Father Tony al-Boutros describes the suffering and hope of the people of Suwayda: screenshot SAT-7 TV
Between July 14 and 18, Syria’s Islamist-controlled government sent troops to occupy Suwayda province, a mountainous region with a majority Druze population. Upon entering populated areas, government troops carried out numerous atrocities.
The violence began on July 13, when a Druze man was kidnapped by an armed Sunni Arab group from the settled Bedouin minority in Suwayda, with whom there have been recurring conflicts in recent years. In the fighting that followed, government troops killed over a thousand Druze civilians, targeting them for their religious identity. Many Sunni Muslim and Christian civilians were also killed in the violence. 128,000 people were displaced.
The violence ended only when government forces were forced to retreat in the face of an Israeli bombing campaign. Those who remain are living a fragile existence.
This harsh reality was conveyed by Father Tony al-Boutros, a Greek Catholic priest from the town of Shahba, in a recent interview with the channel SAT-7. His voice often breaking with emotion, Father Tony expressed both the suffering and the unwavering hope of a people who refuse to give up.
Church offers sanctuary
The town of Shahba, which was spared from the attacks, has become a sanctuary for the displaced. Here, Father Tony’s church opened its doors to 170 people whose homes were destroyed, despite the lack of water or electricity in the church.
“The generosity of so many has enabled us to provide food and drinking water,” says Father Tony. “It was a true miracle, a tangible sign of God’s presence among us.”
But he adds, “We continue to carry pain for those who lost their homes and memories — and for the five Christian churches that were burned down.”
36 villages emptied
Since the outbreak of violence in July, 36 villages in the Suwayda region have been emptied, and families have sought safety in cities.
One woman, whose family lived in Mazra’a, tells CSI how they had to flee to the capital, Damascus, leaving everything behind.
“My sister fled with her husband and children when they heard that the Bedouin were on their way. They fled without papers – IDs or diplomas – with just the clothes they were wearing,” the distraught woman says.
“Because they have no papers, they haven’t been able to find work. They are struggling to pay their rent in Damascus. They want to emigrate but don’t know where to go.”
The church in their home village, Mazra’a, was burned. Of the 13,000 people who lived there at the beginning of July, only two elderly Christian couples and a handful of Druze residents remain – 15 people total.
Solidarity with the displaced
Displaced families have also found shelter in other churches, schools and sports clubs. “The solidarity in Shahba has been incredible: people brought clothes, food and water; others volunteered their time,” Father Tony says. “This sense of community has been our strength.”
Yet, the hardships persist: in the wake of its failed attack on Suwayda, the new Syrian government has tried to cut Suwayda off from the rest of the country. There is a shortage of diesel, medicine, gas, water, baby formula and diapers. And aid struggles to reach them.
“The road to Damascus is closed, banks and offices are shut down, we are completely isolated,” Father Tony says. “Red Crescent humanitarian aid can only get through with special permits, and even then, not everything reaches its destination.”
Those unable to remain in the Shahba church (where there is no running water or electricity) have been relocated to the Greek Catholic bishop’s residence in Khabab, where conditions are better.
Among the most vulnerable are children and youth: “They have the right to safety, to milk, to school, and to university,” says the priest. “But today we have a thousand students [in Suwayda] who cannot reach their universities or take their exams. They are prisoners in their own homes.”
A moment of light
A particularly moving moment for Father Tony during the July violence was when Druze families came knocking at his church door, saying, “Father, we are entering through Jesus, let us in.”
His voice breaking, Father Tony says he never feared for himself, but only for those who sought refuge with him and in the church. He feels deep gratitude to God for protecting them.
Appeal for peace and dignity
He makes a heartfelt plea: “We ask the whole world, especially powerful countries that have solutions, to bring them to bear in Syria. We are advocates of peace and charity. Before the war, Christians, Druze, and Bedouin clans lived peacefully, sharing joys, sorrows, and friendships.”
For Father Tony, the attack on Suwayda is only the latest tragedy after 14 years of war. At one point during the war, he was kidnapped and held for 35 days. Even after that harrowing experience, he says, “I refused to leave my flock.”
“We have found consolation knowing God is with us, that Jesus accompanies us as promised in the Gospel [Matthew 28:16-20],” Father Tony says. “Despite the suffering, neither war nor hardship nor the gates of Hell will overcome the Church of Christ [Matthew 16:18]. Our strength comes from Him, not from material things.”
“We ask God to protect His children because every person is made in God’s image, and to threaten that person is to insult God Himself. We need freedom, dignity, and a normal life for our children.”
