ssful!
s u n! succe
A VILLAGE IN SYRIA
Chairmans note
A message from our Chairman
W ith the civil war in Syria about to enter
its seventh year, an end is far from being
in sight. Local, regional, and interna-tional forces
continue to engage and disengage in different
areas of the conflict, while its key players have
failed to ap-proach any lasting agreementsren-
dering it increasingly protracted. The situation
has been dire throughout the entire country,
posing particular challenges in the northern
region of Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava).
The PYD and its military wing have
implemented a de-facto autonomous
political system, which gives some local
autonomy under the umbrella of PYD
dominance.
Forming a more or less contiguous region
with the Kurdish areas in Turkey, Iraq, and
Iran, Rojava has for years been a focal point
for cross-border activities aimed at establish-
ing relative Kurdish autonomy and unity. The
Syrian wing of the Kurdish workers party PKK,
the PYD, and its military wing succeeded in
seizing power in Rojava shortly after anti-Assad
unrest in 2011. As Dr Soeren Keil of the Kurdish
National Council (KNC) explains, the PYD and
its military wing, the YPG, have been able to
seize power in Rojava and conquer additional
territories in Northern Syria. They have since
ni p
Ye May y
imple-mented a de-facto autonomous political
system, which gives some local autonomy but
all under the umbrella of PYD dominance. Our
expert witness adds:
My sources in Rojava report that an
atmosphere of fear and intimidation
exist and that the PYD and mili-tary and
para-military troops purposely create this
environment.
For our village, the events in the region and
the entire country over the past couple of years
have meant that many villagers and almost all
internally displaced persons (IDPs) have moved
on, many to Turkey. With elderly people being
often unable to withstand the cold, limited nu-
trition, and deprivation of basic health services,
the numbers of the locals have fallen from about
500 to a mere 300, most of whom are women
and children. Of the erstwhile 8,000+ IDPs,
only an estimated dozen remain in the village to
this day. The situation is one that is character-
ised by ongoing shifts: shifts in space, number,
circumstance, access, need, and supply. As we
are unable to track the itineraries of individuals,
our assumption is that a considerable proportion
of IDPs from our village are now staying in
more or less provisional camps and shelters in
Antakya (Turkey) and surrounding areas. One of
the most pressing needs there is education: an
estimated 3m Syrian children are now without
access to schooling, coming from a country that
ol e
a arl ject b
iz b pro
ro jen new
r
ou
Spring 2017 Newsletter
Charity No. 1158494
used to have enrolment rates of up to 98% and
high gender parity.
Having recently experienced difficulties in
accessing and transmitting information from and
to the village, we have de-cided to partly shift
the geographical focus of our work in order to
stay true to our initial commitment and to our
donors convictions: to help the hundreds of
people that have found temporary refuge in Ro-
java, one of the more stable regions within Syria,
and in our village in particular. Since our work
is first and foremost focused on the people,
we must try to support them as best we can,
especially now that they have moved on and
the situation continues to be unpredictable for
many. We have therefore teamed up with Firefly
International, a Scottish charity focusing on arts
and education.
The ongoing shifts in the region require
flexibility, responsiveness, and shifts in
focus.
They are currently establishing an education-
al centre in Antakya, which we are proud and
honoured to contribute to. This way, we are able
to fulfil a twofold purpose: on the one hand,
we are re-directing part of our funds and are
thus diversifying our approach, trying to reach
as many Syrian IDPs from Rojava as possible.
Secondly, while we reserve part of our funds for
the village itself (as soon as access is provided),
another part of the donations we receive is
earmarked for particular projects, and we are
determined to pass it on as swiftly as possible,
for the direct benefit of Syrian IDPs. I therefore
look forward to our future cooperation with
Firefly International, and I trust that our donors
will value their work and impact as much as we
do! Organisations such as Firefly are imperative
to furthering the cause towards assisting the
Syrian families affected.
2 A Village In Syria

Volunteers p.2
A little about ourselves,
and our wonderful friends.
The story of A Village In Syria,
alongside some testimonials
from our dedicated volunteers
and information about
supporting charites.

tRAVEL P.6

Places weve been to in

Who we are, and what we
do: The story of A Village
relation to the crisis.
Accounts of places that
both us, and refugees, have

In Syria and its partners

travelled through and resided
in.

