Job Sikhala: The Syria that I saw

Opinion by Job Sikhala

In July of 2010, I was in Damascus, the ancient city of Syria after an invitation from my friend Dr. Khaldon who was that country’s Deputy Minister of Justice.

He has a PhD at Law from Havard University and our friendship developed when we met in Geneva, Switzerland as members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). We later met in Bali, Indonesia and our friendship grew until he invited me to visit him in Syria.

It was almost the same period when trouble was brewing in Syria. He booked me at the Damascus International Airport Hotel which is about 5 kilometres from the airport which he co-owned with one of his business partners.

For three weeks he would not miss his timetable, picking me up at 8am after breakfast and taking me around to meet different political players in Syria and also taking me to ancient places we only read in the Bible.

I met their ministers, Members of Parliament, their Speaker of Parliament, the Palestinian Representative in their Parliament. Of all the people l have to confess, he led me to meet the leader of Hamas, Haniya who was exiled in that country one evening. One thing that surprised me no one knew Zimbabwe.

The only country they know is South Africa and Sudan. Many thought l was an American because they understand many blacks are in America.

Even at the airport because of trouble that was brewing in their country, they thought l was an American intelligence operative using a foreign country’s passport until the arrival of Dr. Khaldoon who later clarified to them who l am.

I was able to meet several communities and also visited the ancient city which we read in the Bible, where Paul was struck by lightening on his way to destroy it.

I also visited the grave of John the Baptist well conserved in a huge Mosque that can accommodate 50 000 worshippers. I was taken inside the gigantic Mosque, asked to remove my shoes and prayed in our Christian way at John the Baptist’s grave.

I never knew that John the Baptist occupies a special space in the Moslem religion until the day l witnessed many bowing at his grave. Dr. Khaldoon took me to the Christian community where we met Pope Gregorias 111.

He spoke highly about how christians have all along been allowed to practice their religion without fear. He told me how Bashar al Assad was a friend of Christians.

The day l was supposed to meet Assad mass demonstrations against his regime were intensifying and l asked Dr. Khaldoon to allow me to go back to my country and visit again when the situation comes to normal. He arranged with Fly Emirates to change my days of return.

This is the country which America wants to attack today, a situation l see will lead to horrendous consequences in that region. Hatred for America in that country is deep seated and l think it won’t be a picnic as they must expect strong resistance.

My heart goes for the beautiful people of Syria who shall die in their 100s of thousands as the atmosphere there is dangerous. I am still in touch with Dr. Khaldoon and he tells me that the spirit of resistance against American imperialism is high there.