What Happened to Syria?

This episode was originally recorded in 2024, shortly after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, and released on our Patreon that Christmas. https://www.patreon.com/c/whathappenedtosyria?vanity=user 

 

Apologies for the terrible audio quality on my end, I'm having a lot of issues with my computer and my mic, right now. Turning up the volume will probably help. Will try to have these tech issues fixed as soon as possible. -Sean

Beshr, a Christian supporter of the Syrian Revolution originally from Homs, joins us to talk about Syria's Christian community and their long, storied history as one of Syria's oldest religions. We talk about everything from the Apostle Paul meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus and how Syrian Christians were treated by several Islamic empires over 1,400 years to their relationship with the Assad regime and the Syrian Revolution.

The conversation takes some dark turns as Beshr describes historic persecution and recent horrors in Syria but we also try to inject positivity by looking at how Christians flourished during the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates as well as how Syrians celebrate Christmas.

You won't want to miss this one, despite the dismal audio quality.

Milad majid! Did you know that Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7th?

This episode examines the millennia-long history of Christianity in Syria, the ways that Christians have participated in both the Syrian Revolution and Syrian Civil War, and ending with an overview of the country's Christmas traditions.

This one's got everything from empires and caliphates to revolutionaries protesting against a dictator and even an immortal camel who brings presents to children once a year. 

Sources / Quotes:

https://www.worldofchristmas.net/christmas-world/syria.html

https://countrystudies.us/syria/34.htm

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-22270455

https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/syrias-christians-personal-story-stolen-legacy

https://minorityrights.org/minorities/christians-armenians-and-assyrians/

https://international.la-croix.com/news/politics/christian-communities-in-iraq-and-syria-are-still-very-fragile/17807

https://www.hart-uk.org/blog/the-religious-landscape-in-syria-part-1/

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syria-war-anniversary-christians-assad-manipulation

https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/why-christian-communities-in-northeastern-syria-may-soon-be-gone/

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/we-must-defend-ourselves-christian-fighters-warpath-raqqa

https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-opinion-christmas-syria-homs-20211223-fec7pqar7jde7myh3qv77dsxny-story.html

https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/christmas-middle-east-traditions

https://www.damascena.co.uk/posts/how-christmas-is-celebrated-in-damascus

https://www.newarab.com/news/youth-exodus-takes-joy-out-syria-christmas-celebrations

https://syriacpress.com/blog/2020/12/27/first-ever-erected-christmas-tree-in-kobani-deliberately-burnt/

https://time.com/4617957/aleppo-christians-christmas-syria/

https://csi-usa.org/there-were-about-1300-christians-in-idlib-but-now-only-two-remain/

https://npasyria.com/en/89664/

https://syriafreedomforever.wordpress.com/2013/12/25/christmas-in-liberated-saraqeb-idlib-provence-syria/

https://syriadirect.org/hts-looks-to-idlibs-christians-and-druze-to-whitewash-violations/

https://www.newarab.com/news/syrian-christians-reopen-church-hts-dominated-idlib

https://www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/16181

https://www.thebyzantinelegacy.com/early-christian

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7nfOGsuo2I

https://syriadirect.org/syrian-christians-exploited-or-protected-minority/

https://www.ncronline.org/news/christian-activists-say-militias-target-religious-minorities-syria

https://www.newarab.com/news/syrian-christians-reopen-church-hts-dominated-idlib

https://npasyria.com/en/89664/

https://syriadirect.org/hts-looks-to-idlibs-christians-and-druze-to-whitewash-violations/

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/christmas-middle-east-santa-sahlab-dabke-photos

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/03/03/muslim-syrian-refugees-converting-christianity/98685852/

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1RS19E/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/30/muslim-refugees-converting-christianity-find-safety/

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/life-under-isis-led-these-muslims-christ-n963281

https://www.newsweek.com/evangelical-christian-church-muslim-converts-syria-isis-1398210

https://syriacpress.com/blog/2020/07/19/christianity-in-syria-a-policy-of-persecution-or-deliberate-attempts-to-eliminate-it-once-and-for-all-part-2/

https://syrianobserver.com/features/51332/kurds-embrace-christianity-and-kobani-celebrates-inauguration-of-church.html

Merry Christmas!

Sadly, the World Food Program has had their funding cut by 60 percent.

Also, we are currently listed among the Top Five Syria-related podcasts on Feedspot.com (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/). Check us out there and help us get up to the #1 spot. 

Sources / Quotes:

 

https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-forced-scale-down-operations-syria-donors-gather-brussels-ahead-major-conference

 

https://www.wfp.org/news/tight-funding-forces-wfp-reduce-food-assistance-syrian-refugees-jordan-including-camps

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/venezuela-situation

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/dr-congo-emergency

 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/a-record-6-9-million-people-have-been-displaced-in-congos-growing-conflict-the-u-n-says

 

https://www.iom.int/news/record-high-displacement-drc-nearly-7-million

 

https://www.cfr.org/blog/catastrophic-displacement-democratic-republic-congo

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/syria-emergency

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/ukraine-emergency

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/rohingya-emergency 

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/afghanistan-emergency 

 

https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/how-many-refugees/2/ 

 

https://www.kiva.org/blog/where-do-refugees-come-from-and-where-do-they-go 

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/272999/refugees-by-source-country/ 

 

https://www.worldvision.org/refugees-news-stories/forced-to-flee-top-countries-refugees-coming-from

 

https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/

 

https://concernusa.org/news/largest-refugee-crises/

 

https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230620-key-figures-record-high-numbers-of-refugees-and-displaced-people-worldwide 

