‘We live under constant existential fear': Conversation with a Syrian Druze activist

The situation of the Syrian Druze community in the southern Suwayda governorate is deteriorating, as the Assad regime targets the unique ethno-religious group, falsely accusing them of stirring chaos on behalf of Israel.

Just less than a week ago, the regime assassinated local Druze commander Marhej Al-Jarmani in his home. He led an armed anti-regime group that saw its mission to provide protection for the Druze community, persecuted by their own regime. The assassination stirred loud protests with slogans chanted “he who murders his own people is a traitor,” aimed directly at Bashar Assad.

This assassination is but a small anecdote in a series of persecutions applied by the Assad regime, which started after the civil war that tore the country apart began, followed by an endless cycle of demonstrations and repression.

The Jerusalem Post reached out beyond the borders and spoke to A., a 30-year-old Druze activist from Suwayda in southern Syria, who agreed to speak to an Israeli newspaper anonymously and recount the hardships his community faces in the war-torn country.

“I just wanted to convey our voice to the outer world,” said A. simply, and immediately stopped. “Bear with me,” he added whispering, “I’m walking in the street trying to get to a safer space.”

JP: Can you elaborate on a short history of the events which led to the situation today?

A: From 2011 as the civil war started, there were some mobilizations against the regime, but they were suppressed with arrests and even shootings. This also happened in other districts, but we felt like ours received a “special treatment” because we are Druze. Some of our Druze activists died in detention in unknown circumstances.

The protests started in 2011 in Daraa, a Sunni stronghold. There were very few in the beginning; there was fear, and there were many who were loyal to the regime. Thousands of Druze had served in the regime’s military, too. Only in 2013 did the Druze protests, dubbed Al-Karamah (Arabic for “the Honor”) begin, under the leadership of our spiritual Sheikh Waheed Bal’ous, whom Iran was accused of assassinating along with dozens of others in 2015.

After the Sheikh was assassinated, the crowds slowly dispersed. There were some sporadic rallies here and there, but then, about a year ago, we started the Peaceful Suwayda Mobilization. This wave of protests in the central Al-Karama square in Suwayda has been going on since then. It started off as spontaneous and kept growing. Clergymen and community leaders also participate, including our spiritual leader, Sheikh Hekmat Al-Hajri, who came out bravely in favor of the protests.

JP: How are the protests looking now?

A: There were times when protests reached more than 10,000 people. There is a bit of a decline due to the long period of demonstrations with no result. There are many people in a poor economic situation and they find it difficult to make their way to demonstrations time and time again.

At first the regime did not respond at all, and frankly it was strange. We thought: “how could it be?” However, after two months, military reinforcements arrived from Damascus to Suwayda and things began to change. Every day we saw more regime patrols with tanks and weapons. There were more than 3,000 soldiers dispersed in all the security centers in Suwayda.

Now there are many provocations by the regime, but despite this, we remain protesting peacefully. Videos show us singing peacefully while the regime’s gunmen open fire at us.

We demand regime change in Syria, and for the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2254, which called for a peaceful transfer of power in Syria and elections.

There are very few Druze soldiers left in the military. Today it ironically leans, in great parts, on Jabhat Al-Nusra, as well as those with the Black Flags, whose name I’m not sure I’m supposed to say on the phone. But [whispering] you know who I mean.

So the regime brings in people from outside, sort of mercenaries, so that if something happens there will be no problem targeting the civilians. Parts of the so-called Free Syrian Army also dispersed and reconciled with the regime, which offered them ranks in the military in exchange for a truce.

JP: What, in your opinion, is the regime trying to achieve?

A: There’s a big plan of demographic change that Iran seeks in southern Syria, especially in Suwayda. They are tightening pressure on the Druze with intentional increasing of the cost of living and deterioration of services such as electricity, water and fuel – we only have electricity for four hours during the day.

This has led to the migration of thousands of young people and families out of Suwayda to countries around the world. There are now thousands of refugees in Europe trying to search for a better life opportunity.

As a method to increase the wave of immigration, the Shi’ites opened smuggling routes from Syria to Lebanon. The young men wanted by the Syrian regime were smuggled to Lebanon and from Lebanon to the rest of the world, all encouraged by Iran and Hezbollah.

So many young people became desperate and emigrated, but most of us did not and will not cede our land to the Shi’ites. Here in Suwayda, they fight us even over a morsel of bread to displace us. They made the city a crossing point for drug smuggling to neighboring countries, but this is not going to work.

Are some mulling the idea of openly talking to Israel? Calling for a state of your own?

I’ll be frank with you. We live in existential fear and our options are meager. Should any direct discourse happen right now, the regime will accuse us of “belonging” to Israel and target us even more. Some understandably say that they should just work with the regime. There are many sensitive places of the Iranians in Suwayda, airports and defense warehouses and radars.

So for me, indirect discourse through the Druze in Israel would be the best method. When the 2013 Al-Karama protests began, aid and donations arrived from the Druze in Israel. They helped us protect ourselves. After Bel’ous’s assassination in 2015, the donations unfortunately made it to Sheikhs who were supported by Iran and they stopped. Many of us do say that the devil is the one most happy with this regime, and many voices in Suwayda openly say: “let Israel help us from this regime.” You’d better believe that many of us were very happy when we heard about the Israeli attack in Al-Hodeida.

JP: What is your main message to our readers?

A: For the Druze community there is no such thing as running away or leaving and becoming refugees – this is our home and here we will stay until the end.

There is some thought running among us of talking about a state, but the main thought that circulates is to call for Suwayda to become part of a federation that will guarantee autonomy and also remain part of Syria, including an army of our own to protect us.

The Druze, since the establishment of Syria, have been part of this country. We made many sacrifices and many of us fell to overthrow imperialism, and yet no one sympathizes with us. Neither Arab nor Western countries; many just see us as infidels. In Syria, in particular, we have reached a situation of existential danger – this really is a “to be or not to be” question. We are being pressed from all directions; no one is standing with us. Yet here we are, ready to sacrifice ourselves until the last drop of blood. We will never leave our home.