THE REFUGEE CRISIS P.8
Information about the
crisis.
Further information regarding
the crisis in Syria and its
surrounding regions.
Our finances P.9
Our current financial
situation.
Some information
regarding our income and
expenditure.
REVIEWS P.12
Our opinions on recent
documentaries and
productions
Reviews of refugee-related
media, including a screening of
Queens of Syria reviewed.
An overview of our history, and our efforts to sustain stability for affected
Syrian families
Our history
A Village in Syria started in November
2013 with an exhibition of photographs
in a small gallery in Herne Bay. It was in
response to a phone call regarding
Syria, ending with the words: By
the way - the village are looking
after 8,000 people. These are
the people we support, along-
side parallel efforts in surround-
ing regions to reduce the impact
war has had upon the people of Syria
and bring some personal stability.
People and partners
It was difficult to find Trustees, but by
September of 2014 we had 3 Trustees:
a lawyer, 2 referees, and several vol-
unteers. Our launch at the University and we encourage you to
of Kent in March 2014 was pivotal. We
continue to think of Kent as our ancestral
homeland, with small events and good
collaborations. An example of this is the
group who showed Queens of Syria, a
highly reccommended adaption
of Euripedess anti-war play
The Trojan Women - per-
formed Syrian Refugee
women. We have also
started to work with stu-
dents and staff from Can-
terbury Christchurch. Our
Expert Witness on Syria is a
Lecturer at Christchurch, and we are
very grateful to her. We take
our responsibilities seri-
ously. Our Facebook page
reflects these concerns,
like it if you havent already.
Simply search for A Village In Syria.

Local people, and Trusts, support us. Canopy, based at Cityspace in

Canterbury, is a good example. Whitstable Solidarity are also friends. When
we travel, to Calais, Greece or Turkey, people follow our reports and offer
support. Working with refugees can be very stressful. Soon we will visit the
project in Turkey and will need this support again.
 Spring 2017 Newsletter 3

Our work

A special thank you

We like to post cartoons, maps, statistics, and
stories from around the world on Facebook.
This extends our reach, and perhaps our Mail
Bag. We get fairly routine inquiries about where
to deliver clothes, wheelchairs and the like. Our to James Allens
Girls School
network of contacts with refugee agencies is a
big help.
Recently, an unusual call started with Are you
DEC? (The Disasters Emergency Committee).
The material on our website had appealed to a
school. The concept of a Village does intrigue
and appeal; it seems manageable, even personal,
amongst the sea of suffering.
We remain an all-volunteer, small-scale chari-
ty, much given to robust discussion, with a wide
base of experts to call on. Graduates of all dis-
ciplines, such as Digital Arts and Literature, are
enthusiastic to help out and
we welcome volunteers from
any field of expertise, and lo-
cation. One of our translators
lives in Saudi Arabia, and our
Facebook followers are world-
wide - including New Zealand.
We aim to be inclusive and
welcoming.

Join us by liking A Village in Syria on

Facebook! Thanks to the generosity of James Allens Girls School, four
more girls can go to the summer program. Based on numeracy,
literacy, and cooking - the programme gives refugees the skills
they otherwise would not have access to in the current cli-
mate. We are very grateful for their support in this venture and
look forward to establishing further contact with the school,
providing details of how their funding has helped change lives.

If you are an organisation that would like to donate, or simply

want further information about our cause, please contact:

avillageinsyria@gmail.com
@AVillageInSyria

We would like to thank our charitable friends for their extensive efforts

Thank you!

