Syrian dissident jailed

I was thrilled to hear that my source’s husband in Syria has been jailed for organising demonstrations against Assad regime, yet content to hear he was alive. Houda Kassoum whom I’ve written about a few times for Radikal gave me this unexpected call last week telling me how happy she is to see her husband alive at Damascus prison. By the way, I see the need to emphasise once again that she’s OK with publicly sharing her name and surname.

Syria distancing from Turkey

I may be politically incorrect, but I love the expression ‘best enemies’ which I’ve heard used most of the time for Turkish Greek relations. But obviously it’s time use for Syrian Turkish relations as well.. Sign of an absolute failure of Turkey’s ‘zero problems policy’ which I’ve written a lot about when I was based in Beirut.
I literally was enjoying the rhetoric. The declaration of this policy has just a few months after I’ve moved to Lebanon in April 2009. Right on spot, which clearly made me feel more important than I literally was obviously. It was my first steps in journalism and it was the time my nationality valued more than my words and my ambitions. Thus, I quite liked this foreign policy game to be honest…

After 2 years, back to Istanbul what I do is to write about how this policy has literally failed.

Here is a piece I wrote for NOW Lebanon on Turkish Syrian relations: “Friends turned Foes”

 

Turkish delight for vinyl junkies

Here below is a piece I’ve written for Dust & Grooves ‘A crate diggin photo blog’ of Eilon Paz.

I was just doing my regular visits to Istanbul when I was based in Beirut. That particular night, my photographer friend Aytac has called me for this photo project knowing that it’d excite me to bits. And yes, he was right. We went to visit an ‘underground record’ collector’ Mustafa. He’s literally living in a treasure. A giant pool of excellent Turkish records…

That’s the intro of our exciting visit:

Turkish retro delights, tea cups, cigarettes and moustache – A Perfect Turkish experience

Words by Cagil M. Kasapoglu ; Photos by Eilon Paz

In the hunt of vinyl record collectors, digging into a quite suburb of Istanbul was not in the agenda yet we were not late to discover hidden Turkish retro delights that Mustafa had proudly preserved in his humble basement. Stepping down on a narrow stairs, we ended up in a storage-like basement with piles of records replaced on dusty wooden shelves alongside their old counterpart, a bunch of cassettes.

For the full story and amazing photos click here.

Syrian refugees ‘have gone missing’

My source at the Syrian refugee camp in Yayladagi, Houda Kassoum has previously provided me with some insight information from the camp , at the time when no journalists were allowed in. Around 2 weeks ago, my phone rang again but this time with a panicking and worried voice of her.

Begging me to find her husband, Moustafa Muhammad Kassoum who has gone missing. When I jumped into the story, I realised that her husband wasn’t the only ‘mysterious missing’ but Syrian defected military officer Lieutenant Colonel Hussein al-Harmoush was amongst them. Harmoush, has announced his split from the army at Idlib province on the 9th of June and has declared Free Syrian Army under his command. Soon after, as Houda claimed he has fled to Turkey and has been replaced in Reyhanli camp.

Houda and her family have fled to Turkey in early June. She was the close witness of civilian massacre in Jisr al Shughur. I have previously written in this blog her story and how she had left Syria…

She has praised Turkish authorities help to accommodate Syrian refugees in its territory every time we have spoken.  But this time,  her voice was concerned, doubtful and questioning…

She said, Moustafa her husband was a dissident figure in Syria and has participated in anti-regime protests which has made their way to Turkey. Soon after, he has become a well-known figure at Yayladagi Camp in Hatay since he was eager to help other refugees as well…

Sent to other camp firt

The conflict broke when a Syrian French doctor paid visit to Yayladagi, to distribute help and donate in her limited budget. Those who accused her for not distributing the aid equally has found themselves in severe fight with Moustafa who opposed them. The conflict which soon after ended when Turkish authorities moved Mustafa out of Yayladagi camp and replaced in Reyhanli. Spared from from his family, he was forced to stay in Reyhanli camp for two days, where Harmoush was living in.

Then on 28^th of August, as Houda told me, Moustafa was called in to Antakya police station for further investigation. And the last time she spoke to his husband was 4 pm the very same day. Ever since, she has been seeking for Moustafa. Houda, claims that Colonel Harmoush was called by police officers the same day as of him and has gone missing as well…

Yesterday, she has called me with the latest allegations… that Mousfata was sent back to Syria together with Colonel Harmoush… and was under custody in Damascus…

“They’ve returned him back. I know it’s not the Turkish authorities, but they say it may be Syrian intelligence…”

Her sources were not only in Syria but in London as well. Vaheed Sokur, London based journalist has claimed that Moustafa was in Damascus prison with Syrian intelligence together with a several friends of him since last week. He has based his allegations on his sources in Damascus.

Couple hours after speaking to her, Hussein Al Harmoush’s ‘confession’ was aired on Syrian SANA Tv channel, which can be read at NOW Lebanon’s page here.

