Muhsin Ali Zeki-Abu Farac, a tradesman in Aleppo, had to migrate to Turkey when the living conditions became harsh in the city.
Muhsin Ali Zeki-Abu Farac: I am from Masharka neighborhood of Aleppo in Syria. I sell woman-children clothes and cosmetics. I am 48 years old. I have 5 children.
ORSAM: Could you tell us about your experiences in Syria and the reasons why you came to Turkey?
Muhsin Ali Zeki-Abu Farac: My store is close to Emevi Mosque in grand bazaar. When the bazaar was bombed, the mosque was also bombed. Then Jaish al-Hur seized the control of the area. As the air attack continued, the bazaar went to rack and ruin. All the stores in the area were destroyed and ruined. Some of them were plundered. During those bombardments, my uncle and niece were trapped in the wreckage and died.
Firstly wired telephone service was cut, then the electricity. As we could not use the mobile phones that ran out of battery, we could not communicate through them. Bazaar is closed, bakeries are closed, groceries are closed. There is trade only in the areas where Syrian regular army seizes control. In the area where Jaish al-Hur seize the control, there is no shopping opportunity. Because the area where Jaish al-Hur seize control is constantly bombed. Syrian regular army dominates one third of Aleppo. In other words, trade came to a stop in two thirds of the city. The people who are locked in their homes due to the bombardment are hungry and miserable. Those who live in the areas where Bashar seizes control can meet all their needs. Our fellow citizens coming from those areas bring food and sell here. However, everything is too expensive. Everything went on the black market. My elder son is married with 2 children. When the whole family started to live on my savings, we became miserable in economic terms. We had to migrate to Turkey. We settled in the tent city. We won't return to Syria until peace is brought about here.
* This interview was made by Feyyat Özyazar in Reyhanlı district of Hatay, on 5 November 2012.
