Syria: Christmas lights shine again in Aleppo
Bishop Antoine Audo SJ.
In areas of eastern Aleppo, numerous civilians are fleeing and making their way to the western part of the city, where the sick and wounded are beginning to fill the local health structures. Emile Katti, surgeon and director of al-Raja hospital in Aleppo, told Vatican news agency Fides that the sister of one of the hospital’s employees, together with her whole family, was killed by hidden gunmen as they tried to leave eastern Aleppo through the humanitarian corridor. Sharing his own experience, he added, “The sick and wounded coming from these parts of the city speak of hunger and of having to eat grass, the food, of which there was enough, was only for the militia and their supporters.” The tales of persons coming from zones controlled by rebels and jihadi militias bring details often not known by the media… In the liberated zones, the houses of worship have been profaned and graves destroyed and vandalized, according to Catholic press agency Asianews, in Rome.
Fr. Ziad Hilal, a Jesuit, has been working since September 1st in Aleppo for the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) and for Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), after six years in the city of Homs, Syria. On December 14, for the first time in five years, he was able to travel to zones of eastern Aleppo liberated from rebel control by government forces. On his return, he was questioned by Andrea Krogmann, and replied, “I have been able to take a look at the situation, especially in the Christian zone of Al-Midan. The sight before you is one of total destruction. Our center, Saint Vartan, is also very damaged.” As for the so-called massacres of civilians by the Syrian army and its allies in the course of the liberation of eastern Aleppo, as described by international media, he said he is “doubtful about these stories.” “There are perhaps isolated cases, but we have not heard of them here,” explained Fr. Ziad. “You must know that nowadays there is much false information circulating and also false photos. The organizations on the ground such as the Red Cross have not spread this kind of news up to now.” He added, “It must be said that the media have played a deplorable role in this war.”
Thanks to humanitarian corridors, “many persons have left the eastern part of the city to come to the west. Numerous organizations are there to help them. It was very cold today [December 14].” The Jesuit added that if “the battle of Aleppo was fierce,” and a large part of the city totally destroyed, “we must maintain hope, or else why are we still here?” He concluded, “Aleppo has had many conquerors in the course of its history. Thousands of persons have died here and it was destroyed several times. And yet it has always risen again. Let us therefore be hopeful!”
“Christmas lights have returned to western Aleppo for the first time,” Bishop Antoine Audo SJ, Chaldean bishop of Aleppo, to the Roman telejournal of Catholic station TV2000 on December 19. “It has been six years since in the Christian quarters of western Aleppo, Christmas was celebrated with decorations and lights.” “Today,” Bishop Audo said, “you cannot hear any shots; there is a total change. People are happy. I saw—for the first time in a long time—Christmas trees on balconies. On the square of the Christian quarter, a Christmas tree has been set up as well and decorated.” For the first time, he went to eastern Aleppo on December 18: “The destruction is terrible. We are not accustomed to seeing certain scenes that you have been able to see on television.”
(Sources: cath-info – ACN – Fides – Asianews – Zenit – DICI no. 347, 23/12/16)
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