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On Feb. 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the northern and western regions of Syria and Turkey. This event is said to be the worst natural disaster to hit both nations in over 200 years, resulting in over 46,000 deaths. Syria was especially affected because of the limited response in the 72 hours after the earthquake, considered the most crucial. Syria received limited support and aid from international organizations, while Syrian people rushed to help each other out of the rubble and chaos.

In 2011, the United States imposed sanctions on Syria, an attempt to limit the regime’s resources in hopes of ceasing violent activities against civilians and to pressure the government into agreeing to be democratically run. But these actions limited aid in the wake of the earthquakes, only causing more harm throughout Syria.

“The sanctions have mainly hurt the Syrian people, particularly in terms of access to basic necessities such as food, medicine, medical care, and fuel,” said Rania Habib, associate professor of linguistics and Arabic at Syracuse University. The sanctions have been in place for 12 years, have proven to be ineffective and are instead cruel and criminal, with the conflict in Syria only getting worse.

While international organizations are delayed in bringing supplies to the region, local groups are at the forefront. The White Helmets, a Syrian defense group, recruited over 3,000 volunteers to rescue people from under the rubble in the harsh weather for over 50 hours straight. The White Helmets continuously show up on the front lines ready to help in times of tragedy.

The sad reality is that many of us Syrians have families that were affected by the earthquake firsthand.

During the first hours of the earthquake, I was unable to contact my family back in Syria as the power lines were down, I was living in a state of fear and only thinking of the worst. I kept imagining my grandparent’s house collapsing as I watched the news show picture after picture of demolished homes. I felt guilty and helpless, wondering how I could help.

Habib’s brother and his family live in the regions that were struck by the earthquake and are not able to return to their building as it could collapse at any moment.

Nidaa Aljabbarin’s uncle also lived in the affected areas and witnessed the deaths of many victims. He used his bare hands to dig out people from the rubble.

Syrians in the U.S. have escaped the physical effects of the earthquake, but mentally, many are still trapped. Aljabbarin claims that many Syrian patients have reported to a clinic with an increase in bad habits like smoking following the earthquake due to stress and anxiety. Many of them faced episodes of panic and hysteria thinking that it could’ve been them or their children stuck under concrete. Aljabbarin recalled how “the rubbles and destroyed buildings gave me flashbacks to the war.”

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Habib values the importance of discussing topics like sanctions, wars and hardships in her classes because of their influence on her home and the region.

Such individuals are active members of the Syracuse community. Abdulwahed Idrees is a junior at SU majoring in Biology and a Certified Surgical Technician at Crouse Health Hospital. Nidaa Aljabbarin received her degree in Biology and is pursuing the medical field. She is currently working at Upstate Medical University Hospital as a Research Support Specialist for refugees.

Both Idrees and Aljabbarin came to the U.S. years ago and their work in the community has been outstanding.

Professor Habib is also originally from Syria and the Coordinator of the Arabic Program, the General Graduate Advisor of the Linguistics Studies Program and a core member of the SU Language Matters Research Initiative.

We, especially Americans, tend to remove ourselves from such issues. However, we must recognize that our government’s punishments directly underdeveloped and destabilized these countries, Syria especially. And as seen in this crisis, the executive order declared by Congress has “exacerbated [Syrian’s] suffering.”

At the local level, it is important to support such people in times of crisis, and value the role they play in the community. Aljabbarin said “having a supportive environment at work that asked about my family and showed me support helped me feel better.”

However, the lack of education and information makes it challenging to engage in such conversations. Tension builds as we feel unheard, making it hard to build a connection as one community. Abdulwahed Idrees, a junior at SU studying biology, said “people may not be fully aware of the extent of the human suffering, displacement and destruction caused by the conflict.”

Personally, it makes me question my role as a storyteller. I enjoy being involved in the community and helping those in need, however I feel that my work is pointless if I am not talking about my home country. Being in school when everyone else was ignoring the disaster was unbearable. I couldn’t pretend that I wasn’t hurting. The ignorance about the hardships in the Middle East makes me feel excluded from my current community. It is negatively affecting my attendance and performance at school as I don’t feel the support from my teachers and classmates.

“The lack of awareness about what is going on in Syria limits my ability to engage with a diverse audience in the community who may lack basic knowledge of the conflict and the current earthquakes and their disastrous impact on the Syrian people,” Habib said.“It also limits my ability to advocate for the devastated Syrian population and to engage effectively in discussions and informed political discourse.”

I encourage people, especially students, to learn more about the Middle East. Being aware of the conflicts is an effective way of helping as it allows you to better understand what people from those regions have lived through and how such a large power like the U.S. has contributed to it. Beyond the wars and the conflicts, Syria has a deep culture and a variety of traditions to offer that need to be valued and are worth learning about.

Habib said that “it is important to remember Syria’s rich cultural and historical heritage, and to recognize the resilience and strength of the Syrian people. Syria is home to diverse landscapes, including mountains, desert, and coastal regions. The Syrian people come from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds and are known for their hospitality and warmth towards visitors, which they continue to show despite the ongoing conflict.”

There is a lot of beauty to appreciate despite the ugliness of the destroyed buildings. There is so much life, despite all the death, which I find inspiring. Syrians are not people known to give up easily.

There are many ways to help. “Reach out to your Syrian neighbors, ask how they are and ask about their families,” Aljabbarin suggested.

Other ways include donating. Aljabbarin raised $970 with the Muslim Student Association and sent the donations to her uncle to help those in need. The money was used to purchase food for the victims and provided some families with $20 each to help purchase a tent, diapers or a heater.

Carry The Future is a local non-profit organization that helps refugees in need, where you can donate or volunteer your time. You can also directly donate to the White Helmets to provide them with safer equipment to extract people from under the rubble faster and decrease the risks. The Syrian American Medical Society Foundation provides direct funding for those who need it. There are hundreds of organizations you can support.

For those unable to donate, please spread awareness as it is just as important. As Idrees said, “by sharing information about the situation in Syria and the impact of the earthquake on social media or other platforms, individuals can help raise awareness and encourage others to take action to support Syrians.”

Alaa Laila, Syracuse City School student

Published on February 22, 2023 at 11:34 pm