Suheyl Mahmoud Abu Riyad, who is an employee in a hotel, lost his brother during a bombardment. And he brought along his family and came to Turkey.
Suheyl Mahmoud Abu Riyad: I am from Masharka neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria. I used to work in a three-star hotel in the Bab-el Farac neighborhood of Aleppo. I am 30 years old. I am married and father of 2 children. I graduated from high school in Aleppo. After the military service, I found a job and started to work in a hotel. We are a poor family, my father and my brothers work in wholesale market hall. Some family members, on the other hand, repair shoes and work in similar jobs. As the hotel is located in the center of Aleppo and I have been working here for a long time, I talk to people from various nations. I speak Turkish and English at a basic level. But I know Arabic language and literature very well, and besides I am good at preparing appetizers and have an expertise in hotel and tourism sector.
ORSAM: Could you tell us about your life before the civil war in Syria, what you went through during the civil war and the reasons why you came to Turkey?
Suheyl Mahmoud Abu Riyad: I had a peaceful life, and a house of mine; but my family had hard times when the civil war broke out, and our neighborhood was bombed. One of my brothers was killed, and I had to look after my 3 half-orphan nephews and my brother's wife.
I was determined not to leave Aleppo no matter what happens. As the bombardments became ore frequent, and more and more people were killed, I had to leave my country as there was no trade income anymore, and I changed my mind and decided to come to Turkey. I brought my family, my widow brother's wife and my half-orphan nephews and we all came to Turkey. As my father and all my other brothers had come to Turkey months ago, they had already settled in the tent-city in Kilis. But I rent an apartment in Reyhanlı as I could not get used to the idea of staying in tent city.
I drove to Turkey in my old-model Skoda car. I carry Syrians, loads etc. sometimes within the city and sometimes from the city to villages. I gave my telephone number to all Syrians, and they call me when there is a need to carry things, and thus I make my living in Turkey. I cannot go back to Syria until things settle down in Syria. I hope we have the freedom you have here, because what matters is to live in freedom.
* This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar in Reyhanlı district of Hatay on 6 December
2012.
