The desktop of Syrian student Louai Alsaman’s computer constantly rotates headlines about the civil war in his country.
Alsaman said he pours over American, Syrian and international updates and frequents YouTube videos, Facebook statuses and tweets from his friends in Syria.
“Different media don’t have [the kind of access social media has],” he said. “I get to watch what they are posting; I spend a lot of time looking at Syrian social media. I see people killing each other, bombing. I also see refugees.”
Alsaman, 28, spent the first 26 years of his life in Damascus, the capital of Syria. He came to Ball State after graduating with a degree in architecture from the University of Damascus. He is studying for his master’s in architecture as part of the Fulbright Scholar Program.
But he is always worried about his family back home.
“I have lost a couple of friends,” Alsaman said. “There are bombings, shelling [and] suicide bombing everywhere in Syria. I am pretty worried about the people there. I have my old friends there, my family is living there, so I am always in contact with them — all the time.”
His mother, father and brother live in New York City, but the rest of his extended family and his friends are still in Syria. His brother moved to New York for a medical internship a few years before he came to Ball State. His parents came to visit their sons, but decided to remain in the United States for their safety.
Last week, President Barack Obama suspended the Senate’s vote on authorizing force against Syria after accepting Russia’s negotiation to eliminate the chemical weapons. According to The Associated Press, Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. will closely monitor the plan while continuing to be a military threat for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
When Alsaman left Syria a year and a half ago for Ball State, he did not consider leaving Syria for safety. Now, he said many of the places where he grew up have been destroyed.
“Damascus is one of the pretties cities [in] the world,” he said. “All that damage and all of those things being destroyed, places you grew up in, places you used to hang out with your friends to go for a drink or go for fun [are destroyed]. You can’t go there anymore. Some of those places don’t exist.”
Alsaman said he is a person who believes in “peace and rainbows.” He does not pick a side. He does not know if Assad used chemical weapons against Syrian people. He does not know how the conflict can be solved.
But he is firmly against anything involving more war.
Alsaman said when any country in the international community involves themselves in the conflict, it magnifies the problem.
“As a Syrian, I am against an airstrike,” he said. “Each Syrian I know is against that whether he is a supporter [of either side]. If Syrians are killing Syrians, how can they stop Syrians killing each other by killing more?”
To Alsaman, international efforts would be better spent helping Syrian refugees.
“Syrians, in their time, have opened their gates for the Iraqi people, for Lebanese, for Jordan, for people from Turkey,” he said. “And nowadays, everyone is closing their doors on Syrian people. Even the U.S. is not giving all the people visas. European countries? You should forget about it. They are not giving Syrians visas.”
Alsaman said he would like to see the U.S. spend its money giving refugees stable lives until the conflict is resolved.
“If you are going to be supportive, you should be helping the people,” he said. “There are people there who are innocent who haven’t been involved in anything who are just suffering. Helping is not only by war.”
In Spring 2014, Alsaman will graduate from his master’s program. At this point, he is looking for a job. Whether it will be in the U.S., or somewhere else, he does not know.
He said he does hope to return to the place where he grew up, though.
“It is dangerous to go back to my country, even if I am in love with my country,” he said. “But the moment the war stops, I am going back there.”
He said he thinks Syria is going through a conflict now, just like any group that has different opinions or any family that fights.
“Syria is a beautiful country,” he said. “People there are generous and kind. They do love each other. There is something wrong going on right now, like a nightmare, which no one understands. I hope that war will be over like any other child who is 10 years old [hopes].”