Canopy at Cityspace Whitstable Solidarity

4 A Village In Syria
Volunteering
with A Village In
Syria
Two of our volunteers at the University of Kent
speak of their experience.
Working with A Village in Syria has been a unique ex-
perience. When I first joined, I expected to be doing the
usual fundraising activities youd do in a charity. Whilst I
have done some of that here, Ive also been introduced
to much more creative and interesting ways to spread
awareness. The Exhibition Philanthropy and A Village
in Syria in the Gulbenkian Gallery was a great way to
show people the goals of the charity in a visual way. The
song was another medium I would have never thought
about, and was also a great way to evoke different emo-
tions in people. I look forward to seeing what else is
planned!
- Keleisha, UKC
If youd like to dedicate your time and skillset, please contact avillageinsyria@gmail.com
We appreciate any time you can give us to help our cause
Volunteering for AVIS has been a fulfilling experience
to say the least. My initial motivation to volunteer with
AVIS was altruistic: I wanted to do something to help
Syrian individuals suffering during the conflict. Howev-
er, I also have a keen interest in the protection of human
rights, so I wanted to develop my knowledge about the
Syrian conflict.
Fortunately for me, I learned more than I could have
ever imagined. Before volunteering for AVIS I thought
fleeing the conflict was naturally the best option for all
of Syrias citizens who were experiencing the traumat-
ic events taking place. However, volunteering for AVIS
has taught me that the experience of displacement for
some Syrian refugees actually carries a number of great-
er troubles.
For some refugees, fleeing the conflict is the best op-
tion, despite the possible loss of education, careers,
homes and so many other vital commodities that create
a good quality of life. However, with the support of AVIS
who provide basic welfare supplies, civilians in the vil-
lage can sustain life as part of a long-lasting community
in their home country.
As well as being intellectually fulfilling, I also gained
several personal skills whilst volunteering for AVIS.
During the collection stall event at Canterbury Christ
Church, I was encouraged to talk to other students
and welcome them to sign up to the Newsletter. I was
nervous and apprehensive about doing this at first, but
once I started - I enjoyed the experience. I gained con-
fidence in speaking to strangers and I learnt that dis-
cussing human rights issues with anyone (and not just
people on my course) can be enjoyable. Where human
rights issues are concerned, most of us have something
in common.
Furthermore, when I attended student association
meetings, there was a welcoming atmosphere. This al-
lowed me to gain confidence in articulating myself and
expressing my ideas. In fact, I was even able to suggest
that we carry out a fundraising event on campus this
semester!
- Matt, UKC
 Spring 2017 Newsletter 5

SUMMER PROGRAMME FOR TEENAGE GIRLS IN ANTAKYA, TURKEY

14 April 2017

Dear all,

We have a project which we think you will be interested in - a three-month programme to give Teenage Refugee
Girls in Antakya, Turkey, the basic skills to start up their own businesses. The programme will include Literacy
(many of the girls have been out of school for five years); Numeracy - vital skills for business and Cooking which
will open up a range of options for them. They will be able to support their families with the skills they learn, and
the finance gained from it.

Please take a look at our website and you will see details of the project. Each place on the three-month project
costs 250.

We would be very happy if you could assist us with this ambitious project. Firefly have been working in Antakya
for one year and also run projects in Bosnia and Palestine. Their projects always use local people and local
organisations. In Antakya they have already employed seven Syrian refugees for their Activity Centre and will start
an additional teacher for the Summer Programme.

We know there are thousands of Syrian refugees in Antakya. Only 10% of the 2.9 million Syria refugees are in
camps. The others live in cities and quickly run through the savings they have brought. Destitution is sadly all too
common.

The Programme will start in June; registration and enrolment has already started. A Village in Syria and Firefly will
be in Antakya in May, to evaluate the project and see what more we can help with. Please feel free to ask
questions, but the trip will be in May, so we dont have too much time.

