Haleb – We Are Not Well

 By Manuel Keshishian

Translated by Vahe H. Apelian

Manuel Keshishian is a well known playwright, stage director, teacher in the Haleb, the Armenian Aleppo. In his latest report he does not mince words in describing the community's daily realities and aspirations. The original is found on the November 24, 2019 posting on Civil Net.

Central Nor Kyugh, Zvartnots Holy Trinity Church

How well were the summer months! There were water, electricity and gas and the bombs hitting the city were far few. We had high hope that the government would liberate Idlib as well,  would open the Aleppo –Damascus highway, and maybe, maybe  will have the Aleppo airport operational so that we would not have to use for going-coming to Armenia the wearisome, time consuming and unattended back roads ridden with checkpoints. 

Hopes, hopes and…

Turkey usurped northeastern Syria, Lebanon started living its “spring” greatly adversely affecting our economy and further muddying the prevailing state.

This month, the terrorists positioned in West Aleppo, targeted, much like the old days, many Aleppo neighborhoods causing wide spread destruction and claiming many victims. Just on November 21-22, five residents were killed and more than 31 persons, some young, were wounded in their houses. Altogether different types of bombs caused much destruction and financial losses.

Expressions of bitter sarcastic laughter, such as: “Thank God, we are back to the old days!” can be read on the social pages of the Aleppo Armenians. “It's not only rockets and bombs, but also everything else remind us of the old days”, are noted with resignation.

Electricity started to be interrupted anew. Having electricity three to four hours and then not having for another two or three hours, have crept fear in us that much like the old days, not having electricity will be getting longer and longer. Gas in Aleppo is sold in canisters. Throughout the summer the state with specially issued vouchers provided each family gas that was sufficient with diligent use, but now… 

“ I am OK today. At five o’clock in the morning, I went and waited on line and by 9 am I could buy a canister of gas”, declares happily a young Armenian father.

 “I need gas, I told to a well-connected provider”, declares another.

 “In Nor Kyugh, next to the Zvartnots Church, there is someone who sells a canister for 8000 Liras, if you want I can get you one.”  The state-regulated price is 2700 liras….

“Haleb is living its characteristic hellish days”. Can one possibly hear a darker comment? 

Yes, Aleppo is returning to its “normal” life! The issue is not only the lack of gas or electricity, not even the rockets and bombs hitting the city. During the past several months the Syrian currency has been nose-diving. Before the conflict, the exchange rate was 50 Syrian Liras for a dollar. During the conflict, for a very brief period, the exchange rate became 500-600-650 Liras for a dollar and then stabilized around 450 Liras. During the last few months, the exchange rate climbed to 750 Liras for a dollar and continues its uphill climb and our median salary drops to 40 dollars…

Bear this, you poor and unfortunate Aleppo resident, whether you are an Arab, Kurd, Armenian, Muslim or Christian.

‘Henceforth I can only dream for fruits and meat and not often too”, says a teacher.

She is right.

A few days ago, the President of the county decreed that from December onward the salaries of the government officials will be increased by 20,000 Liras. There are many Armenian government officials. But there are also hundreds of Armenians who work in Armenian schools and institutions. These non-government employees have to wait until the appropriate government offices transmit the ruling for employees in non-government institutions. A few years ago, a presidential decree instituted a 40% increase in salaries. But the ruling was not mandated to our schools. Our school administrators resorted to a bonus they can withhold at will, instead of an increase in salary. This time around all expect that the new decree will apply to the employees of the Armenians schools as well but with a caveat, the bonuses would be stopped. 

In reality, the Armenian community administrators are in a dilemma. They face the reality of the financially dire situation of the employees in the Armenian institutions including the teachers. They also face a huge cap in the schools’ budgets. Most of the Armenian students attend for free. A very small percentage of the students pay the tuition in full.

Nor Kyugh, Sahagian School, Saint Gegory Illuminator Church, community shelter
Giligia Building behind the trees.

And…. our hope continues to rely on the goodwill of those who help us from outside. 

For how long?

Who can answer that?

There is one reality. Under such prevailing unbearable situation, most among us look outside, not for assistance, but to go there…

This is not what I wish. This is the stark reality, whether you agree or not. The overwhelming majority wants to immigrate out of necessity. Emigrate from a country where even its native people are feeling estranged in their homeland and where everything gets expansive by the day other than the value of their houses when most who want to emigrate rely on selling their houses to secure enough income to embark on their immigration.

Immigration is not treason for the Muslims. Did not their Prophet immigrate to Ethiopia when his life was threatened in his own country? Has not his country given us a refuge? But we have paid our debt with our productive and royal citizenship.

Syria is a country rich with natural resources. It has oil. It has its white “oil”, cotton; it also has its “green” oil, olive. It has wide-open fields, light industry, and an industrious population. It has also many enemies who did not hesitate to get together to destroy the country and kill hundreds of thousands.

And slowly the hopes of individuals die, especially the hopes of the minorities whose members day by day are resigning to the mindset that:

Syria will prosper one day, but that that prosperity is not meant for us. 

Aleppo, November 24, 2019