The end of a regime of terror in Syria. Reactions have been pouring in since the fall of the “Butcher of Damascus”, Bashar al-Assad. After 10 years of war, more than 6 million Syrians have fled their country according to the UN. Some of them, attracted by Europe and France, countries of human rights, took refuge in Guyana where it is easier to enter and obtain the right to asylum. If they express their relief, they hope that this change will last.
A dark page in Syrian history is turning, 50 years of dictatorship with the Al-Assad family in power. First there was Afez the father, then Bachar the son.
The Al Assad dynasty leaves power, driven out by the HTS (Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham) group, 30,000 Islamic rebel fighters in a blitzkrieg. It took 12 days to bring down an army, poorly paid, tired and mistreated by the power in place.
On December 8, scenes of jubilation in Syria went around the world.
A change that must be lasting
In Guyana also the Syrians in a spontaneous gathering at Place des Palmistes let their joy burst forth.
Adults, children, entire families came together to sing their joy at the dearly paid for newfound freedom. Waria Abdesselem, Syrian refugee in Guyana for 1 year:
“After so many years of terror, of wickedness there, I can't find food, I don't have work, I've lost people from my family because of all these wars. Some have been murdered, others are went to Egypt and everywhere so I'm very happy with the news, it's very good!
Now it is over time that the Syrians want to observe change. Bahij Nader – Syrian refugee in Guyana for 3 months explains it to us:
“We have a very miserable life, we have nothing at all, the salary is 20 dollars a month, it's death. Fortunately yesterday he left Syria. The Syrian people are happy, they can live in freedom…”
A happiness that does not protect against the fear of many Syrians refusing to express themselves on camera: “It's normal, they're afraid of everything because in Syria we don't have the right to speak but here it's freedom we can speak and say what we think. But people are afraid of not not have residence papers here.”
In 2022, of the 3,120 asylum requests that have been registered, Syrians and Palestinians represent more than 30%. Currently, one in two asylum requests is successful in Guyana. A trend set to change with the suspension of the processing of refugee files in Europe for a few hours.
Several European countries are already suspending the examination of Syrian asylum applications, including Germany, a European Union country which hosts the largest Syrian diaspora with nearly a million people, Denmark and Norway. The French government plans to follow suit.
The Interior Ministry indicated that this “decision should be finalized in the coming hours”.
France