All Good Wishes

Rosemary Berry

Trustee, A Village in Syria

Charity No: 1158494 Scottish Charity No: SC 028744

www.avillageinsyria.org www.fireflyinternational.org
15 Cowper Close 27a Royal Terrace
Whitstable Edinbugh
CT5 2NS EH7 5AH
6 A Village In Syria
Travel The Orontes River
T he river Orontes rises in Leb-
anon and flows through Homs
then Hama, flowing north. The river
is mainly used for irrigation purpos-
es with several agricultural projects
planned in Lebanon, Syria and Tur-
key. Water quality at the headwaters
is generally good, but deteriorates in
the middle and lower reaches of the
river due to agricultural, urban and
industrial activities.
The fertile valley of the Orontes
has provided sustenance, inspiration
and recreation for many centuries.
Amongst other crops and fruits, mul-
berries were grown for silk worms.
Hand-printed silk could be bought in
Aleppo.
In its middle and lower reaches, the
Orontes is heavily polluted with un-
treated effluents that are directly dis-
charged into the riverbed. Syria and
Turkey have not resolved the ques-
tion of the disputed coastal province
of Hatay (Iskenderun) through which
the Orontes exits to the Mediterra-
nean Sea.
Before it was drained, Lake Amik
(Amuq) was a large freshwater lake
within the Orontes Basin, in Hatay
Province. Draining and land recla-
mation around the lake began in the
1940s, specifically for cotton produc-
tion and to eradicate malaria.
In the second half of the 1960s, the
State Hydraulic Works (DSI) initiated
a major drainage project, channelling
the lakes tributaries, the Karasu and
Unravelling cocoons for silk
Friendship planned
the Afrin, as well as other rivers, di-
rectly to the Orontes River. By the
1970s, Lake Amik had completely
disappeared. Today, Hatay Airport is
located on land that once lay at the
bottom of the lake.
Turkey is blessed with an abundant
supply of fresh water. The Ataturk
dam, part of a project to control the
Tigris and Euphrates, is testimony to
political and economic aspects of wa-
ter management. It is said Turkey can
control the water flowing into Syria
and Iraq for up eight months in order
to regulate their political behaviour.
History of the Orontes river basin
Needless to say, fertile land has al-
ways been contested, and has many
historical associations, such as Masyaf
castle, near Hama, in the Orontes val-
ley, home of the legendary assassins.
More benign, but equally stunning,
is [was] Qalat Siman the great Mon-
astery of St. Simeon, claimed by the
guide books to be in both Syria and
Turkey. Sadly, it has been badly dam-
aged by the conflict.
On the map below, note the words
Friendship planned on the river, just
to east of Antakya. The plan refers to
a dam: based on friendship between
Syria and Turkey. That moment has
not yet arrived, but it is one that we
hope will come to be in the years to
come. Unity, worldwide, should be
the aim in the coming era.

Antakya: our next stop
A city now part of Turkey, after a brief period as the Hatay Independant Republic
Built on the site of ancient Antioheia
ad Orontem (Antioch on the river
Orontes*) Antakya, officially known
as Hatay, is a prosperous and mod-
ern city near the Syrian border. Un-
der the Romans, Antiochs important
Christian community developed out
of the already large Jewish popula-
tion, at one time led by St. Paul. To-
day, Antakya is home to a mixture of
faiths - Sunni, Alevi and Orthodox
Christian. It has a cosmopolitan and
civilised air.
Locals call their hometown Baris
Sehri (City of Peace). In the ecumeni-
cal city of Antakya youll find at least
five different religions and sects rep-
resented within a couple of blocks
Skeins of raw silk, Orontes Valley
of each other. The Arab influence
permeates local life, food and lan-
guage; indeed the city only became
part of Turkey in 1939 after centuries
conjoined in some form or other, to
Syria. However, this is not the Syrian
version of events, which refers to an-
nexation, or land grab.
A souk for cotton or silk
Spring 2017 Newsletter 7
Most visitors come to Antakya, now
a city of one million, to see its ar-
chaeology museum or as pilgrims.
The Assi (or Orontes) is an attraction
too. The name Assi means rebel as
the river flows from south to north.
A stroll along the Orontes (Assi) into
the bazaars and lanes, explores an
underrated jewel of the Turkish Med-
iterranean. Refugees are less likely to
visit the Museum of Archaeology,
containing one of the worlds finest
collections of Roman and Byzantine
mosaics, covering a period from the
1st century AD to the 5th century. In
Crusader times there was extensive
trade in silk and other textiles. The
city was known for production and
trade.
Unravelling cocoons
8 A Village In Syria

