Syrians hope for better
times as Assad falls

Memories of my visit to Syria in December 1991 experiencing the Assad regime

By Irwin Rapoport

December 12, 2024

The fall of the Assad family dictatorship that brutally ruled Syria for 50 years came to a rapid end a few days ago following a two-week campaign by rebel forces. The people of Syria are celebrating and rightly so as former President Bashar al-Assad, son of the founder of the dynasty, Hafez al-Assad, fled with his family and $2 billion to Russia. Of course, President Vladimir  Putin welcomed the dictator who ensured that Russia had a Mediterranean naval base and air bases.

Bashar, who led Syria for 13 years, viciously bombed cities that rebelled against the government and to make matters worse, used poison gas to quell the revolt. In these campaigns, Bashar had the support of the Russian government. The civil war took its toll on civilians – dead and wounded – and resulted in millions of Syrians fleeing the country as refugees, with some making their way to Canada.

Hafez’s years as a dictator were not pleasant. The secret police were out in force, people were imprisoned and executed, and the regime ensured that any political opposition was ruthlessly suppressed.

Bashar, who led Syria for 13 years, viciously bombed cities that rebelled against the government and to make matters worse, used poison gas to quell the revolt. In these campaigns, Bashar had the support of the Russian government.

The last time we witnessed a major government collapse in a civil war was back in 1975 during the North Vietnamese campaign to retake South Vietnam, with the invasion moved ahead of schedule as the South Vietnamese Army collapsed and North Vietnamese tanks and troops made their way into Saigon. Many readers will recall the news reports chronicling the chaos that ensued as people attempted to reach Saigon and the American embassy to board helicopters flying to and fro to the airport to be able to board a plane.

Protesters were young and old – Image: Ahmed Akacha

Events moved so quickly that the American government was caught off guard and many civilians who aided the American forces and top military leaders could not be evacuated. People were terrified and rightly so. In reality, the war in Vietnam was a civil war as the Americans attempted to defend South Vietnam to prevent the communist takeover of Indo-China. To learn more about the event, check out Fall of Saigon on Wikipedia.

The rapid end of the Assad regime was not expected and when it occurred many nations were stunned as this established a new Middle Eastern paradigm bringing more instability to the area. Syria is a large and strategically located country, bordering Turkey, Jordan, Israel, and Iraq. Revolutions can be bloody in terms of the struggle and the aftermath. Many hope Syria will take on a democratic government and that much-needed reforms will be enacted so that Syrians can live without fear and enjoy normal lives. The individuals who backed and worked for the regime will likely face justice and pay for their actions. They have much to account for as they brought misery and terror to millions of people.

The Syrian people need help and international intervention led by the United Nations with willing partners can make a difference as getting it right the first time is so crucial – serious pitfalls that could cost lives and continue the misery can be avoided.

For more info on the demise of the Assad regime, check out these articles:

Syrian rebels torch Hafez al-Assad’s tomb, end dynasty’s reign

The fall of Bashar Assad after 13 years of war in Syria brings to an end a decades-long dynasty

Ousted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media say

“We think he died just before regime collapsed”: Syrians scour morgues full of tortured bodies

As part of my excursion to the Middle East from November 1991 to January 1992, I ventured into Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Syria. It was quite the adventure as I not only saw many sights that I wished to see but was able to meet the locals, a fascinating experience.

After a few weeks in Israel, I proceeded to Egypt via the Sinai and then took the ferry to Aqaba in Jordan, the city where Lawrence and the Arab Revolt threw out the Ottoman forces. From there, I was off to Petra and the Crusader castle at Karak before reaching Amman, the Jordanian capital. This gave me the opportunity to visit the Roman city of Jerash and the church in Madaba which contains a mosaic map of the Roman Empire.

The plan to proceed to Syria started with legwork in Jordan. Step one was securing a visa which took me and two British travellers I met to the Syrian Embassy. When we arrived in the morning on an early December day, there were more than 1,500 people lined up to get inside. We feared the worst – hours of waiting in line. However, embassy officials ushered us in explaining that the lineup was due to the presidential election. Syrian citizens were expected to vote in the “contest” between Hafez and his hand-picked opponent. The winner was obvious.

Palmyra – Image: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

As it turned out, Canadians did not require a visa, which was a relief. Unlike Lawrence of Arabia who reached Damascus by camel with an Arab army, I took the late afternoon bus to the historic city. The journey was pleasant but being Jewish was a concern – I planned to state that I was Presbyterian. Let me describe my appearance – I had a beard and was wearing a keffiyeh, a useful piece of clothing that keeps one cool in the heat and warm in the cold, with the colours of the Hashemite Tribe. At customs, I waited in line and when my turn came, the officials at first thought I was a local, which surprised them and me. Getting through was easy and in a few hours I was in Damascus. Step two was to find an affordable hotel, which did not take long.

