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FEATURE-Damascenes to celebrate Eid al-Fitr feast in peace
DAMASCUS, June 14 (BSS/XINHUA) – For the first time in seven years, Samar
Qasab, a mother of two, could prepare for the Eid al-Fitr feast without fear
of mortar shells or unexpected explosions as the feast comes at a time when
the entire Damascus city is far from war.
Walking with her son and daughter in Hamra street in the heart of
Damascus, Qasab told Xinhua that the goods are expensive and “not her taste,”
but she was still happy.
“This is the first Eid al-Fitr we receive without war in Damascus. Even
though the goods and clothes are overpriced, we are finally blessed with
peace in the city,” she said.
Qasab said walking freely and fearlessly is a priceless feeling missed in
the capital for a long time.
She said life during the wartime in Damascus was dangerous as the mortar
shells were fired by the rebels, rattling people in the area almost every
day.
“Now, I appreciate every peaceful moment, whether walking on the streets
or staying at home,” she said.
The most important thing, she said, is that “I can now have my kids enjoy
the celebrations of Eid without fear as in previous years we mainly chose to
pay indoor visits to relatives.”
In Hamra and other popular marketplaces where people usually go shopping
for new clothes on the Eid occasion, a large number of people are window
shoppers, as the prices this year are high and no new models are showcased
amid reports of fraud carried out by some merchants.
The government-run Tishreen newspaper said in a special report Wednesday
that there are fake foreign brands in the markets and there is no legal
import of foreign goods, mainly the European ones.
It said that some clothes and shoes are sold as foreign brands while in
fact there are made in Syria.
However, there are more people on the streets than previous years due to
enhanced security situation.
Basima Fatouh, a university student, told Xinhua that the most important
thing this year is the return of peace and security to the capital.
“Of course we have other problems such as high prices and hard economic
situation for the middle-class people, but peace and security are more
important, and I think people are celebrating it,” she said.
When roaming in Damascus, it is noticed that people are more likely to buy
special Eid al-Fitr sweets from popular marketplaces, such as al-Midan
neighborhood, the main destination for sweet shoppers.
The Jazmatiyeh souk in al-Midan is jam-packed with people nowadays.
Sweetshops are festooned with lights and banners, welcoming visitors and
wishing them well on the Eid al-Fitr occasion.
“The good thing here is that they offer several kinds of sweets, which is
affordable by a large number of shoppers and I am happy today to be prepared
for the Eid al-Fitr amid such a peaceful atmosphere,” Maher Awad, a carpenter
said.
As a sign of improved security, the government started removing a
considerable number of checkpoints, which were initially aimed to maintain
safety in the capital but were complained about by people as they sometimes
cause traffic jams.
Three additional checkpoints were removed on Wednesday in the
neighborhoods of Adawi, Khatib, and Baghdad Street, a day after another four
checkpoints were removed from Dummar area.
Last month, the government removed 10 checkpoints after the end of the
military operations in Damascus and its countryside for the first time in
seven years.
BSS/XINHUA/ARS/1728 hrs