Authorities: We never return anyone back

I stalked Turkish authorities for two weeks to receive and accurate information and to get the truth behind the allegations. But nothing…
My colleagues in Ankara have also tried to reach them. According to their report, Turkish diplomatic sources said they’ve been investigation the case of Moustafa. The government sources spoke to Radikal said”

“We never return anyone who’s seeking refuge in our country for humanitarian resons. We didn’t sent anyone back. Those news have been spread by Syria which’s been ”annoyed by the existence of the camps. Perhaps [Moustafa] has feared and either kept his name or maybe gave up on Syrian government’s threat and turned back to the country.”

Another diplomatic source stressed that there has been more than 20.000 refugees entering the camp and said, “11.000 people have left but now in 6 camps there are 7.550 refugees. Those peculiar numbers are cause by the traffic. It is hard to control the names.”

This article was published at Turkish daily Radikal. (Moustafa’s photo can be seen on Radikal’s page.)

Violence in Hama

Since the foreign journalists are now allowed into Syria to report the conflict, we are pretty bound to what Syrian national news agency SANA has to offer for us. It’s quite hard to reach anyone in Hama where the security forces are literally slaughtering people. Bitter memories of 1982 massacre committed by Hafez al Assad in Hama are revived by his son Bashar Assad.

Residents of Hama are fleeing the violence in back of their cars. ©Radikal

Through my contacts at the Syrian refugee camp in Yayladagi, I manage to get in touch with a young Hama resident who has witnessed the violence happening next to his house.

Those who expected the violence to stop during Ramadan have been disappointed by the deadly attacks. The witnesses who spoke to Radikal (Turkish) said that the Syrian army’s tanks have been stationed at each and every corner of Hama.

IT engineer Basil (28), describes what he witnesses as “blind eye crime” depicting the random shootings of Syrian security forces regardless of women or children. He says that the forces target mosques, houses and hospitals.

Turkey losing patience with Assad

Below, there is a part of my article on Turkey’s relation with Syria written for NOW Lebanon.

“Turkey’s growing impatience toward next-door neighbor Syria over Damascus’ failure to implement reforms has not only shaken the country’s reputation as a mediator in the Middle East, but also recalls an event 13 years ago that brought both states to the brink of war.

In October 1998, Turkey continuously condemned Syria for aiding the outlawed PKK (Kurdistan Worker’s Party) and sheltering its leader within its borders. Turkey deployed its army to the countries’ shared border. The tension was eased by the Adana Agreement, signed by both parties when then-Syrian President Hafez al-Assad agreed to cease all support for the PKK and expel its leader.”

To read more please visit NOW Lebanon.

Call for help inside the camp

YAYLADAGI: Still no journalists are allowed entrance to the Syrian refugee camps in Yayladagi, Hatay. Most of news junkies try to sneak in through the damaged fences surrounding the camp. No authorities are willing to give information.

But I managed to get a phone number of a Syrian refugee residing in the camp. She asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, thus we called her on my article at Radikal (Turkish) as Esma.

“So why the journalists are not coming to the camp?” she’s asking with no idea how hard we are trying to get in. Esma is from Jisr al Shugour, one of the hot spots of Syrian security forces’ random use of violence.

“Where are you, what’s going on outside, why don’t you come to listen our stories? We NEED you!”

Unable to respond her, I just keep asking how the situation is inside the camp. She says the only problem for time being is ‘the rising population.’  The lack of necessary number of tents to accommodate all the refugees will apparently urge the Turkish Red Crescent to open new camps.

There are some technical problems as well. No television for Syrians who are literally searching for all means to get any news from their homeland and ‘desperately hoping to see the fall of Bashar Assad’ she says.

Esma calls Turkish authorities to ‘protect the soldiers who fled the army because they refused to shot the civilians.’  Apparently there are some of run away soldiers residing in the camp as she tells.

“They [dissident Syrian soldiers] are here with us, cause they opposed the regime. They would be safe here right, can you promise that to me?”

This question leaves me again with no response to give.

Esma says that the Syrian security forces have been knocking on their door almost every day since last one month, threatening her husband for his anti-regime activities. The decision of fleeing to Turkey for Esma and her family has come the day when the forces tried to kidnap their 8 years old son to interrogate.

“They came to our house at 3 am. We couldn’t even stop them. They wanted to detain my 8 years old son. I cried, I begged to stop them, then finally I could convince them and they left without my kid.”

On her 4^th day at the Yayladagi camp, Esma is already counting down for the day she will turn back home as she calls, “Home with no Assad.”

Syrians seek shelter in Turkey

YAYLADAGI: The Arab Spring hit hard on Syria. In the hope of a regime change, thousands have thrown themselves in streets chanting against Syrian President al Bashar Assad who is committed to cling into power and to dreadfully use violence against the civilians.

Refugees are transferred from the border to Yayladagi camp in minibuses. ©CagilKasapoglu

Fearing their future has dragged thousands of Syrians to seek shelter in Turkish soils: ‘The neighbour’, who has once promised to have ‘zero-problem’ with Syria…

I went to Turkish Syrian border town Hatay to cover the refugee influx for Radikal, though I wasn’t allowed to visit the Yayladi camp which hosted thousands. The camp is established by Turkish Red Crescent and is frequently been visited by Turkish officials to list the need of Syrian refugees.

