Escape from war

In this column we shine the spotlight on the immigrant experience. And, as a cultural exchange, get them to share food recipes they hold dear. Let's meet Mohamad Abo Haileh this week. The Syrian boy's escape from his wartorn land is a story fit for the big screen. But it is his overcoming of the war and a no-baggage outlook which makes him stand out.

by Navjyoti Dalal

When I met him for the interview, Mohamad Abo Haileh, a young IT professional, had just returned from a long work day, which included a presentation and demonstration. He was fasting for Ramadan, the last time he had had anything to eat or drink that day was almost 12 hours earlier. But, his energy defied the lack of food or water intake. Here was a cheerful young man sharing his story with mirth, expressiveness, sprinkled with some tongue-in-cheek humour about surviving military detention while attempting to flee a war zone. He wasn't trying to make light of the situation, but I presume someone who survived a civil war escape might use flippancy as a shield to revisit the experience.

The Fall Of Damascus

Fifteen years ago, Syria was on the brink of something that would alter its history. The country had been under the Ba'athist regime since 1963, and for almost five decades ruled by the (dictatorial) Assad family, which hadn't fared well on the freedom indices. In 2011, the landscape began to change. People's discontentment fuelled protests demanding democracy, only to be met with military brutality. The next 13 years have seen the country burn, crumble, survive, and dare to hope. Basher Al-Assad left the country in December 2024, and Syria is on a path to heal from the trauma.

"We had it good before the war," Mohamad tells me. "My father owned a clothing factory, and it was a nice, comfortable, upper middle-class life," he adds. Mohamad was only 11 when the civil war began, in the next few years he saw his father's business shrink -- from a big factory to a small shop, to eventually working from home. This wasn't the only transition he noted. "It started with protests, then graduated to killing and arrests by the government. Even a prayer meet for someone killed during the protest was not spared. Some soldiers who didn't want to kill their own men, made Free Syrian Army. That's how the war began. Before I even left the country nine of my family members got killed," he explains.

The Business Of War

Fear, outrage, and helplessness underlined the next four years of Mohamad's life. At 15 he tried to escape the country for the first time. "My brother was turning 18 soon, and it was mandatory for all males to enlist in the military at 18. He didn't want that, to pick up the gun against one's own people. Time was running out and we decided to take a chance at freedom," he recalls. It was difficult for the entire family to evacuate all at once, the boys chose to go first. Their aim was to reach Turkey and then Europe. Syrian nationals didn't require a Visa to enter Turkey, but because of the influx of refugees strict Visa regulations were imposed beginning January 8, 2016. "To avoid that we left a day earlier, January 7, to board a Baghdad-Istanbul flight, but they delayed the flight till midnight, allowing the new rules to come into effect. Despite our requests and persuasion, we couldn't board the flight," Mohamad shares.

A thwarted attempt didn't deter Mohamad and his brother from trying again, only this time through land route. Mohamad and his brother took on a perilous journey traversing through desert, mountains, and rivers, while sometimes even hidden in the back of a goods truck. Such a journey requires enough liquid cash to pay off agents to smuggle them, one region at a time, apart from paying off corrupt officials at checkpoints. “Neither the rebels nor the military had any allegiance to anything except money. As long as you were paying money, you were allowed to transit, although not without a measure of insults and torture. Initially, I would think that the rebels are revolutionaries, here to make a change. But this journey broke that myth, they were just as corrupt and greedy as the government," he explains. While they got caught a few times en route, money would help secure a release, until they were caught in Hama, left with no money. "How we came out of the Hama Air Base alive is pure miracle," remarks Mohamad, who reached Turkey after five days.

A Boat that Travels through Time

From the Biblical times to now, the boat has remained an iconic symbol. For Mohamad, who reached the Greek shores aboard one such boat, it has held a profundity as that of Noah's ark. "It was on that boat that I felt most peaceful and serene. Unless it topples, there was certainty that one would get to live. No one would fleece you of money, or torture you anymore," shares Mohamad, who spent the next two years at a refugee camp in Greece before arriving in Ireland in December 2017.

While he confesses he had little idea about Ireland, he had heard about the friendliness of the Irish. He admits to falling in love with the greenery here. "I love hikes, one of the first things I did here was to go for a hike, in Waterford," says Mohamad, who did a bachelors degree in Business and Masters in Applied Software Engineering from TUS Athlone.

Recipe: Yalanji

Syrian food is remarkably rich in offering both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. "Damascus is the oldest city and it holds so much heritage in terms of food culture," he says. His favourite is the Yalanji, which has a stuffing of rice and vegetables rolled in a grape leaf.

Ingredients

Wrapping:

Grape leaves (Can be sourced from Aleppo Authentic Foods in Roscommon)

Filling:

Rice

Onion (finely chopped)

Olive oil

Tomatoes

Parsley (finely chopped)

Dried mint

Salt and black pepper

Ginger powder

Lemon juice

Pomegranate molasses

Tomato paste

Damascus secret ingredient: Arabic coffee (1 teaspoon)

1.⁠ ⁠Prepare the Filling

Rinse rice until water runs clear.

In a pan, fry finely chopped onions and chopped tomatoes in olive oil until soft and fragrant. Now take it out in a large bowl and mix in the rest of the filling ingredients well.

2.⁠ ⁠Prepare the Grape Leaves

Rinse grape leaves to remove brine.

Trim stems and blanch in boiling water 1–2 min if needed.

3.⁠ ⁠Roll the Yalanji

Place a leaf shiny side down.

Add 1–2 tsp of filling near the stem end.

Fold sides and roll tightly from stem to tip.

Repeat for all rolls.

4.⁠ ⁠Arrange in the Pot

Line bottom with leftover leaves to prevent sticking.

Place rolls seam-side down, snugly.

5.⁠ ⁠Cook

Pour water until just covering rolls.

Place a heatproof plate on top to keep them submerged.

Cover and simmer on low for 40–50 min until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

If you, or someone you know, are an immigrant with a story to share write to us at editor@westmeathindependent.ie, or navjyoti.d@gmail.com