The Refugee Crisis

T here are around approximately 30 million
refugees worldwide. Most of them have fled
their homes to live in neighbouring countries and
situation is perilous: hunger, cold and illness being
only three of their trials, the security situation
seems intractable.
in desperate conditions. For example, of Syrian
refugees who have fled, approximately 3% of Nevertheless, these people are survivors. We
them have come to Europe. The vast majority are told this husband and wife team, now in their
have stayed in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Egypt. 80s, and very frail, are hanging on, supported by
an exceptionally resilient family.
Migreurop are a fairly radical French organisation.
They produce very powerful maps. This one
shows where refugees are being detained, and
how many. Its a terrible fate for people who may
have travelled thousands of miles, looking for
safety and freedom.

Epic journeys from Syria were not what we wished

to encourage. We adopted the slogan Helping
Syrians to stay in Syria and only once did people
from the village ask for our help to leave the
relative safety of their homes and make the epic
journey. It was a request we had no resources to
help with.
Our sadness at not being able to help our village
is furthered by the news: More old people have
died because of the cold, hunger and illness but,
there are some 306 people in the village, mostly
women and children, of whom about 12 are from
other villages. As discussed elsewhere, their
Syrian refugees in Turkey and Algeria
We are told by Algerian students at Christ Church
that the Syrian refugees in their country can be
pitiful. They live from hand-to-
mouth and try to earn some
cash from selling tissues. This
photo created quite a scandal
in Turkey. The Syrian boy was
chased out of a shop, but his
photo was taken and posted on
Twitter. There was sympathy for
the boy.
 Lets talk money
A look at our finances over the last six months
Spring 2017 Newsletter 9

Transfers for Syria

15,500 in total has been sent for the village.
The money was sent to Turkey, for goods
to be bought and taken to the village. It has
never been possible for us to send money
directly to Syria. More transfers would have
been made, but sending support to them had
become extremely difficult and the present
political situation makes it impossible. We
have kept the money sent for specific proj-
ects in the village in the hope that we will be Income
able to send it to them later.

Business Advisors
Our Financial Review gives details of income and ex-
penditure. It also shows the monies from our Collect-
ing Boxes. Here we introduce our Business Advisors,
who work from HIVE (the Hub for Innovation and
Enterprise). Whilst, it may seem unusual for a charity
to have a Business Advisor, its very important that
the charity gets sound advice, from someone outside
the day-to-day operations.

Our advisor for the last 2 years was John Earl, who
worked from HIVE (the Hub for Innovation and En-
terprise) at Kent University. John suggested putting

Expenditure all the project ideas together, in one building, the

Community Centre. The idea was well received in the
village, and inspired the plans donated by the engi-
neer-architect team.
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart to an-
nounce that John, the inspiration for this project, died
from cancer on Boxing Day 2016. We are happy to
have a new Business Advisor, Bill Fox, who also works
from HIVE, and sees us on a pro bono basis. He is
currently helping us with the Summer Programme in
Antakya.
10 A Village In Syria

Managing PTSD
PTSD is an emotional condition from which it is possible to make a completely satisfactory recovery

I ts quite logical to say that

every Syrian refugee has
suffered trauma. Some may
have experienced more
trauma than others. Some
may also have fewer coping
mechanisms than others.

How can their resilience

be restored? One way is
simply talking with other
individuals who are in a
similar position. Together
the refugees can share
their experiences and
their bonding is enhanced.
However, considering the
scale of the problem and
the fact we are dealing
with children/young people
different, interventions may
be helpful.
Firefly International have
experience of childrens
trauma in Bosnia and
Palestine. They provide
humanitarian aid including
mental health development
to train new teachers who
can continue the work, and
evidence-based research, to
back up claims that educa-
tion improves the mental
health of victims.
Snakes and Ladders, Some people may finish
the well-known board the game in four moves,
game, exemplifies many others never finish the
of the characteristics of game.
recovery.
Recovery is not smooth
A series of ladders helps or predictable, it will
the adult /child towards incorporate a wealth of
recovery. However stages. The end goal,
between these ladders however, is statistically
are snakes, which may reachable by any and all.
hinder the victims This is the ultimate goal,
chances of moving and a number of active
forward. Instead they steps can be conducted
go backwards to square to edge closer and
one, only to re-experi- closer to this final goal,
ence previous anguish in order to recover from
and turmoil. PTSD.

