After the occupation of the cities Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî in North and East Syria by the Turkish state and its militias in October 2019, thousands of people were forced to leave their homes and now spend Eid al-Adha far from their houses, living in tents.

While the happiness of the holiday is felt in most cities, towns, and villages, the days of Eid pass like ordinary days in the camps in Hesekê where the displaced residents of Serêkaniyê are staying. The people try to keep the memories of their lives in their homes alive and want the Turkish occupation to end so they can return safely.

“We miss celebrating holidays in our homeland”

“All we want is to return to our land,” Fatme Hisên, a mother of four, told ANHA News Agency, adding: “We want to live in peace among our own people, our relatives. When we were in our homes, we would prepare for the holiday, host relatives and neighbors. There was joy in our homes. Now, we can’t do that. Holiday days feel like any other day to us. Our children don’t feel the excitement of the holiday.”

“There’s no real holiday in tents”

Şemse Xalid, from the village of Menacîr in Serêkaniyê, recalled past holidays and told ANHA: “When we were in our homes, we used to start preparing days before the holiday. We would cook holiday meals and dress our children in new clothes. On the morning of the holiday, we would visit cemeteries. Then we’d go to greet family, friends, and neighbors. Those were the best times of my life. They are unforgettable. But now, there’s no holiday spirit. We’re struggling with dust, dirt, and extreme heat under these tents. Some families don’t celebrate not because of financial reasons, but because they’ve lost hope. We have a small but honorable dream: we want the occupying Turkish state and its militias to leave our land, and for us to return safely.”

“We want an honorable return”

Mecid Silêman said that they lost everything when the Turkish state and its militias occupied their land, stating: “We used to live safely in our homes. We celebrate holidays with enthusiasm, but now in displacement, holidays have no meaning. Life in tents is very hard. In summer, the tents become unbearable from the heat, and in winter, they’re often flooded. The services provided to meet the needs of the displaced are not sufficient. Our only wish is to return to our lands in an honorable way.”