Violence leaves Syria’s Christians with little mood to celebrate Christmas

A Syrian vendor, dressed as a Santa Claus walks past a portrait of President Bashar al-Assad at a Christian dominated neighbourhood of Damascus on Dec. 22, 2011.

A Syrian woman prays in an old chapel at a Christian dominated neighbourhood of Damascus on Dec. 22, 2011.

By Roueida Mabardi
Agence France-Presse
23/12/2011

DAMASCUS – Nine months of unrest in Syria have stripped Bab Tuma, the oldest Christian quarter of Damascus, of any sign of Christmas joy. No decorations or lights adorn the streets and seasons greetings are exchanged with a heavy heart.

“Christians have decided to cancel celebrations and only observe Christmas mass which will be dedicated to peace in Syria,” Greek Catholic Archbishop Elias al-Dabii told AFP.

“It is a message to say we all form a single family.”

Unprecedented protests against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime which erupted in mid-March have met with a bloody response from security forces which has left more than 5,000 people dead, according to UN figures.

“We are living a sad situation,” said Mazen, an oriental carpets merchant sitting in his shop in one of the alleyways of the Old City which would normally be bustling with activity. But there have been no clients for months.

The handful of shops that sell festive decorations are all empty.

In the Christian quarter of Qassaa, five street vendors dressed up as Santa Claus sell balloons, trinkets and toys. Only the shops in the luxurious commercial strip of the Four Seasons put on a real show of Christmas cheer.

Christians, who make up seven to eight percent of Syria’s 22 million population, have been alarmed by the daily violence and fear the country is plunging into political chaos after 50 years of authoritarian rule.

Many fear any collapse of the regime could clear the way for the rise to power of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been banned and repressed by Damascus for decades.

“If the regime falls and Islamists take over, there will be no Christians left in the country in 20 years,” said Farzat, 55, a civil engineer.

“Of course, there will be no Christmas tree or presents for the children this year. There is no reason for joy. We are going to stay home,” he said.

Others play down the risk of an Islamist takeover.

Human rights activist Anwar Bunni, says Christians have “always lived in harmony with the country’s other communities with whom they share the same culture”.

“Minorities have nothing to fear. In Syrian society, there was never inter-communal conflict,” the Christian lawyer told AFP.

He believes “decades without democracy has made minorities anxious.”

Troubled by spiralling violence, the Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Syriac Orthodox patriarchs met on December 15 in a convent near Damascus to discuss “the events that shake our beloved country.”

After expressing their “sadness over the tragedies” and fears over the “deteriorating economic situation,” the clerics said they “reject any foreign intervention in Syria” and called for a lifting of sanctions.

The European Union and the United States, followed by the Arab League, have adopted a series of targeted economic sanctions in a bid to pressure the Syrian authorities to end their crackdown.

The patriarchs denounced “all forms of violence” and called for “national reconciliation,” encouraging the “reforms and positive measures undertaken by the government.”

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