have the free syria army(terrorsist) intruding the country and they are coming from everywhere and they are not syrians. they have come into the country and are killing inocent civilians and claiming it is Jihad. we have not yet heard of any incidents where the Assad army has had suicide bombers. long live secular syria .

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