(Eqtsad)- Najwa recounts her story with displacement which led her to reside in Jadideh town in the outskirts of Damascus, “I fled my original town three years ago. My husband was detained two months after we migrated and I stayed with my three daughters opening our mouths to air.”
While the financial situation did not help Najwa to live a decent life, she had to rent one of the empty stores, “in a simple movement and some change, this store became my home in which I resided in for three years until this point,” Najwa says.
The rent of the store was 6000 SP, but “with the rocket increase of the prices, the rents doubled.
The store owner started to get 11000 SP for the rent.”
Saeed, a government employee, due to the besiege of his city M, he had to flee his home and live in capital Damascus with his cousin who lives in a humble house with his family and two kids, “no one is tolerating anyone these days,” Saeed said.
This is how our friend started looking for a place to rent in the capital, so what did he find?
“The prices are hell. I found many places varying in advantages and so are the prices.”
Saeed points out to his great astonishment of the increased rents in Damascus and its out skirts, “the worst house consisting of a room and restroom inside Damascus is no less than 35000 SP.”
Senior Abu Ahmad says, “we got very tired in the beginning until we found a house in a reasonable rent for 12000. But the house owner insists on increasing the rent. People became so greedy and there is no place for mercy among them.”
Abu Ahmad got emotional confirming, “people became like wolves. Really like wolves!”
Eqtsad tried to survey a big number of displaced people opinions in the capital Damascus. Most of them fled their villages and cities to rent houses. The battles and crisis forced them to rent and taste the bitterness of displacement accompanies by financial strain due to expensive rents and rocket prices.
Abu Jaber points out to his good luck in finding a room in a basement in the center of the capital for a good price, “I pay 8000 a month since three years until today. The owner of the basement had some mercy and did not ask us to pay more as the prices increase.”
Abu Jaber’s story is a rare one since many people cannot find places with reasonable prices.
Hamed recounted a different thing about the increased prices. In the capital, there is a big crisis regarding this, “the prices increased doubled and three doubled. There are rentals ranging between 40000 SP to half a million. Do not find it strange. I know a man who rented a luxurious house for half a million a month. Yes, he is that rich!”
Regardless if its true story or not, there are many houses in al-Shiekh Saed, Mazzeh Jabal, Kafarsuseh in Damascus that were rented of more than 100 and 150000 SP.
Khaled, a government employee residing in Damascus, is looking for a comfy house instead of his bad house. He pays for his house 15000 SP, “I was in Mazzeh Jabal few days ago visiting a friend.
In one moment, I looked at a house consisting of three rooms there. It crossed my mind to rent it. It is very convenient and in good area. I was surprised when my friend told me the owner of the house wants 115000 for it. It is an insane number.”
The expensive numbers paid by renters are only part of the crisis.
Marwan who fled his original town 5 months ago, says, “I found an apartment in Sahnaya. We agreed on the price of 12000 SP a month. The problem is not this, but in the furniture. The apartment was empty.”
Marwan continues, “the problem is big and I am still suffering from it. I buy furniture pieces every now and then to help me live decently, but until when? Will I stay all my years spending my salary to buy the furniture of the house I am renting?”
It is a scream by Marwan who lost his house in the D city to live in displacement and suffer like few thousands Syrians who choke. They choke in their throats because of poverty and misery and they choke in their hearts sadness and pain for a good homeland. The homeland lost between two nights.
(Note: the persons interviewed by Eqtsad still live in their areas. Hence, we had to make their names and descriptions ambiguous so they do not be harmed amid the extreme security tightening in the capital).
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