!!!!!!
Some dos for the child
- Do talk about what has happened to
you
- Do accept sadness and crying as
normal, especially in the early stages of
shock
- Do try to control panic and fear by
whatever means you know
Some donts for the child
- Dont be afraid to show your feelings;
talk through any flashbacks
- Dont be surprised if their feelings go
up and down. Anger and irritability are
normal
- Dont expect bad memories to vanish,
but manage them
 Spring 2017 Newsletter 11

The story is similar in other cess of 100,000 landmines

liberated towns and villag- across Iraq and Syriathe
es across Iraq and Syria. largest arsenal of improvised
As they retreated, the mines ever seen by MAG (the
jihadists booby-trapped British NGO Mines Advisory
homes, schools, hospitals Group). Wars at the end of
and mosques. They also the 20th century brought a
left improvised landmines surge in the use of landmin-
across vast tracts of land, es. By the mid-1990s, the
extending for dozens of ki- weapons were killing roughly
lometres. The territory once 26,000 people every year.
occupied by IS is now one That number dropped sharp-

S cenes of jubilation greet-

ed Kurdish-led forces
Landmines
This article is reprinted from The Economist (April 1st, 2017)

when they routed Islamic
State fighters from Manbij in
northern Syria last August.
Women set fire to the long
black veils the jihadists had
forced them to wear, men
shaved off the beards they
had been obliged to grow.
One old woman was pho-
tographed puffing merrily
on a cigarette, an activity
punishable with prison in the
caliphate. For many, howev-
er, the giddy joy of liberation
soon gave way to tragedy.
The amount of land IS con-
trols is shrinking in both Iraq
and Syria, but the group still
kills and maims, even in areas
it no longer occupies. Within
ten days of Manbijs libera-
tion, booby-traps and mines
had killed 29 people, accord-
ing to the Syrian Institute
for Justice: an independent
NGO.
of the most heavily mined ly after the Ottawa Treaty,
regions on earth. The clean- which banned them, in 1999
up will cost millions and last (see chart). IS has reversed
decades. the trend. Casualties are
Among the hardest triggers rising once again, funding
to spot are tiny crush-wire for mine clearance is at its
deviceslengths of copper lowest for years. We are
wire covered in dirt or plaster witnessing a new emergen-
and scattered across streets, cy on a scale not seen since
often disguised to look like the historic ban to landmines
small stones. Dead bodies [assisted by Princess Diana]
have also been rigged to 20 years ago.
explode. How do you warn Syria, is the extraordi-
people about this? How do nary amount of munitions
you tell them not to go to dropped on urban areas,
schools or hospitals, not to mostly by the Syrian regime
pick up rocks or tread on and its backers. Experts be-
stones? Not to move kettles lieve clearing Syria of undet-
or sit down on sofas? onated bombs, missiles and
Booby-trapped homes are mines will take at least 30
only part of the problem. To years. The leftover explosives
defend its territory, IS has will hamper economic recov-
planted mines in thick belts ery, slow the return of ref-
that ring hundreds of villages ugees and hobble efforts to
and towns on both sides of rebuild the nation long after
the border: possibly in ex- the shooting stops.

We can also recommend Foreign Policy 10.02.17 for a chilling analysis of Malhama Tac-
tical, the worlds first jihadi private military contractor (PMC) and consulting firm, who
have worked for both sides of the Syrian conflict, mainly with jihadist groups, and cause
damage to any semblance of state or community.