At the hotel, while checking in, there were some people from Morocco. The clerk did not speak English, but two of the Moroccan travellers helped me out as I explained what I needed to them in French and they spoke Arabic with the clerk. With a base, I could explore the city for two and a half days. It allowed me to visit the main mosque, which arose from an early Christian church; the Syrian museum that contained many antiquities and the wreckage of a downed Israeli fighter jet from the Yom Kippur War; see wonderful Ottoman architecture; and walk the streets. I was able to taste the local cuisine at several restaurants and go to local cinemas where American movies were playing.

I met several residents of the city and the conversations were informative. While watching one film, I met some people my age and afterwards, we went out for a snack. Life was not easy for many but they lived their lives to the best of their abilities.

‘Voting had ended and throughout the city, there were a great number of posters and murals promoting the president– it was surreal. While walking at night I was able to participate in a victory party. It was clear that so many knew the election was a sham.’

Around the mosque, there were plenty of bookshops and in many ways, daily life was similar to Montreal.

Voting had ended and throughout the city, there were a great number of posters and murals promoting the president– it was surreal. While walking at night I was able to participate in a victory party. It was clear that so many knew the election was a sham. When I was in East Germany in 1987, it was my first experience of being in a dictatorship. One felt for the East Berliners and it was the same for the residents of Damascus. I saw many in various types of uniforms and one suspected that there were many government agents in plain clothes. I was reminded how good we had it in Canada.

The next stop was Palmyra, a major city in the Roman Empire. The bus ride permitted me to see the countryside, which took me past several villages, farms, and date palm orchards. There were few tourists in Palmyra – just me and two Japanese women from Tokyo, whom I would visit during my trip to Southeast Asia in the summer of 1992. We had our choice of rooms and became friends, touring the ruins of the city, visiting a nearby date palm orchard, and climbing a small hill where the Fakhr-al-Din al-Maani Castle was situated. Sadly the castle was off-limits to tourists, but the view was perfect as it overlooked the Roman city and the plain, which contained some desert areas.

Damascus men in traditional clothing – Image: Arian Zwegers, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

I was in Palmyra for two days and saw everything I wanted. I was then off to Homs, my base to visit the intact Crusader fortress of Krak des Chevaliers, held by the Knights Hospitallers until 1271. This was a must-see for me, having read about the Crusades and knowing that T.E. Lawrence, before his Lawrence of Arabia days, had visited as part of his research for a doctoral paper on the Crusader Castle architecture and its influences on European castle design. Lawrence also did a bit of spying on the side of the British government. In a sense, I was walking in his footsteps.

I was the only tourist that day at the castle, which I thoroughly explored. Located on a hill, it overlooks a wide swath of the surrounding area. The castle has an outer wall and a large walled central keep. The experience was brilliant and here I was inside a key fortress of the Crusader County of Tripoli. I did not have much time to explore Homs and its old city, with mosques and churches. Maybe next time.

‘The tour let me visit places I dreamed of seeing and most importantly, was a learning experience. Based on the people in Syria, Jordan, and Egypt that I met, there were no displays of hatred of Israel. In Syria, I sensed that most people simply wanted to live normal peaceful lives, raise a family, and be happy.’

This was my last box to tick off and from here I made my way back to Damascus and from there to Amman, where I boarded the bus back to Jerusalem, via the Allenby Bridge and West Bank, to celebrate Hanukkah. After a few short days there, Egypt was next, which permitted me to spend time in Cairo and the pyramids, Luxor and its architectural wonders, Aswan and Abu Simbel, and take a three-day cruise with a bunch of western tourists on a felucca down the Nile starting in Luxor. We checked out two temples and saw the famed thin green ribbon on both sides of the river. I had thought about going to northern Sudan to see the Nubian pyramid complex of the Kushite Empire. Due to the ongoing civil war, that was impossible.

Visiting Syria was an eye-opener, as was the time in the other countries. Israel held a special place for me and I was pleased to be there. The Temple Mount area was very spiritual and one could feel it, especially at the Wailing Wall.

The tour let me visit places I dreamed of seeing and most importantly, was a learning experience. Based on the people in Syria, Jordan, and Egypt that I met, there were no displays of hatred of Israel. In Syria, I sensed that most people simply wanted to live normal peaceful lives, raise a family, and be happy. I am very glad that the Assad family dictatorship is now in the dustbin of history and I fervently hope Syrians can establish a government that will bring peace, prosperity, and democracy.

The videos below concern the situation in Syria:

Feature image: Ahmed Akacha – Pexels

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Irwin Rapoport is a freelance journalist with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Concordia University.