 

https://www.unrwa.org/resources/reports/unrwa-situation-report-44-situation-gaza-strip-and-west-bank-including-east-Jerusalem?__cf_chl_tk=jT9ELr.V5lDgrzvo7UkBg1AN_dvJ8Gin0VBYa_LtOR4-1703204552-0-gaNycGzNIVA

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-tent-city-rafah-bombardment-sheets-buckets-rcna129543

 

https://www.worldvision.org/refugees-news-stories/rohingya-refugees-bangladesh-facts

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/rohingya-emergency 

 

https://www.wfp.org/news/rohingya-refugees-bangladesh-face-grim-choices-more-cuts-food-assistance-imminent 

 

The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades. This prompts Bashar al-Assad to authorize a campaign of repression across Syria, among the earliest of his crimes against humanity.

Also, we are currently listed among the Top Five Syria-related podcasts on Feedspot.com (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/). Check us out there and help us get up to the #1 spot. 

Sources / Quotes:

Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al

The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman

Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher

Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami

A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek

Syria by Dr. David Lesch

Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio

“Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student

http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html

Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI

“Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765

“Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762

“At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk

We're breaking up Episode 15 - Crimes Against Humanity (June 24 to July 31, 2011) into four smaller episodes before putting out the full thing.

The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades.

Also, we are currently listed among the Top Five Syria-related podcasts on Feedspot.com https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/. Check us out there and help us get up to the #1 spot. 

Sources / Quotes:

Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al

The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman

Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher

Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami

A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek

Syria by Dr. David Lesch

Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio

“Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student

http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html

Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI

“Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765

“Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762

“At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk

We're breaking up Episode 15 - Crimes Against Humanity (June 24 to July 31, 2011) into four smaller episodes before putting out the full thing.

The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades.

Sources / Quotes:

Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al

The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman

Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher

Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami

A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek

Syria by Dr. David Lesch

Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio

“Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student

http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html

Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI

“Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765

“Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762

“At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk

We're breaking up Episode 15 - Crimes Against Humanity (June 24 to July 31, 2011) into four smaller episodes before putting out the full thing.

 

The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades.

 

Sources / Quotes:

 

Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al

 

The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh

 

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman

 

Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher

 

Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami

 

A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek

 

Syria by Dr. David Lesch

 

Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio

 

“Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student 

http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html 

 

Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI 

 

“Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765 

 

“Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762 

 

“At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk

We're breaking up Episode 15 - Crimes Against Humanity (June 24 to July 31, 2011) into four smaller episodes before putting out the full thing.

 

The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades.

 

Sources / Quotes:

 

Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al

 

The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh

 

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman

 

Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher

 

Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami

 

A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek

 

Syria by Dr. David Lesch

 

Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio

 

“Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student 

http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html 

 

Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI 

 

“Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765 

 

“Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762 

 

“At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk

Explaining the absence and examining the Syrian refugee crisis, as well as the situation for refugees across the world in 2022.

Sources / Quotes:

“Boat carrying Syrian refugees lands in Southern Italy,” Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-italy-boat-idUSBRE8780L720120809 

 

“Syria Refugee Crisis Explained,” The UN Refugee Agency

https://www.unrefugees.org/news/syria-refugee-crisis-explained/#:~:text=More%20than%206.8%20million%20Syrians,in%20T%C3%BCrkiye%2C%20Lebanon%20and%20Jordan. 

 

“Eleven years on, mounting challenges push many displaced Syrians to the brink,” The UN Refugee Agency

https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/briefing/2022/3/623055174/eleven-years-mounting-challenges-push-displaced-syrians-brink.html 

 

“You’re Going to Your Death: Violations Against Syrian Refugees Returning to Syria,” Amnesty International

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde24/4583/2021/en/ 

 

“Afghanistan: How many refugees are there and where will they go?” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58283177 

 

“Displacement, humanitarian needs surging inside Afghanistan and across region,” UN News

https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/02/1111532 

 

“What is Next For Afghans Who Fled to the United States?” Rescue.org

https://www.rescue.org/article/what-next-afghans-who-fled-united-states 

 

“Floods, fighting, and famine: Inside South Sudan’s triple crisis,” by Sam Mednick, The New Humanitarian

https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2021/2/8/floods-fighting-famine-south-sudan-crisis 

 

“The Incredible Story of Task Force Pineapple,” History in Five, YouTube.com 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV2CFvzewrA

 

“Irpin’s Bridge of Death,” by Oz Katerji, New Lines Magazine

https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/irpins-bridge-of-death/ 

 

Bernd Debusmann was a young Reuters bureau chief when Lebanon imploded into civil war and anarchy in the 1970s, during which Syria and Hafez al-Assad became intimately involved the conflict.

 

This talented and daring journalist took to war-torn Beirut like a duck to water, risking his life to interview combatants on all sides and civilians caught in the cross-fire, eventually running afoul of the Assad regime for reporting on their intervention in Lebanon and atrocities committed in Syria.

 

This prompted Syrian intelligence officers to threaten his life. Several Western journalists fled Lebanon after receiving similar death threats, but Bernd stubbornly refused to be intimidated. The Assad regime then resorted to, "censorship by bullet" and attempted to assassinate him in 1980. 

 

Bernd survived and still walks around with a bullet in his back, to this day. And that wasn't even the first time he got shot in Lebanon.

 

You won't want to miss this incredible interview with a man who frequently put his life on the line to inform the public and now shares valuable insight on a bygone era. The Lebanese Civil War and Syria's role in the conflict are largely forgotten today, but their long-term consequences reverberate into the present day.