Baladi News – Damascus Countryside (Tarek Khawwam)
This year, the Lesser Bairam came while the eastern Ghouta in Damascus countryside was trying to recover after losing a lot of its youth after fierce clashes in al-Marj area.
Despite their pains, the civilians on this land are trying to convince themselves that the Bairam is a room for happiness and hope, rather than the worries and pains of war. They are not to blame as they want to show a better image of life to their children, who were deprived of many rights in this dirty war, including the right to a normal life.
Abu Majed, one of the citizens, revives the traditions of each Bairam, holding the hand of his child and taking him to the prayer. After that, they go to the grave yard to pray for the victims of war, who have become innumerable. “Nowadays, the Bairam means more nostalgia about the old days. More than half of my relatives left the country, and many of them died. The remaining are trying to resist the blockade as much as they can. Despite all that, I am trying to pretend to be happy because of my children. These little ones committed no mistake, so we should not make them frustrated. I feel sorry not to buy them new clothes. However, their mother made them some confectioneries using flour that was distributed to the families by the UN,” Abu Majed told Baladi News.
The speaker added, “Before war, the dining table used to be full of sweets, nuts, and fruits of all kinds. However, one kind of confectioneries is enough with some tea and coffee. Many families had to dispense with confectioneries in order to keep some flour for making bread.”
Prior to the Bairam, people appeared upset because of the high prices of clothes and Bairam requirements, which drove relief offices to provide some support and buy large quantities of clothes for the children in the eastern Ghouta. Regarding this procedure, Abu Mohammed, a supervisor of the humanitarian committee in Saqba city, told Baladi News, “The supporters approved our suggestion. We decided to focus on the children of killed and arrested people in the first place, who were extremely happy with this project.”
On the other hand, a group of activists and media workers in the eastern Ghouta raised the idea of consolidating solidarity among civilians, rather than begging for external aid, which causes a lot of humiliation to people as most donors seek to show off by documenting and taking photos of their donations with the residents..
The residents used relatively safe hidden basements and squares to set up some simple and uncostly swings for children. Whereas some young people gave them presents and sold sweets and juices.
Filled with joy, the child Ahmad expresses his happiness, “I get up every day, wear the clothes that I was given, and go to play. I wish the Bairam would never end. However, I feel really afraid when I hear the roaring of the war planes and hide in the nearest building. ”
Meanwhile, Ahmad’s mother tells Baladi News “I feel happy because my children are happy, but contrary to them, I wish the Bairam would end soon, because I feel afraid for them every time they go out, because the regime is not trustworthy and will not discriminate between children and adults.”
A lot of wishes were expressed by the residents of the eastern Ghouta during their prayers in Ramadan, including toppling down the regime and releasing the prisoners.