Lights in a tunnel: Syrian refugees find solace in Somalia
MOGADISHU, Somalia – When war broke out in and around Damascus, many people might have expected Syrians to take refuge in Europe, America, or neighboring countries like Jordan, but this may not be not quite true.
Although a number of them were able to travel to the aforementioned areas, a number chose Somalia, another country plagued by civil war, political turmoil and terrorism for many years. decades. This is not one of those destinations one would think of.
If you walk through the streets of Mogadishu, there is no doubt that you will come across Restaurant Ashamia, which is a popular restaurant in Somalia owned by a Syrian refugee. It is frequented both by Somalis and people of various origins.
Zekeriye Azerkan, a Syrian refugee who is also the restaurant manager, told Voice of America that he finds the country “safe” contrary to what many people think. According to him, there are many Syrian refugees in Mogadishu and all over Somalia.
“Even though Somalia is emerging from the conflicts of the civil war. There are Syrian dentists who have opened clinics here and even other doctors who operate various specialties in Somalia,” says Azerkan, who also works as a chef in the restaurant. . “I expect other Syrian refugees to find opportunities here in Somalia.”
This restaurant has become an iconic meeting place for all Syrian refugees, many of whom come to orient themselves. This is where they meet before being introduced to life in Somalia, which also has its share of challenges.
In fact, the restaurant is even frequented by Somalis, some of whom are keen to learn about the country’s culture and the effects of wars. Somalia has been in the throes of political upheaval, but lately it has been plunged into escalating insurgency, with Al-Shabaab being the leading group.
“I urge Syrian immigrants and even Somalis to visit this restaurant. The food here is so natural. I feel like I am at home,” said Mohamed Musa, a 13-year-old refugee who had visited the restaurant for meet newcomers. in the city.
For Mohamud Saleh, dental surgeon, Somalia has become a home where she remained for nearly five years. It actually helped him establish a dental clinic that allows him to work for the people of the Horn of Africa nation.
“I now consider myself a Somali citizen having stayed here for four years with my wife and children who attend schools in Somalia. We follow the life of Somalis and my family find it cool in this place,” he notes. .
Abdulwahab Sheikh, an academic, notes that relations between Syria and Somalia go back many years, adding that the bilateral relations that have existed for so many years have made it easier for Syrians to settle in the Horn, which is also struggling. with internal challenges.
But it is the lack of visa restrictions, he adds, that causes many Syrians to choose Somalia over any other destination. The lack of visa restrictions is reinforced by the fact that the two nations share a socio-economic and political history that has spanned decades.
“There is a long-term relationship between the two countries that began a long time ago. When Syria was in the throes of civil war, many of its citizens chose to come to Somalia due to the lack of restrictions. visa “, notes the academic, who masters international matters. reports.
Despite being considered a safe haven by Syrian refugees, Somalia still remains a bit dangerous given the frequent al-Shabaab insurgency. The militants continue to carry out small to large-scale sporadic attacks in the capital and other parts of the country.
The war in Syria has been going on for nearly a decade now, killing thousands and more displaced. It all started with the plot of some rebels to expel Bashar al-Assad, the 20th and current president of Syria, who is the son of the former president, Hafez al-Assad.
When the Syrian civil war began, the four main warring factions were ISIS, Kurdish forces, the Assad government, and other opposition groups. Hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees have returned home, often only to be displaced for a second or third time.
The Syrian Civil War is an ongoing multifaceted civil war, waged in Syria, between the Syrian Arab Republic led by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and various domestic and foreign forces that oppose both the Syrian government and others.
Although many complicated motives led to the Syrian civil war, an event, known as the Arab Spring, appears to be perhaps the most important trigger of the conflict. In early 2011, a series of political and economic protests erupted in Egypt and Tunisia.
The ongoing conflict in Syria is widely described as a series of overlapping proxy wars between regional and world powers, primarily between the United States and Russia as well as between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Officially, Russia is only participating in an air war against Syria, with a small number of special troops and ground support.
But the presence of Syrians in Somalia has positively contributed to the culture and economy of the Horn of Africa nation, which is also fighting the ghosts of civil war, which has haunted it for nearly four decades. Somalia is the least developed country in East Africa.
AXADLETM
.
