Government municipalities prevent construction in Syria’s Sahnaya
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Residents in the town of Sahnaya, south Damascus countryside, say rhat the municipality prevents them from building on their own land, and those who pay bribes and know high-ranking security officers build freely.
After owning a house and a land in Sahnaya for about 16 years, local resident Shadi Nakhlah (a pseudonym) decided to fence his land and build two rooms.
Nakhlah told North Press that he started fencing the land and cutting trees in preparation for building the rooms after he obtained his neighbor’s approval to avoid any potential complaints that might hinder the construction process.
However, as soon as the municipality found out about his work, it demolished the building, despite all his attempts to pay bribes; most of the surrounding landowners had carried out construction work without being harassed, according to his words.
Failed attempts
The banning of some people from completing illegal construction is attributed to their political backgrounds or to the power of prominent contractors in Sahnaya to prevent construction work by other parties, according to residents.
Local farmer Youssef Mas’oud (a pseudonym) says that he has carried out five failed attempts to build two rooms on his land.
Youssef believes that construction company owners, whose offers to buy his land he rejected, are behind the harassment by government service institutions.
“Municipal officials told me that they did whatever they can to help me, but nothing can be done,” he added.
Several sources believe that many of such companies founded during the long crisis in Syria are protected and sponsored by high-ranking security and military officers, making them a front for investment and money laundering.
Bribing municipalities
Local fast food restaurant owner Nazli Sarhan (a pseudonym) says thatafterr many years, he managed to obtain a verbal approval from the mayor after paying many bribes to the municipality in order to be able to build a room on the roof of his house.
Sahnaya post office employee Yahya Fakher al-Din (a pseudonym) has lost all hope of building a second floor on his home as a result of the municipality’s interference and obstruction.
“I have been saving money for years in order to be able to build a house for my son; however, due to the municipality and governorate’s practices in addition to the collapse of Syrian pound, all I can buy today is either a refrigerator or a stove,” Fakher al-Din said.
“Municipality work has become a formality as a result of the lack of government support and reliance on some donations by people, religious institutions, and charities,” he added.
He pointed out that it turns a blind eye to the needs of the region, “rather, it’s all about making bribes for those in charge for the municipality.”