As is well known, the issue of Syrian refugees has become central to the agenda of the Dutch Minister of Asylum and Migration, Marjolein Faber.
Recently, on 19 January, Marjolein escalated her stance by publishing intimidating messages in Arabic, announcing plans for the repatriation of Syrian refugees once conditions permit.
In making this announcement, Marjolein acknowledged that while some families wish to return, they are held back by fear of an uncertain future in Syria.
In response to the repatriation plans, Marlou Schrover, a professor of migration history at Leiden University, argues that the plan to forcibly return Syrians is unlikely to succeed, as international refugee agreements and other factors present significant obstacles.
In light of these developments, The New Arab, reporting from Haarlem, Netherlands, spoke earlier this week with Mohammad Mousalli and his family about the life they’ve built in Europe and the possibility of returning to Aleppo, Syria.
New beginningsÂ
Like many Syrians, Mohammad fled the war in Syria and started a new life.
According to Mohammad, his journey to Europe was perilous as he traveled through dangerous refugee routes. However, he arrived in the Netherlands in 2015 and was reunited with his family.
After settling in, Mohammad opened a restaurant that has since become a local favourite, which, as he puts it, brings the flavours and scents of Aleppo to the Netherlands.
Recalling his life in Syria, Mohammad shared that he came from a wealthy family with several businesses in Aleppo, and his passion was always running cafes and restaurants.
Despite the challenges of starting over, Mohammad believes he has successfully rebuilt his life in Europe.
In addition to becoming a restaurant owner, Mohammad’s life in the Netherlands has led him to get involved with the Netherlands Council for Refugees (VWN), assisting fellow Syrians with translation, and with De Wereldkeuken, which offers refugees the opportunity to share their national dishes.
In Mohammad’s own words, he saw this involvement as an opportunity to showcase Syrian culture and educate people about Syria’s rich history, proudly noting that after several years of volunteering, he secured a paid chef position with the latter organisation.
Proudly sharing Syria’s culture and history
For Mohammad and his family, sharing Syria’s culture and history — especially with the Dutch — is more important than making a profit.
So far, Mohammad and his family have shared Syrian traditions, such as making Aleppo soap and za’atar, while playing Sabah Fakhri’s music in the shop, which has been well-received by the Dutch, who admire him as a cultural icon.
Speaking proudly of his wife and daughters, Mohammad explains that they all play a key role in the family’s business: Judy handles the artistic side, Naia helps on weekends, and their middle daughter, who is based in Germany, supports remotely.
Touching on the recent fall of the Assad regime, Mohammad shares that many people have congratulated him and his family, while others have expressed sadness at the thought of them returning to Syria and potentially closing the family restaurant.
Reflecting on the reception they’ve received so far, Mohammad knows that the love people have for Syrian food and their strong bond with the family demonstrate the impact they’ve made.
In saying this, Mohammad adds that his wife, in particular, has formed close friendships with Dutch customers, who now feel like family to her.
Scattered memories
With warm smiles, Judy, the eldest daughter, and Naia, the youngest, weigh in on their father’s stories.
Like her father, Judy had to leave everything behind because of the war and start over.
Despite being forced to leave her studies in commerce and economics, Judy now works in a managerial position at Apple in Amsterdam, fulfilling a long-held dream. This achievement seemed unlikely when she faced the challenge of her Syrian qualifications not being recognised due to differences in the education system.
For Judy, her role at Apple, interacting with customers daily, has sharpened her skills, which she now applies when engaging with the Dutch community.
When asked about Aleppo, Judy shares fond memories with The New Arab, though she acknowledges some landmarks have faded from her memory, and while she has found a second home and a career she loves in the Netherlands, she doesn’t foresee returning to Syria anytime soon.
Taking a completely different path from Judy, Naia is currently studying at a Dutch university while living apart from her family. She has also become a successful model, gracing magazine covers with her striking looks.
Having moved to the Netherlands at a young age, she identifies as a “Dutch-Syrian” since she pursued her education entirely in Dutch.
She shares with The New Arab that since moving to the Netherlands, many Arabic terms have become unfamiliar to her, and she rarely uses the language anymore.
While she is proud of her Syrian heritage, her life and integration into Western society have made her feel distant from her roots.
Regarding the possibility of returning to Syria, Naia says it’s not something she considers at the moment, though she might visit during a future summer vacation.
Naia also shared that she has fears of Syria, stemming from childhood memories of the war in Aleppo, where the sound of bombings frightened her.
Despite her father’s efforts to teach her about Syria’s history and culture, Naia now associates the country only with destruction.
‘Perhaps we will reunite in Aleppo again’Â
Judy and Naia’s mother, Layan, who possesses a range of talents as an artist, seamstress, cook, writer, musician, football enthusiast, coordinator for De Wereldkeuken, and organiser of multiple community activities, shares similar stories with The New Arab.
In her home, which The New Arab was fortunate enough to visit, Layan’s passion for art is evident in the paintings she creates.Â
As you walk around, the walls are filled with the family’s achievements, including magazines and newspapers featuring their personal projects. While the table is too small for all the clippings, the walls showcase the family’s journey, with memories from Aleppo.
Layan shares: “Our goal is to show the community that we’re not in need of social assistance or waiting for it.”
With a hopeful smile, Layan adds, “Perhaps we will reunite in Aleppo again,” simultaneously admitting that she feels uncertain about returning, particularly as a Christian minority.
For now, she doesn’t plan to return in the near future.
A reluctance to return
Although Dutch media celebrate the achievements of Syrian refugees in fields like cooking, art, hospitality, and education, the reality is that thousands of Syrians — including those awaiting residency, particularly in asylum camps — fear deportation, as Syria’s future remains uncertain and unpredictable despite emerging from decades of Assad’s dictatorship.
But uncertainty is not the only concern for Syrians. Many have adapted to life in Europe, with children growing up in a different language and education system, which has diminished their proficiency in Arabic.
This cultural gap is further deepened by alarming portrayals of Syria on social media, where the country is often compared to Afghanistan in terms of religious extremism. Such imagery has unsettled non-Muslim families and minority groups, intensifying their reluctance to return.
With that said, tens of thousands of Syrians are growing increasingly worried after the suspension of asylum procedures and new policy changes, with many expressing their concerns during a protest against racism in Utrecht last month, where they demonstrated against the freeze on their asylum applications while still living in camps.
For context, the Minister of Asylum and Migration suspended the review of Syrian asylum applications following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in early December, a decision that has negatively impacted thousands of Syrian asylum seekers.
Mouneb Taim is a producer and journalist from Damascus, Syria. He was awarded TPOTY’s Photographer of the Year and ICFJ’s Best Young Male Journalist in 2020
