I called and talked to family about a week ago. At that time we were getting emails, but they have now stopped. The last one I received said that he had gone out to try and find bread , but there was nothing to be had. He had to run to a neighbors house to get to the internet before it went down. Things are looking worse everyday.
The news today is no phone service, no internet service, airports are closed- both Damascus and Aleppo. Emirates Airlines and Egypt Airlines have stopped service into Syria.
The last time that something like this happened where all services were cut off and the airports closed was back in the 80’s when Bashar’s father Hafez Al Assad attacked Hama and no one in the outside world knew about it. At that time they said that he had killed over 10,000 people . He bombed the center of the town and then within days he had the bulldozers come in the level the ground and then rebuilt what he had destroyed to cover up the evidence of what he had done.
I was living in Aleppo at the time and the only way we knew about it was when the residents starting coming into Aleppo on trucks, tractors or anything that moved and told us the stories. I have a feeling that Assad is going to try something like this now. He doesn’t want the eyes of the world looking at him as he destroys the country and the people that are inside. He is losing this war and he is not willing to give up. The FSA is getting more weapons and the Western world is talking about supplying the rebels with weapons and I believe this is scaring Assad and his army. The people are standing up to the dictator and are willing to die for their country and their freedom.
I am so worried about the families that are still inside the country and especially my family and friends and business associates. I know that Faez, my cousin, was going to be sending his wife and daughter out in the next couple of days, but he is trying to get their paperwork together to get them to Dubai, but that might not be happening as long as no flights are going in and out of the country. Some nephews and nieces have been able to get out to Turkey and into the Gulf countries to try and set up a new life and try and open new businesses with whatever they have left after 20 months of a war. It is like coming out of a storm that goes on and on and you see no end in sight, just all the destruction around you.
The last couple of days I have been getting calls from Syrians around the US that are collecting blankets and clothing to send to the borders of Turkey/Syria and others into Lebanon and some into Jordan to help with the winter months. I have been in contact with some shipping companies to see if we can get any discounted or humanitarian rates. If anyone that reads this blog and knows of shipping companies that could help us please drop me a line. We are still trying to collect funds and get the needed items in the different countries which will be cheaper for us and we will be able to buy more. Please, during these times think of making a small contribution for the sake of the kids. Just click the PayPal donate button and it will take you to our PayPal donation page – even if it is $5 and everyone that reads this will send the same we will be able to get a blanket for each person in one of the camps or the kids that are stranded at the borders not able to leave Syria without the right paperwork.
PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN
~Rita
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