(Eqtsad)- Despite the reconciliation and the 5-month-old ceasefire, Barzeh, the northern neighborhood of Damascus still suffering lack of governmental services and aid.
Residents say no ovens or gas stations are operating in the neighborhood. The regime municipality has so far performed only one service, prepare the local oven without setting an opening date.
Abu Mahmoud, preferred to not mention his last name, told Eatsad that the prices of goods in the neighborhood market are the same prices of the capital. However, the regime's forces have not allowed the local oven or the petrol station to be reactivated forcing the local population to head into Damascus to buy bread and fuel.
“The electrical power situation inside the neighborhood is not good as well, given the neighborhood has returned in its entirety (to the homeland). The faults in the electricity cables, especially in areas near the Tishreen hospital road, are frequent, as the regime forces are permanently digging in that area searching for tunnels,” he added.
The continued power cuts have forced the people living in Barzeh to depend on the power alternatives they used when the neighborhood was controlled by the Free Syrian Army such as car batteries, lighting that operates on the capacity of 12v (Volt), and smart devices chargers that operate at the same capacity. Another alternative used locally was the generators that rely on fuel which it is now feasible to use due to the availability of fuel.
Internet network problems have accompanied the power outage which caused by the regime forces’ excavation operations. Residents complained that on the days the electrical grid is repaired, there is a problem with the Internet, and vice versa.
-Job Opportunities-
Most of Barzeh's residents are now working in commerce, which is considered somewhat successful, following the signing of the reconciliation agreement and the opening of the crossings.
Abu Yasser, a merchant, working inside Barzeh, said to Economy that the neighborhood residents had to change careers during the revolution. Most of them used to work in stone quarries in A’sh al-Wuror mountains. These mountains have become military barracks, so most of the previous laborers are now working in trade, bringing food supplies from the capital and selling them inside the neighborhood.
Abu Yasser pointed out that the trade profession is somewhat successful since most of the people from Barzeh moved back to the neighborhood following the reconciliation. The neighborhood is also home to many of the residents of the al-Basatin area which the regime forces destroyed and took control over. Barzah is also now home to several families from al-Qaboun creating additional economic needs in the neighborhood.
Barzah is attractive to many displaced families due to the low cost of renting housing in the neighborhood in contrast to many other areas. The low rents have attracted many displaced people whose neighborhoods, areas and homes have been destroyed.
-Rewards-
Abu Yasser explained that some of the families who left for the capital during the siege, these are families of mainly Damascene origin, are still afraid to return to their homes because the neighborhood has been transformed to resemble military barracks.
Residents brag about the rewards the regime offers them on a daily basis in exchange for the reconciliation. Recently, residents held a funeral march for one or two of the people from the neighborhood, who joined the pro-regime Qalamoun Shield militia, and died in battles in eastern Hama countryside against the Islamic State forces.
It is worth mentioning that the regime forces imposed a siege on Barzeh neighborhood in February of 2017 which ended in May 2017. The siege ended with Ahrar al-Sham, Jaish al-Islam and al-Nusra fighters, and a few of the fighters of the 1st Brigade leaving the neighborhood for Idlib. The bulk of the 1st Brigade fighters chose to remain and settle their statuses and joined the regime forces. (Reporting by Quasi Abdelbari)
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