(Zaman Al Wasl)- Yemen is today witnessing the arrival of a large number of Syrian students coming to study in Yemen. Syrians have been coming to student in Yemen since prior to the revolution, but their numbers have increased since the start of the Syrian revolution and the forced migration of any who stood with the revolution and oppose the regime. In the Science and Technology College alone there are 200 students. Syrian students in Yemen face a number of difficulties and obstacles as they recount to Zaman al-Wasl during our meeting in Sanaa.
The regime embassy in Sanaa imposes several constraints on Syrian nationals in the country as it does in several other Arab states. These constraints clamp down on their freedoms or involve monitoring Syrian nationals’ movements. Taghred F. who is studying dentistry said, “Alas, the embassy imposes restrictions on us. The most important is probably forcing us to demonstrate our love for the oppressive regime in Syria. If we spoke about our personal points of view, penal procedures will be taken against us, and letters will be sent to the Yemeni universities to not reject us students which happened to one of my colleagues who posted a tweet on ‘Twitter’ denouncing the bombing of Aleppo. The embassy interrogated him and he was excluded from his university.”
Taghred adds, “We cannot move around normally as the embassy subjects us to strict observation which forces us to be restricted to a particular area.”
Before and After the Revolution
The regime embassy in Sanaa does not do its tasks towards Syrian students by supporting them as is expected from other embassies and diplomatic missions. Yunus Fadeh, a fictional name, said, “The regime embassy did not help Syrians here even before the revolution, so how do you expect the situation to be today, from before the revolution we help each other.
The Syrian embassies in many countries have only the task of monitoring Syrians living there, gathering intelligence. The embassy should stand with us especially as our countries is witnesses acts of violence due to the oppressive regime, and it should make us feel that we have an embassy that speaks for us, but alas the embassy is only that in name.”
Ali Tabshiri, a fictional name, is a Syrian student in one of the Yemeni universities. He initially refused to speak with us to discuss the suffering of Syrian nationals in Yemen for fear of the regime embassy. Tabshiri said, “The difference in curriculum between Yemen and Syria is the most important obstacle for many Syrian students. I had studied a year there and transferred to Yemen, but when I arrived the curriculum was completely different.”
Several Yemeni universities and schools facilitate procedures for Syrian students in terms of registration, treatment, and the university fees. A Syrian student studying languages said, “Yemeni universities are making things very easy for us, and they are treating us as a special situation in all their dealings.”
She added, “We find that we are treated in Yemen as if we are Yemenis, the students and teachers treat us kindly, and there is no difference in how they deal
with us or Yemeni students.”
Despite the situation Yemen is witnessing, Syrian students are trying to adapt and continue their education in light of the facilitation available to them. They are bothered by the Syrian embassy that deals with them based on selective engagement, surveillance, and monitoring the details of their lives and files. The intelligence observation contradicts the nature of diplomatic work and its necessities. (Resorting by Elias Mohamed)
The regime embassy in Sanaa imposes several constraints on Syrian nationals in the country as it does in several other Arab states. These constraints clamp down on their freedoms or involve monitoring Syrian nationals’ movements. Taghred F. who is studying dentistry said, “Alas, the embassy imposes restrictions on us. The most important is probably forcing us to demonstrate our love for the oppressive regime in Syria. If we spoke about our personal points of view, penal procedures will be taken against us, and letters will be sent to the Yemeni universities to not reject us students which happened to one of my colleagues who posted a tweet on ‘Twitter’ denouncing the bombing of Aleppo. The embassy interrogated him and he was excluded from his university.”
Taghred adds, “We cannot move around normally as the embassy subjects us to strict observation which forces us to be restricted to a particular area.”
Before and After the Revolution
The regime embassy in Sanaa does not do its tasks towards Syrian students by supporting them as is expected from other embassies and diplomatic missions. Yunus Fadeh, a fictional name, said, “The regime embassy did not help Syrians here even before the revolution, so how do you expect the situation to be today, from before the revolution we help each other.
The Syrian embassies in many countries have only the task of monitoring Syrians living there, gathering intelligence. The embassy should stand with us especially as our countries is witnesses acts of violence due to the oppressive regime, and it should make us feel that we have an embassy that speaks for us, but alas the embassy is only that in name.”
Ali Tabshiri, a fictional name, is a Syrian student in one of the Yemeni universities. He initially refused to speak with us to discuss the suffering of Syrian nationals in Yemen for fear of the regime embassy. Tabshiri said, “The difference in curriculum between Yemen and Syria is the most important obstacle for many Syrian students. I had studied a year there and transferred to Yemen, but when I arrived the curriculum was completely different.”
Several Yemeni universities and schools facilitate procedures for Syrian students in terms of registration, treatment, and the university fees. A Syrian student studying languages said, “Yemeni universities are making things very easy for us, and they are treating us as a special situation in all their dealings.”
She added, “We find that we are treated in Yemen as if we are Yemenis, the students and teachers treat us kindly, and there is no difference in how they deal
with us or Yemeni students.”
Despite the situation Yemen is witnessing, Syrian students are trying to adapt and continue their education in light of the facilitation available to them. They are bothered by the Syrian embassy that deals with them based on selective engagement, surveillance, and monitoring the details of their lives and files. The intelligence observation contradicts the nature of diplomatic work and its necessities. (Resorting by Elias Mohamed)
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