These two photographs showcase the two faces of Malhama Tactical (Uzbek-led). Fight-
ing Warrior and, a little ironically, flower-lover. These fighting groups are part of New
Wars and can devastate civilian populations. For a dystopian vision of the future-pres-
ent, The coming anarchy by Robert Kaplan is a good place to start.
 12 A Village In Syria

Review: Refuge: transforming a broken refugee system

A book by Alexander Betts and Paul Collier
Reviews

I t is said that lawyers and anthro-

pologists concern themselves with
Refugee Studies, but one author is an
economist, and the other a political
scientist who is also the Director of
the Refugees Studies Centre, Oxford.
Written for a general audience, one
doesnt have to untangle terse aca-
demic prose and history. The analysis
flows fast and free. Minute details are
interwoven, references do not
overwhelm, the big picture
and the moving parts are
both elucidated. There is
no place to hide for the Gulf
States or the European Commis-
sion, to name but two. The Syrian
migrations are centre stage.
From the 1980s, a dominant inter-
national approach has been taken
towards the majority of the worlds
refugee. Concentrated in a small
number of host countries, close to war
zones, displaced people have settled in
what have become known as human
silos. Such places are usually remote,
dangerous and almost always have
strict prohibitions on socio-economic
activity. They are designed to deal only
with the emergency phase of refugee
intake, and yet the model has en-
dured, leaving individuals and families
stranded for years at a time.
This strategy undermines autonomy
and dignity. It also erodes human po-
tential by focusing almost exclusively
on peoples vulnerabilities, rather than
rebuilding their lives. Inevitably, many
of those affected become disillusioned
and choose to move on, gravitating
towards urban areas in the host nation
or risking their lives crossing oceans
to other countries. We need to rethink
the humanitarian silo. Refugees have
a right to expect a pathway to auton-
omy.
The denial of the right to work has
had catastrophic consequences for
many refugees, leading to a long-term
erosion of skills and aspirations, often
exacerbating a sense of alienation and
hopelessness. It has left refugees less
able to contribute to their host states
or to eventually rebuild their own soci-
eties, should they return home
The authors have some powerful mod-
els of how things could change, based
on pilots that have already been tried
in Jordan, where 30,000 work permits
have been allocated. EU concessions
are a key ingredient in the setting up
of Special Economic Zones. Turkey
has privileged access to the European
market: the EU lets goods produced in
Turkey enter duty-free.
There are strong chapters on the his-
tory of refugee migrations and the de-
velopment of economic models. There
is also a chapter on ethics - the duty
of rescue. Having attended lectures,
seminars and modules on refugees
and care it is a delight to read a book
based on compassion. The book is not
a dry, academic tome - it is a hand-
book for practical action.
The book has 5 stars on Amazon, and
can be bought second hand from as
little as 9.76

A moving play about the fate of
Trojan women after the sack
of Troy is emotive enough. The
slaughter of their husbands and
their own oncoming fate holds the
audience of Greek tragedy in awe of
Euripides, the playwright. Queens
of Syria builds upon the emotion of
the plight of the Trojan women and
blends with the plight of the Syrian
Queens chosen to play the charac-
ters.
The deliberate irony of the play and
its incorporation of real lives is the
chosen queens of the play are nor-
mal women of various ages. These
women have been torn from their
everyday lives, and without the ben-
efit of the play, would simply be un-
wanted refugees. Along with some
text of the original play, the women
have their own short monologues,
telling the audience of their for-
mer lives: murdered or kidnapped
relatives, or those who have become
martyrs to terrorism.
Mostly spoken in Arabic, the wom-
en of the play tell their own stories.
Near the end, the humour of one
woman illustrates the tragedy of
Queens of Syria
their situation. She repeats in En-
glish the words of people asking her
about her story such as, do you have
a mobile phone? and whats it like
being a refugee? Even with a smile
on my face with these few humours
lines, I felt a pain in my heart.
Queens of Syria is not only a clever
play blending an ancient tragedy
with the contemporary lives of Syr-
ians, it also includes Syrian women
into the discussion of their own
plight whilst bringing the rest of us
into their world, giving us a little
glimpse into it.

