If are contemplating doing humanitarian work in war-torn Syria, think again. It is extremely dangerous and if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, you will get killed.
So said Imtiaz Sooliman of the humanitarian aid organisation the Gift of the Givers, which currently has two hospitals operating in Darkoush, a town in northern Syria, one of which is a recently-opened field hospital.
He was speaking in the light of 11 South Africans returning last Friday from Syria, where they had been doing aid work.
The group, from Roshnee in Vereeniging, Gauteng, had left for Syria earlier this year and over the past few months realised the conditions were too dangerous to remain there and wanted to return home.
Their attorney, Yousha Tayob, a spokesman for the Muslim Lawyers Association, refuted allegations that the group, which comprised a family of five, two couples and two youngsters, travelled abroad to join the self-proclaimed Islamic State.
Their trip, he said, was based purely on humanitarian efforts.
Sooliman said those who were contemplating the same, should get that idea out of their heads.
“Hospitals, schools and places of worship are constantly being bombed. If you get in the crossfire, your chances of survival are slim to none. It is for that reason that we have not sent local medical personnel there but use Syrians.
“People from South Africa are taking a huge risk by going because the situation there is getting worse. My advice is, check with people on the ground first before making a decision, instead of going in blindly. It’s extremely risky,” he warned.
“Syria is not a country you can just walk in and walk out.”
Sooliman said he had had requests from people around the world wanting to work in the country.
“But I have advised them against it.”
Tayob told POST this week that the 11 people who returned were trying to get their lives back on track. In no way were they ill-treated in Syria or in Turkey, en route to South Africa. “They went to do aid work but they felt the country was becoming unsafe and their security was under threat. That is the only reason why they decided to come home.”
He said the family of five – a couple and three minor children – left South Africa around February this year.
“They then made contact with their family here and I got involved about three months ago.”
He said there were originally 15 in the group, but four remained behind after a woman had given birth.
“Her husband and his parents opted to remain there to provide her with support while the child’s birth certificate is being processed. We expect them to return to South Africa in a week or two.”
Tayob said the group’s arrival on Friday was not smooth sailing.
He said before they arrived, the State Security Agency, national intelligence and the police were informed that they should not be questioned without a lawyer present.
But the South African officials allegedly ignored this.
“The group were scheduled to arrive at 10.22am but the flight was delayed to around 11am. A group of lawyers from the Muslim Lawyers Association, including myself, waited with their families at the arrivals section of the airport. People started leaving, but after 30 minutes no one from this group was seen.”
He said Nasser Tayob of the association called a police official, who informed him the group were being questioned.
He said the group’s right to exercise their right to legal representation had been ignored.
But the spokesman for the State Security Agency, Brian Dube, said otherwise.
“South Africans have a right of free movement because we live in a free world. People go to that part of the world (Syria) for a number of reasons, which include tourism, business, religious purposes and for humanitarian work.
“Since the advent of security issues, we, as part of normal operations, screen people upon arrival and departure, where we interview them on the nature of their travel. It’s a normal process,” he said.
“While we recognised people’s right of free movement, we need to be mindful of security concerns because we want to ensure that our citizens are not part of terror groups.”
Dube said he did not know why the group retained the services of lawyers.
“All you would need to do is book your flight to return home.
“You don’t need the permission of lawyers to travel.”
He said the agency would continue to engage with travellers.