(Zaman Al Wasl)- Despite the scarcity and siege the people of the besieged Eastern Ghouta insist on celebrating the blessed Eid al-Adha, so some of them prepared sweets for the first time since three years due to the availability of the primary material in comparison to previous years whereas the situation of migration and asylum to outside the country has affected social relations between relatives.
Abu Ghaith, one of the residents of Ghouta district, said, “imagine there are people who are making sweets for the first time since at least three years, but clothes are very expensive and most people are buying used clothes for their children, and no one knows their source.”
He added to Zaman al-Wasl, “the regime forced over a third of the people of al-Ghouta to migrate so you find a low percentage of families have relatives in al-Ghouta. I sit in the internet hall on Eid days like many of the residents to exchange greetings which have become online.” He indicated that around 14 thousand families live outside their homes in a never ending journey of migration according to the united aid office in al-Ghouta.
Abu Ghaith indicated that Eid al-Adha has particularities special to the eastern Ghouta and the besieged area of Damascus’ countryside, as a person can grill meat in his house without his neighbors being bothered by the smell which is something he would consider on regular says, and this is because organizations distribute the meat from sacrifices to people which they prepare for the first day of eid, and this is the first year the eid products are available in the markets.
Abu Mohammad said to Zaman al-Wasl, “I have 5 children and I will not be able to bring Eid to them this year as me and family migrated from the town of Zabadani and I live in a rented house and my work in selling fuel does not provide me with enough income to buy what is necessary from clothes, sweets, and give them gift of money that enables them to participate with their peers in the eid.” He added, “sweets and clothes are expensive in al-Ghouta because of the siege and I barely make enough to live and pay the rent.”
Oum Saeed recounts her story with the first day of eid and the siege of al-Ghouta, saying, “I decided to make sweets for the first time since three years since there is flour and some apricot seeds that I can use instead of walnuts or pistachios which we used to buy to use as stuffing in the sweets or to decorate them.”
She indicated that the conditions are very difficult but that eid is still present in eastern Ghouta, “despite the death and destruction.”
Abu Ghassan’s story with the preparation for eid is not different to that of many residents of eastern Ghouta as he says he works in a sweet selling shop, but despite this he is used to going home with sweets and cannot give his children joy by bringing some home with him on Eid day although sweets are one of the manifestations of eid for children.
He clarified that the price of the sweets is very high and he cannot afford them at all with his income as a laborer.
Om Ahmad prefers to implement a curfew on her small children every eid for fear they might be harmed during the regime force bombing on gathering in the markets and celebrations according to her.
Om Ahmad continued, “the province asked the local council to force people with swings to put them in fortified basements underground to preserve the lives of children but we do not know if that will be implemented.”
She indicated that her song Omar spends his eid at the battle front in al-Ghouta protecting his people from any regime force attacks in the event of an attempt to advance.
Eid in Qatana
About the eid in the western part of Damascus countryside, a member of the media office of the local council of the city of Qatana, Omar al-Dimashaqi said that the residents of the city under regime control are unable to provide their children with what is needed to celebrate eid due to the high expensive, but continued, “it is true it cannot be compared with the besieged areas but the difference is that in these areas the price of products is light like fire but only small amounts are available and residents do not have the price of things available in front of them.”
He indicated that many of the residents of Qatana migrated from it and many children left for fear they would be conscripted for mandatory military service, and those remaining face difficult situations in finding a house for rent after they lost their houses in besieged or destroyed areas.
Abu Ghaith, one of the residents of Ghouta district, said, “imagine there are people who are making sweets for the first time since at least three years, but clothes are very expensive and most people are buying used clothes for their children, and no one knows their source.”
He added to Zaman al-Wasl, “the regime forced over a third of the people of al-Ghouta to migrate so you find a low percentage of families have relatives in al-Ghouta. I sit in the internet hall on Eid days like many of the residents to exchange greetings which have become online.” He indicated that around 14 thousand families live outside their homes in a never ending journey of migration according to the united aid office in al-Ghouta.
Abu Ghaith indicated that Eid al-Adha has particularities special to the eastern Ghouta and the besieged area of Damascus’ countryside, as a person can grill meat in his house without his neighbors being bothered by the smell which is something he would consider on regular says, and this is because organizations distribute the meat from sacrifices to people which they prepare for the first day of eid, and this is the first year the eid products are available in the markets.
Abu Mohammad said to Zaman al-Wasl, “I have 5 children and I will not be able to bring Eid to them this year as me and family migrated from the town of Zabadani and I live in a rented house and my work in selling fuel does not provide me with enough income to buy what is necessary from clothes, sweets, and give them gift of money that enables them to participate with their peers in the eid.” He added, “sweets and clothes are expensive in al-Ghouta because of the siege and I barely make enough to live and pay the rent.”
Oum Saeed recounts her story with the first day of eid and the siege of al-Ghouta, saying, “I decided to make sweets for the first time since three years since there is flour and some apricot seeds that I can use instead of walnuts or pistachios which we used to buy to use as stuffing in the sweets or to decorate them.”
She indicated that the conditions are very difficult but that eid is still present in eastern Ghouta, “despite the death and destruction.”
Abu Ghassan’s story with the preparation for eid is not different to that of many residents of eastern Ghouta as he says he works in a sweet selling shop, but despite this he is used to going home with sweets and cannot give his children joy by bringing some home with him on Eid day although sweets are one of the manifestations of eid for children.
He clarified that the price of the sweets is very high and he cannot afford them at all with his income as a laborer.
Om Ahmad prefers to implement a curfew on her small children every eid for fear they might be harmed during the regime force bombing on gathering in the markets and celebrations according to her.
Om Ahmad continued, “the province asked the local council to force people with swings to put them in fortified basements underground to preserve the lives of children but we do not know if that will be implemented.”
She indicated that her song Omar spends his eid at the battle front in al-Ghouta protecting his people from any regime force attacks in the event of an attempt to advance.
Eid in Qatana
About the eid in the western part of Damascus countryside, a member of the media office of the local council of the city of Qatana, Omar al-Dimashaqi said that the residents of the city under regime control are unable to provide their children with what is needed to celebrate eid due to the high expensive, but continued, “it is true it cannot be compared with the besieged areas but the difference is that in these areas the price of products is light like fire but only small amounts are available and residents do not have the price of things available in front of them.”
He indicated that many of the residents of Qatana migrated from it and many children left for fear they would be conscripted for mandatory military service, and those remaining face difficult situations in finding a house for rent after they lost their houses in besieged or destroyed areas.
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.