RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – The distinct joy of Eid al-Fitr is missing from the al-Maqas makeshift camp in the south of Raqqa in northern Syria as IDPs spend their fifth Eid far from their homes and relatives, but hopes of returning home do not leave their hearts.
Despite their desire to return home, they fear for themselves and their children and cannot return due to security reasons and deteriorating economic conditions.
Al-Maqas camp holds 260 families. The majority are from the countryside of Deir ez-Zor, which is under the control of Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias.
Nayif al-Ali, 56, an IDP from Deir ez-Zor living in al-Maqas camp, has not experienced the joy of Eid as he and his family stay in an IDP camp away from their home.
He cannot afford to buy new clothes for his children or even Eid candy and sweets as he used to do in previous Eids in Deir ez-Zor, where his house and relatives are, which are missing in the harsh humanitarian and living conditions in the camp.
The IDPs in makeshift camps go through difficult circumstances as a result of the pullout of NGOs and lack of support at a time the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) is calling to support IDPs.
The deteriorating value of the Syrian Pound (SYP) against the US dollar and the lack of job opportunities aggravated the IDPs’ suffering. The prices skyrocketed, and most families lost their purchasing ability after one US dollar almost reached 8,000 SYP.
As Eid al-Fitr is nearing, all al-Ali wishes for is to live a decent life with his family far from poverty, need, and a tent, which is far from a shelter and does not protect them from the cold or the heat.” He seems hopeless to return home, but as he says, “I can at least wish.”
He said there is a big difference between spending Eid in a camp and what it used to be in his city due to displacement that deprived them of many things. “We are not at home and deprived of everything,” he added.
Unlike al-Ali, Dala al-Hamdan, 56, an IDP in Maqas camp, still has hopes to return to her house even though it was a long time ago and despite inconvenient circumstances that prevent them from returning.
“My utmost desire is to return to my house and plant trees around it. We are tired of displacement and hope to return to our city and spend the Eid there,” she said.
The circumstances of displacement, difficult economic conditions, and constantly increasing prices put a toll on al-Hamdan as she was not able to buy new clothes for her children and grandchildren so they could rejoice and wear something new on the day of Eid.
Amina al-Hadi, 36, an IDP in the same camp, also wishes to go home so she can rest and “be relieved from humiliation.”
Difficult economic conditions and high prices denied Amina and her peers from purchasing new clothes and Eid sweets as they could only wish to have them. Al-Hadi hopes to be able to return to her home, leave the tent, and celebrate with her relatives.
It is been five al-Fitr Eids the IDPs have been away from their homes, facing a harsh and bitter life of displacement. It seems there is no prospect of a near return.