What to expect: a Syrian refugee’s story

As Canada prepares for the arrival of Syrian refugees, one man’s story helps citizens from both sides of the border know what to expect

On the third day at sea between the port of Alexandria, Egypt, and Reggio di Calabria, Italy, an enraged storm overtook the ship. The clouds were black, the winds howled and 12-foot waves toppled over on the deck housing hundreds of cramped people.

“I still dream about that night,” said Mohammad Shaa over a Skype call. Shaa is a Syrian refugee who escaped to the Netherlands last year. “Everyone was crying, even grown men. People were sliding into each other as the boat went like this—” he said, bending his arm at a 45-degree angle.

The scariest part, he recalled, was when the captain called the Italian coast guard for help. After receiving the coordinates, the coast guard said they wouldn’t be able to reach them in the storm; the ship would have to wait. The captain with 30 years of experience burst into tears.

“Please, please just come here,” cried the captain. “We are dying, we won’t last another hour!”

That was when it really set in for Shaa and the people on board: they were going to die.

“I still dream about that night… Everyone was crying, even grown men.”

Then things changed

By some miracle, however, the storm suddenly stopped.

“It was like you had your life again, it was amazing,” said Shaa. “Everybody was so happy to live, because you get another day. We didn’t know if we’d be saved yet, but we got another day to live.”

Shaa eventually got to the Netherlands where, after six months in refugee camps, he is now a resident. He has been taking Dutch lessons so that he will be allowed to work.

Shaa is one of four million Syrian refugees who have been trying to escape conflict. He was a dental technician in the prosperous and modern city of Homs before it became the centre-point of the Syrian civil war.

Then, he said, people started to disappear. You wouldn’t leave your house for fear of bullets. You wouldn’t talk to anyone for fear of being associated with rebel fighters. He is still so afraid of regime militants that his name has been changed upon request in case anyone links him to his remaining family members in Syria.

While Shaa, like most fleeing Syrians, sought shelter in nearby countries in the Arabic and European world, soon 25,000 refugees will find their new home much farther away: in Canada.

Political promises, public pushback

As promised by the Liberal government, Canada is opening its borders to Syrian refugees. In a recent announcement it was noted that plans had been altered so that only 10,000 will be transported by the end of 2015, and the additional 15,000 by the end of February 2016.

In light of the Paris attacks, however, many Canadians have expressed concerns about Syrians. One Alberta woman—simply known as Natalie S.—started a petition to halt the process altogether. So far the petition has over 44,000 signatures.

Small hate crimes have started against Muslims around Ottawa, including hate mail and posters around the Hurdman bus station that read “Islam is a failed attempt at relgion [sic].”

James Milner, an associate professor at Carleton University and former refugee consultant to the United Nations, said these fears are unfounded.

“The security screening undertaken by the government of Canada is extremely rigorous; it involves the RCMP, CSIS and the Canada Border Services—and that is just on our side,” said Milner.

He also noted that the queue for incoming refugees is so long, that if anyone had militant agendas they simply would not bother, especially considering the rigorous interviews and testing that are required.

As for the pushback against Muslims, Ottawa Imam Imtiaz Ahmed simply shrugged.

“There’s bound to be a backlash,” said Ahmed. “People do have concerns and a flux of refugees is coming from abroad and that might result in racism and all kinds of things… it comes as a package.”

He noted that the petition simply adheres to Canadians’ right to have their voices heard, and at least they are doing it peacefully.

“… A flux of refugees is coming from abroad and that might result in racism and all kinds of things… It comes as a package”

A survivor’s advice

From across the world, Shaa  also wanted to put his piece in about his homeland and his people.

“I just want you to know,” Shaa said. “That Syria is a very developed country… and Syrian people, too, are very well educated. They want to work, they love to work. Nobody just wants to get some help from the government and just live like this.”

He said that often times many Syrians get frustrated from the sudden poverty, starvation, and loss of esteem that comes with refugee status. Educated people are often told that they must forget their degrees and work as cleaners. He asks that governments and citizens be patient with newcomers as they adjust to a very different, very new life.

Shaa also advised incoming refugees to also hold that same patience.

“People don’t have to help us, but it is humanitarian,” said Shaa. “This is something you shouldn’t complain about because you don’t have the right to ask anything from them, they didn’t do anything to you…This is not your country, they are not your people. They just did it because they are a good people here. They are a very good people.”

“People don’t have to help us, but it is humanitarian.”

He expressed gratefulness to all generous countries and governments, but was adamant in saying that the resettling refugees would not solve the root of the problem.

“We are the effect of the war. We are the collateral damage, we are the result of the war. Try to solve the main problem,” said Shaa. “If you solve the main problem you won’t have the result. As a government you can do a lot. Believe me, 25,000 in Canada is nothing. There are millions suffering. Millions.”

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