Syria: ‘The few certainties that existed are now gone’

By Kielce Gussie

Killings, kidnappings, theft, harassments, and murders have marked the last few weeks in Syria. The Bashar al-Assad regime fell at the beginning of December and three months later unrest has once again erupted. 

An uncertain period

An estimated 4,700 civilians have been killed in the 100 days since Assad’s ousting, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. After months of peace, conflict reignited after a deadly ambush on a security patrol by pro al-Assad supporters. In retaliation, gunmen supporting the Sunni Islamist-led government are accused of carrying out targeted attacks.

Speaking with Christian Media Center, the Latin Parish Priest of Aleppo and the Apostolic Vicar of the Latins in Aleppo described the situation of Christians and their role in achieveing peace in Syria.

The Latin Parish Priest of Aleppo, Fr. Bahjat Karakach, described the atmosphere in Aleppo and Syria as a whole as uncertain. “The fall of the regime does not automatically mean a return to normal life,” he explained, calling the current situation extremely difficult. People live in fear and are uncertain about what the future holds because, as Fr. Karakach said, “the few certainties that existed are now gone.”

Syria military is mobilized after Assad supporters attacked security forces   (ANSA)

This violence is the worst since Assad was overthrown in December, which ended 13 years of bloody civil war. The Apostolic Vicar of the Latins in Aleppo, Bishop Hanna Jallouf, stressed that these clashes between the different groups “are shameful.” He stated that those who “long for a return to the past forget that history never moves backward - it only moves forward.”

Christians have a role in peace

Christians are a minority in the country, making up about 2% of the Syrian population post-civil war. But both Bishop Jallouf and Fr. Karakach argued their presence has an important role to play in reconciliation.

Fr. Karakach described the Christian community as impartial as they “have never fought or used violence to achieve” their goals. This, he explained, has allowed them to “still hold credibility among Syrians.” And this unbiased approach means Christians are able to be a bridge for dialogue between differing groups.

As Syria is now among the world’s worst humanitarian crises with almost 15 million people in need of healthcare assistance, the parish priest encouraged the Christian community to “be a sign for those around us.” In the midst of a country where religious freedom is threatened and rather fanaticism is on the rise, Fr. Karakach offered a challenge: that this “should not discourage us - it should push us to be more creative.”