
Aleppo-Armenian Journalist: New Syrian Government Wants to Retain Ties with Armenia
On December 6, two days before armed rebels seized the Syrian capital and forced long-time ruler President Bashar al-Assad to flee the country, Aleppo-based journalist, blogger, and translator Hovig Shehirian traveled from Aleppo to Damascus.
Shehirian, in a phone conversation with Hetq today, says the trip took forty-three hours, traveling part of the way by car and part on foot. He says he fled Aleppo after receiving a telephone threat from someone speaking Turkish. (Shehirian preferred not to describe the nature of the threat.)
Shehirian used to work for SANA (Syrian Arab News Agency controlled by the Assad government). He says the new government has told former official media journalists that they can return unmolested and continue to work. Under what conditions remains unanswered.
The journalist wants to go back to Aleppo, get his affiars in order, and then return to Damascus. He’s received a job offer from an international media outlet.
Shehirian had applied to the Armenian Embassy in Damascus for help in finding a job, but they told him that they were currently busy with Aleppo. He says that a considerable number of Armenians have left Aleppo, and that the embassy has not taken any initiative to support them.
He describes the current situation in Syria as one of uncertainty.
“This is something new for Syrians. There are many challenges. Damascus is far from aligned countries, and it is more difficult to get vital materials and equipment into Damascus than in Aleppo. Inflation in Damascus is quite high, materials are scarce. There are shops open, but inflation is high, and food is scarce. In many areas of Damascus, water is being sold.”
Shehirian says that while the Assad-controlled media portrayed the rebel opposition as “terrorists,” he was surprised that they didn’t advance on the minority communities, including the Armenians.
He says he and others had information that in 2011-2012 Armenians had been kidnapped by the opposition, adding that their families recently informed him that the kidnapped Armenians are in Syrian prisons, which are still inaccessible. (Hetq-Many of these prisoners have since been released by the victorious opposition.)
There are some 100,000 people in prisons, some of whom are journalists and political prisoners, says Shehirian. “They are being treated unfairly. The images are painful, they are terrible, contrary to the propaganda that existed during the previous government,” Shehirian says.
He says the roads are now open in various regions of Syria and that the new authorities want to leave the national minorities alone, as well as former government officials who did not participate in any “war or criminal actions.”
The United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Oman, and Italy have resumed their diplomatic activities in Damascus, Shehirian tells Hetq.
Shehirian says he’s received information from informed sources that the new Syrian government is interested in maintaining ties with the Republic of Armenia and have established contact with several Armenian intellectuals to strengthen ties between the two countries.
He says Armenians in Aleppo have resumed normal life. Schools and universities in the city will reopen on December 16.
Airports remain closed, however, and a planned December 14 flight to Yerevan to evacuate Armenians has been cancelled.
Hetq attempted to contact the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, but our calls went unanswered.
Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan today announced that the diplomatic staff of the Armenian Embassy in Damascus and the Consul in Aleppo are now working from Beirut. Badalyan said the ministry “is following developments in Syria.”
Badalyan added that Armenians arriving from Syria will be provided entry visa free of charge. How many have arrived, and using what route, is unknown.
Photo: Hussein Malla/AP
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