Ismaiel Attal worries about friends and relatives in Syria
GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) -- The crisis in Syria has intensified as dozens of protesters were killed overnight. As the world watches the growing unrest in the region one West Michigan man worries about loved ones in Syria.
"Most of my family is in Syria and in the capital of the protesting right now which is Hams," said Ismaiel Attal. The waiter at Le Kabob restaurant in Comstock Park says when he is not working he's doing his best to keep a close watch on the surge in violence 6,000 in his home country. Attal Syria 3 ago, but still have family, friends and loved ones there.
"It's really hard really hard," said Attal. "My cousins my grandmom, everybody is there.
He is trouble to see so many people dying everyday. The most recent surge in violence came late Tuesday. Opposition leaders say at least 42 people, including three children were killed. Syrian president Bashar al Assad is accused of killing more than 5,000 people since March, 200 of them in the past 48 hours. The unrest in Syria is reported to be among the deadliest in a list of recent revolts in the region lately.
"Soldiers over there know two things only, they know you have to kill and steal otherwise if you want to be against al Assad then your family will be in danger," said Attal. "It is not a choice. It is not a choice for them."
He says the hardest part is not knowing what is going to happen day to day. He relies on the Internet, using Facebook and YouTube to get updates. However it is not always reliable because the government is known to shut off electricity to neighborhoods under protest.
"That is one of the groups on Facebook I am looking at the Syrian revolution," he says while pointing to an app on his iPhone. "It gives you details every 5 to 10 minutes about what is going on, how many people killed in each city."
Attal says since the state also controls the news media, protesters have rely heavily on the Internet to let the world know what's happening. But says, even he must be careful what he says on social networks like Facebook.
"It is too hard. They can catch anybody. They can see any comment and anything against Bashar and what is going on over there," said Attal. "Otherwise they will go to their house and get everybody and put them in jail. Sometimes they come back and sometimes never."
Attal says friends of his have already been killed in the violence but he remains optimistic that the unrest will soon come to an end. And while he appreciates how other nations have tried to step in and stop the violence in Syria he believes they won't have peace until al Assad's army is persuaded to no longer support him.
"The only way is we. The Syrian people and those in the army who go to the other side," said Attal.
By Angela Cunningham