The Hindu : International : Syria welcomes Lebanese refugees

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Wednesday, Jul 26, 2006

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International

Syria welcomes Lebanese refugees

Atul Aneja

No air of crisis; Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's popularity at a high

DAMASCUS: Not unfamiliar with hosting refugees from its troubled neighbourhood in the past, the ancient city of Damascus has this time opened its doors to the war-affected in Lebanon.

Crowded even under normal circumstances, the streets are now choked with vehicles. Many of them bear Lebanese number plates — one among the several indications that the Syrian capital has been hit by a mass exodus from Lebanon.

However, there is no air of crisis. By evening sidewalks are overflowing with people, including many refugees who mingle easily with the Syrians.

U.S. stance opposed

Amid the crowds, families throng juice bars and cafes, where, in the backdrop of Arab popular music, the widely popular Shawarma sandwiches make the rounds. Yet, politics and war are not far away.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to Lebanon on Monday was a hot topic of discussion. Most people to whom this correspondent spoke expressed strong disapproval of the American stance of opposing a ceasefire.

Ms. Rice's decision to exclude Syria, but include Israel in her West Asian itinerary also came in for heavy criticism.

The popularity of Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Lebanese militant group Hizbollah appears to have surged.

The rear screens of many cars bear his pictures juxtaposed to that of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad. The yellow Hizbollah flags are also widely visible. "Hizbollah was always popular because of its extensive charity work. But now almost everybody supports it," said Ali, who works in a department store. In the Damascus Street, there are few who accept the view that it was Hizbollah, which provoked the war with Israel by capturing the two Israeli soldiers on July 12. "Hizbollah actions were a response to the years of occupation of Arab land by Israel, which America arms to the teeth. You cannot fight this kind of occupation simply with Kalashnikov rifles and conventional tactics," said Ahmad Badia, a bookshop owner. Along the roads, arches have been put up saying, "Help the people of Lebanon." The refugees, locals say, are being accommodated in homes, farms and schools.

Adil, an elderly taxi driver pointed out that the Syrian Red Crescent society sent its convoys with relief material to the border as soon as the refugees started pouring in. A diplomat, who did not wish to be named acknowledged that the "extraordinary welcome" that the Lebanese refugees have received has been "quite extraordinary," which could well change negative perceptions about Syria among the Lebanese elite.

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