(Eqtsad)- Rubble still covers the area, abandoned buildings with no doors or windows. This is how Aleppo's industrial zone of al-Lyramon looks like after regime recaptured it more than a year ago.
Regime media makes it look otherwise. The news transmitted by regime media of al-Layramon industrial zone which specializes in manufacture of textiles and food shows its economic recovery following 7 years of war.
As the media of the regime used to exaggerate their approach, the number of factories that started operating in al-Layramon area doubled from one embroidery factory (Samir Asheji) - according to confirmed sources - from about a thousand former establishments to five factories. However, SANA State agency reported a possible return of about 60 facilities to work and production in the near future.
“About 5,000 facilities restarted operations, "thanks to the sacrifices of the Syrian Arab Army" and to the Governor of Aleppo, Hussein Diab,” SANA reported.
No smoke without fire
"No smoke without fire," said Engineer Said Nahhas, who responded to our question, “does the regime's talk about Aleppo's industrial recovery apply on the ground?”
“Aleppo is witnessing a relatively shy return of industrialists,” he adds. “But can the regime today, under its fragile infrastructure secure the infrastructure of the factories so that it can operate again?”
“Are the roads secure, and is power available, and are raw materials available, and what are the ways of importing them ?” Nahhas asks.
Based on this, Nahhas believes that it is more correct to talk about “signs of economic recovery that began to appear in Aleppo, due to the opening of some industrialists and merchants of the city branches of their factories that are still operating in the Syrian coast, in addition to the return of a limited number of investors to Syria after they transferred their investments to neighboring regional countries.”
-Reasons For Return-
Since the regime took control of the entire city of Aleppo late last year, several industrialists and investors who had left with the arrival of the battles into the middle of 2012. Even if these investors are few, but with time they formed a considerable production mass.
The return of these people, despite the unfavorable environment for investment in Aleppo opened the door wide questions about the reasons that led them to do so.
In response to this question, Aleppo industrialist who asked not to be named said there are several reasons why industrialists return most notably the search for double profit because working in these conditions is very profitable because of the lack of competitiveness.
“On the other side, the love of chaos drives some industrialists to return to Aleppo, leaving behind safe investment environments in Turkey, Jordan or elsewhere,” he added.
“Today in Syria, in general, and in Aleppo, we have an existing social situation which makes those who own the money a leader and a thug,” he said. “I have seen some industrialists complaining about the state of law in Turkey for instance.”
He concludes, “and most important of all is the love of Aleppo by its people without looking at the deteriorating security conditions.” (Reporting by Mustafa Mohamed)
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