from Azeir, Syria, 8 June 2020
We don't know what to say anymore. What
to say again, after so many words of many, and authoritative words!,
which, at least apparently, do not have the strength to change
anything.
We had hoped that, in Europe, the
experience of precariousness, the experience of life threatened so
from one day to the next, the experience of death so close, would
make us understand a little more what it meant for many Syrians to
live eight, nine years, with death walking beside them, in the
street, with the idea of leaving home without knowing if you would
return, if you would see your children again.
But also, no less dramatically, the
effort to work, to give the necessary to one's family, the anguish of
finding oneself without a job and with a closed future.....
Of course, when you're in it, it's
enough to think about your problems...
But... instead, they have been
RENEWED, ANCHORMORE AND MORE, THE SANCTIONS TO SYRIA.
To Syria, it means on Syrians:
people, like me and like you, men, women, children... Not to
politicians, not to leaders. Sanctions are against people.
Of course, those who decide to impose
them know this very well: exasperate the people to bring down those who
govern, where they have failed with weapons. But is it moral to use
the suffering of the people to succeed in politics?
Let's open our eyes! Now that this
system is becoming more evident also in Italy (by leveraging the fear
of the disease, for whoever is willing to look at the truth...) can choices like the
sanctions applied to other countries still be tolerated?
We Italians, who see what we are
suffering from Europe, can't we really be in solidarity with
countries that suffer sanctions, to understand how unfair this system
can be for people?
What can be done? At least, be
sensitive, understand the problem, understand the DRAMA of this
people.
So, if somebody launches another
appeal tomorrow to lift the sanctions, at least agree, sign, support
the cause... UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM.
Those who impose sanctions can do so by
relying on a system that justifies it. Let's take away this consent
to such actions, let's weaken the consent to this way of managing
politics and economy... It is not true that we cannot do anything.
We can start thinking with our own head, keeping the MAN before our
eyes and not the interest of a few. If we do this, it will already be
a lot.
We, from here, even though we are in
the monastery, realize that there are those who try to take other
paths, a "humanistic economy" that has at its base values
of culture, morals, vision of man... Please, participate in these new
paths, inform yourselves, collaborate to change this system that
seems unassailable, but in reality it is not. It depends on each of
us.
Why do we, nuns, write about this?
Because the people around us are literally starving to death. Of
sickness. Not because of the virus! But because they can't find
"normal" medicines anymore, for diabetes, for blood
pressure, for tumors, for the heart... Because the pharmacies have
been closed for a week, because the medicine factories are no longer
able to import raw materials and no longer manufacture...
Because the Syrian lira is devalued
from hour to hour, two days ago a dollar was worth 2000 lire (at the
beginning of the year 650 !), yesterday 2500, today 3000 ! From 500
lire in 500... a kilo of sugar 1400 lire? when a monthly salary is...
to go well... 60,000 lire? The shopkeepers who don't sell their
stocks anymore, because they're being devalued from hour to hour...
Then it's a wonder that people manage to get by as well as they can?
We try to supplement the inflation of
our workers' wages... but it's difficult... Paralyzed banks in
Lebanon, economic system stopped. Difficult to get help...
Try to realize this ... We know that
there are many problems, even in Italy.
But thinking doesn't cost anything, on
the contrary... It's an investment for everyone, in terms of
humanity...
Try to be ready, when some opportunity
presents itself to make a difference, at least in thought...
Are all the problems in Syria due to
sanctions? No, of course not. There are a lot of responsibilities,
even internal ones. As you can imagine, the time after the armed war
is more difficult. Now there's an economic war going on, a war of
dividing up areas of power, economic privileges, influence over the
territory... Those who were against Syria continue to be against it
and do not give up in putting pressure: like the terrorists
(supported by whom?) who still burn the wheat fields in the north of
the country...
Those who were with Syria, now claim
their share... Even the internal political-economic system, which has
resisted with all the right to defend the sovereignty of the country,
now risks putting this same sovereignty at stake if it does not take
proper care of the suffering of the people as a whole... If it does
not fight corruption, if it does not promote growth, in short, if it
does not take charge of the interests of the country by helping all
the citizens.
And if we have to be honest it is not
clear, at least for us people outside every "circuit" of
interest, to understand what is really moving around and within Syria
and the Middle East at the moment.
But at least let's not burden this
situation further! Let us intervene, at least as far as sanctions are
concerned.... Many have asked for it, now, we join, once again, we
too …
In these days we met a beautiful
reality, a very active parish in the town of Rahble, in the Qseir
area (yes, for those who followed is where there was a hard and long
war with the rebels). A generous parish priest, a beautiful group of
young people from high school and University... We told them that
yes, it is worth resisting, that we must seek the strength and
resources within ourselves... It is useless to follow the myth of
going somewhere else...
But, give us a hand too, from there,
not to make hope too difficult a word for them!
the Trappist sisters from Syria
Versione in italiano:
https://oraprosiria.blogspot.com/2020/06/le-trappiste-dalla-siria-dateci-una.html