I split my time between Yayladagi and Guvecci village, which is the crossing path for illegal refuge. Now under strict control of the army, there is a registration spot for Syrians crossing the border… We could see long queues lined up alongside the border, and a small ‘tent city’ for those waiting to cross in.

Libyan rebels of Dehiba

DEHIBA – No matter how hard I try to avoid their sticky existence, Turkish soap operas do not stop stalking me. Beirut, Bourj Al Barajneh Palestinian camp, Damascus… and Now here they appear again at Dehiba, Tunisian-Libyan border in words of Libyan rebels…

Libyan rebels at Dehiba border

When we crossed the border into Libyan territories to meet the rebels I was hoping to have an ‘in-depth conversation’ about their suppliers, aims, projects and ambitions. But I was certainly not expecting to be the first one interviewed ‘by the rebels’ on the Turkish mafia soap opera Valley of the Wolves…

I felt ‘terribly sorry’ to disappoint the eager Libyan rebels who wanted to know more about the characters and the future episodes of the TV serie. Although, it took me a while, I managed to veil my ‘ignorance’ and rebels this time asked for the ‘swirling position of Turkey’ in Libyan conflict.

Walking around the empty cartrige cases we arrive at the shack the Libyan rebels have built at the border. It was lunchtime. Not willing to be named the rebels had their dish in one hand, and a rifle in another they were watching Al Jazeera in the middle of the desert.

“Why Erdogan doesn’t keep a consistent approach? First Turkey made mistake, standing behind Ghaddafi. But later, he cleaned it up by calling him to leave the power” one of the rebels told me.

Unable to get enough information, we left the Libyan territories unsatisfied after being warned that Ghaddafi’s forces could have attacked the shack we were at.

Rebels 'at lunch break'

Passports in the backpack, we walked back to Tunisia with no interrogation.

The next day we walked into the Libyan territories again, this time with the young Libyan rebel Hytem, 24, who proudly spotted every single point they’ve killed the Ghaddafi soldiers where their clothes, matches, cigarettes and blankets were still lying on their cold blood.

After a quick walk around the captured buildings, Hytem gave us a ride into Wazin with a truck seized by Ghaddafi forces.

“What’s your job?” I asked him. “Revolution, only revolution,” he responded with a big smile on his tanned face.

Hytem said that most of the ammunitions, funds and food are being supplied by Qatar, while ‘Ghaddafi received help of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.’

Hytem is showing me where they've been attacked. Photo by Jason C. Andrew

Meanwhile, the Libyan refugees fleeing into Tunisia were queuing up with their loaded cars in front of checkpoints to have their registrations completed by Tunisian officers.

According to rebels, because Ras Ajdir area was ‘under control of Ghaddafi’ only African refugees would ‘dare to cross in from the northern border’ whereas since south was controlled by the rebels, the Libyans of Nefusa mountains felt more comfortable using this path.

Turkish version of this article has been published at Radikal Daily Newspaper.

For further images please visit my Demotix page.

Lives in limbo at Ras Ajdir

RAS AJDIR – The war in Libya caused a dreadful humanitarian crisis not solely with the lives it took at the battle zone, but also with the lives it left in limbo.

Running away from Libya’s leader Moammar Ghaddafi’s bullets, they find themselves in harsh poverty and in complete dependency to foreign aid at the middle of desert of Libyan-Tunisian border Ras Ajdir.

UAE camp at Ras Ajdir

The refugees… They leave their independency behind to save their lives, to save their future and to maintain their hope with a randomly packed bad on their shoulder and on top of their head to an unknown…

Our first stop at Ras Ajdir was the camp ran by United Arab Emirates.  My photographer friend and I, we stepped in an Iraqi family’s tent who immediately offered their favourite blend of tea in a pot they’ve carried with them when they left their hope in Tripoli.

Beds, chairs, tvs and every other valuable things are the first ones left behind in pursuit of security and liberty… but the habits not… Teapot was apparently one of the first packed goods they’ve carried to this camp.

Abdulkarim Al-Rouda and his family were more than eager to tell me their stories. They were living near by the capital and have decided to leave when the bombs have reached till their street.

Iraqi family we visited at UAE camp

“Ghaddafi’s men are like barbars… Every move we’ve taken in our street was taking us one step closer to death. How could we possible stay there?”

After moving out from UAE camp, we went to see Choucha camp accommodating mostly African workers seeking refuge. There I realised the conditions at the UAE camp were way too better off then the Choucha camp ran by UNHCR and Tunisian army.

We entered into a Sudanese tent where they were playing “tawla” with plastic water lids and little pebbles laid on the sand ground. Around 9 Sudanese were sleeping in the same tent next to their stock of bread and milk that were supplementing the food they were provided with, though they said, “was never enough to feed themselves.”