Dutch journalist: Syria is not safe for refugees to return to their homes

In an article in the Dutch newspaper “Het Parool”, the journalist “Fernande Van Tates” said that the proposal on page 8 of the “For Freedom” party election program does not deserve attention, because the idea of ​​Syrians returning to their homes is an “illusion”, confirming that “Syria is not safe.”

The Dutch writer adds: “I experienced this myself when I worked at the United Nations in Damascus during the years 2018-2019, and the Assad regime forces had at that time taken control of the last areas surrounding the capital,” noting that those areas that were retaken by the Assad regime and which he loves Some Dutch politicians refer to it as safe, “the number of arrests therein has increased dramatically”.

She pointed out that “countless Syrians contacted her after the arrest of their loved ones at the checkpoints of the Assad regime,” since “it was no longer possible to know their fate since then.”

She emphasized that “more than 100 thousand Syrian detainees are disappearing in the prisons of the Assad regime, and their whereabouts are unknown.”

She pointed out that the United Nations and the European Union consider that the time is not appropriate to return to Syria, ”especially in light of Syrians being exposed to the risk of arrest and violence, and military service in Syria is compulsory, in addition to discrimination by the Assad regime in granting approvals to returnees to obtain their homes and lands and their property.

She explained that the Assad regime does not always allow refugees to return to their villages and homes, even if they are still there, stressing that the returnees will face the lives of “displaced persons” in a country suffering from electricity cuts, shortages of bread and gasoline, lack of job opportunities, without future prospects and fear of the regime.

She also believed that “Bashar Al-Assad,” “is keen on the return of refugees, because this will constitute international recognition for him that he was able to put down the uprising in his country,” and that the returning youth will be a source of new forces to include in his weak army.

It indicated that the Assad regime seeks to obtain money through the return of refugees, especially since “the issue of return is inseparable from the financial support for the reconstruction of the country that it destroyed by itself.”

She pointed out that there are 105 thousand Syrians in the Netherlands, 80% of whom say they feel as if they are at home, calling for proper attention to this at the ballot boxes.

The Dutch government filed a complaint earlier last year against the Assad regime for violating an international treaty against torture.

Source: Agencies