In Lebanon, Syrian Refugees Put Political Differences Aside
Syrian refugees in Lebanon try to avoid the divisions that are fueling the war at home.
BEIRUT — Sitting in the garage they rent in Lebanon's Bekaa, Ahmed, Mohammed and Miriam discuss politics yet again. They may be brothers and sisters, but their opinions toward the Syrian civil war could not be more opposed. Ahmed, the eldest at 38, supports the Free Syrian Army (FSA), while Miriam, 36, favors the government. Mohammed, the youngest, wishes for an Islamic state to be established in Syria. What is in this improvised house a calm debate and the subject of jokes has been fueling a bloody civil war for 2½ years.
"We cannot really have an argument; our sister is too stubborn and will always have the upper hand, she runs everything in this house!" joke the two brothers.
What they call their house is actually a garage — with several rooms separated by chipboard — which they rent for $300 a month and share with their spouses and children. In total, 16 people live here, in fearful anticipation of the upcoming winter's cold. The entire family hails from Homs, Syria, where they all lived in different neighborhoods. The violence forced them to flee to Lebanon, where they share the same roof for financial reasons.
This agreement to treat politics as a light matter is perhaps due to the fact that none of them are strong political activists. Ahmed supported the regime until his 20-year-old son was killed by government forces in a protest in Homs a year and a half ago. For Mohammed, it isn't about supporting one group or the other, but rather his desire for an Islamic state. He said he is wary of the violent actions of Islamic groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra or Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
