An Interview with Taim who came from Syria to Turkey and moved in Reyhanlı district of Hatay
Taim, who is an undergraduate, lost his two sisters and was injured in the attack carried out on his village by the Syrian army. His left leg and the front of his right leg were cut. He came to Turkey for treatment.
ORSAM: Could you tell us about yourself and your life in Syria before the civil war?
Taim: My name is Taim. I am 20 years old. I am an undergraduate student. I am originally from Idlib, but I reside in Aleppo.
As everybody says, we lived in safety beforehand. But not freely. We needed freedom. We did not have even our most basic rights. Therefore, it was essential to make a revolution. We had to change these current circumstances. However, nobody even imagined that it would lsat this long. The regime resorted to various diabolical methods to survive. The regime used all kind of weapons.
ORSAM: What are the reasons that drove you to participate in the revolution?
Taim: The primary reason is the conflicts that took place in Daraa, Homs and other provinces of Syria. In the first place, I participated in peaceful demonstrations that were launched in universities. The security forces resorted to various methods to stop us such as opening fire on us. I participated in demonstrations on a regular basis. At the end, I was arrested by the Military Security Forces. I was investigated. I was subjected to severe and violent tortures. Eventually, I had to admit everything. Then they took me to central jail. After being arrested for seven days, I was released on bail of 20.500 SYP. We had to give 10.000 SYP as bribe in order to be released.
During the imprisonment, I was sent to various departments. Finally, I was sent to criminal investigation department. I was subjected to the most severe tortures. Similarly, I was forced to sign the documents they wanted me to sign. When I was sent to prosecutor, I wanted him to see the torture marks on my body. But the prosecutor did not do anything.
After being released, I lay sick at home for 20 days. Then I prepared for my exams at university. When I went to university to enter exams, I saw that Shabiha and security forces were waiting in front of the department with lists in their hands. My name was also on those lists as I had been arrested. I was able to enter exams on condition that I would not participate in anti-regime demonstrations.
When the exams were over, I went back to Idlib. I did not go back to Aleppo in order not to be arrested again. The tortures I was subjected to created fear on me. I did not set foot outside. I did not take part in any of the activities of the revolution. But I struggled for freedom inside. I stayed in Idlib for 3 months. The pro-regime army was deployed near our village. A bomb attack was held on a village in our neighborhood. Therefore, the Free Syrian Army decided to carry out an attack against the army in our neighborhood. However, somebody betrayed and leaked information. And when the regime learned about the plan, the regime forces started to drop bombs on our village. My two sisters were martyrized during the attack. And I was injured. One of my sisters studied at university and the one was at high school. They cut my left leg and the front of my right leg. I have been undergoing a treatment in Turkey.
ORSAM: What is the memory that affected you most deeply in Syria?
Taim: I cannot get the days I was tortured out of my mind. Those were really hard times. I can never forget that a 75 year-old man was tortured and he was forced to admit that he had killed 1000 soldiers and exploded 30 tanks. He is still under arrest.
Another man at the age of 50s was severely tortured on the ground that he sheltered the members of the Free Syrian Army, despite the fact that he was Christian. He couldn't walk because of the torture he was subjected to. I helped him. One day, “The hardest part is not the torture, but the fact that security members at the age of my children swore at me and insulted,” he said to me.
ORSAM: What do you think about sectarianism?
Taim: In Syria, we have always considered Alawites superior. Alawites are appointed to all state institutions. They worked at their will. They quit if they did not like the conditions. In other words, they had never had any problems. We, on the other hand, could never raise our voice. We have never had any problem with other sects.
ORSAM: What is your opinion about the latest approach of Muaz Khatib?
Taim: I think that it was not a convenient approach. Because, the regime attaches importance to neither Muaz Khatib, nor his approach. The Free Syrian Army has been taking important steps. There is no point in negotiating with the regime.
The only thing this approach has achieved is the fact that the buck was passed to Muaz Khatib again. Because the regime is not stepping back. And the regime will maintain this attitude.
ORSAM: How do you assess those developments?
Taim: No matter how the developments are concluded, what really matters is for everybody to receive what they deserve and for murderers to be punished.
*This interview was conducted by Lina Zekeriya Saguj in Reyhanlı district of Hatay on 22 February 2013.
