Had a long painful conversation today w/ an Alawi friend living in Damascus. He just wanted to vent. "Life here is disgusting. Nothing can be done. There is no point in trying to fix anything. The rich are getting richer, while the rest of us are getting poorer."
He loves boxing & was saying "in the West, if you are talented like Mohammad Ali & Tyson, you can become rich. In Syria, this only happens if you steal & willing to do criminal, really horrible things." I asked if he means what the army is doing - looting & killing, he said yes.
About the Alawi community: "The war turned people into something else. Aggressive, angry, willing to commit crimes. So many grew up poor & are willing to kill just to gain wealth. They won't let anyone stand in their way."
He sees the behavior of the sect as defensive. "If you put a cat, even if its beautiful and loving cat and you put it in the corner and you try to hit it, it will become vicious and try to defend itself." He previously told me he thinks the war was a pre-planned conspiracy.
I wrote about the Alawi community in 2019 (he's not cited because he didn't want to be interviewed at the time) nybooks.com/daily/2019/07/…
Since then, the economic gap between the rich & poor within the community, as well as disgust with the regime has only intensified.
Since then, the economic gap between the rich & poor within the community, as well as disgust with the regime has only intensified.
As the Syrian lira depreciates rapidly, families with relatives who are refugees can rely on remittances. A smaller share of Alawis fled the country compared to Sunnis or Christians, since the regime is the main cause of displacement.
Alawis, like many other Syrians, are going hungry. People who once were able to purchase necessities on the free market, now find themselves having to learn to cook the barely edible rice sold in state-subsidized shops. Apparently, washing it multiple times prior to cooking helps
Similarly to other subjects of Assad's Syria, Alawis are afraid of mobilizing & feel despondent.
Unlike many others living under regime control, Alawis continue to be deeply fearful of the prospect of state or regime collapse, seeing them as guarantors for their security.
Unlike many others living under regime control, Alawis continue to be deeply fearful of the prospect of state or regime collapse, seeing them as guarantors for their security.