Review:
Syria Disappeared: The Case against Assad
Channel 4
S ara Afshar and Nicola Cutch-
ers documentary Syrias
Disappeared: The Case Against
Assad aired on Channel 4 in
March 2017. Afshar and Cutcher
capture the hidden lives of men,
women and children who are
still going missing in Syria under
the so called Assad regime, into
military detention offices. Sur-
vivors unveil the shocking truth
behind the Assad regime, with
an objective to prosecute the
perpetrator: President Bashar
Al-Assad. This is a documenta-
ry you cannot miss. Its lasting
message is to never forget the
detainees captured under the
regime.
A devastating picture is painted
of the turmoil in Syria. Since the
Arab Spring in 2011, democra-
cy and freedom were snatched
away from the people of Syria.
President Assad unleashed a
strict regime to safeguard his
reign. However, the documenta-
ry introduces the idea of justice
being served. If not now, some-
time in the future. Prosecutor
Bill Wiley was able to gain access
to abandoned evidence of the
Syrian regime, detailing mass
arrests and torture. The aim: to
If youve seen or read anything interesting that youd like to review for us, please contact us on
Facebook or at avillageinsyria@gmail.com
build a case against President
Assad with the smuggled docu-
mentation.
The treatment of detainees was
widespread, and the people
of Syria suffered physical and
psychological abuse in detention
centres, even in hospitals where
they were supposed to be treat-
ed. Amongst the regime was a
Cesar, a defector who disclosed
photographic evidence record-
ing 6,700 corpses in regime
custody.
This is but a taste of the terrors
unleashed under the Assad re-
gime. There may be many more
people who have disappeared,
never to be seen or heard from
again. One prisoner, Mansour
Omar (pictured above) gave
his testimony as a former pris-
oner under the regime. Omar
wanted to ensure the names of
prisoners werent forgotten and
to ensure the detainees families
were informed. Together with
his cell mates they found a way
to record all the names of the
prisoners in his cell, on pieces of
rag cloth, written in their own
blood. He managed to smuggle
the rag, which carried the list
of prisoners who were brutally
13
Spring 2017 Newsletter
Reviews
tortured under the regime.
Amongst others who gave
testimony was former captive
Mazen Alhummuda, a human
rights activist. He gave shocking
details about his inhumane and
brutal torture, both physical
and psychological. His strength
and agility to survive and bring
Assad to justice are remarkable.
He has made it his lifes mission
to hold Assad to account for his
crimes.
Afshar and Cutcher brilliantly
expose the truth behind the
regime and undermine Presi-
dent Assads defences against
the allegations that he imposed
systematic torture on his people,
sometimes within a kilometre
of his palace. The documentary
should lead us all to question
whether history has repeated
itself; whether Assad will be held
to account for the mass genocide
he has committed and whether
the international community
will intervene. Up till now he has
been protected by the interna-
tional community for fear of
finding something worse. You
can watch the documentary on
Channel 4 catch up and decide
for yourself.
14 A Village In Syria

Education for Refugees

There are 2.7 million Syrian refugees living in Turkey,
of whom 200,000 live in Antakya.

This project will enable teenage

girls aged 13 -17 years, that have Firefly International recruit and
been damaged by their experi- train local teachers.
ences of conflict, to learn skills
that will enable them to supple- Crystallizing fruit is a skill, a craft,
ment family incomes a livelihood.

Working with Firefly Interna- Each place on the three-month

tional, the girls will have a three- project costs 250.
month programme of literacy,
numeracy and cooking. It is The programme will start in June.
centred on a refugee community
displaced by the devastating civil
war in Syria who are now living
in Antakya, Turkey.

Contributors
Thank you everyone for their time,
effort and content!

Rosemary Berry Philipp Liegmann

Lynn Blackmore Saga Radh
Maria Chalmers (Firefly) Keleisha Robinson
Juliana Guger Zarina Sohail
Matt Peregrine Christopher Trillo
Our Expert Witness Tobi Yasin
Our Translator

Website: Holly Yelland

Editors: Zarina Sohail, Sunny Singh
Design & Publishing: Sunny Singh