Diary of a Demonstrator in a Wheelchair - Reports - News

Diary of a Demonstrator in a Wheelchair By Yahya AlAous- Al Thara Translated by Anna Jozwik 5-1-2013 It iscommon to find children under ten-years-old or elderly men over eighty participating in demonstrations;however,for a man in a wheelchair to join a demonstration is both courageous and risky, especially in a country where the only form of defense is a pair of legs to search for a safe haven, escaping a shower of bullets, or teargas if the security forces are feeling merciful. Raad is a 26-year-old man who has spent the last 5 years in a wheelchair, as a result of a fall from the rooftop of a building while he was working as a satellite dish technician.Undeterred by his disability, he has engaged in the most dangerous aspects of the revolution, mainlydemonstrations,since the outbreak of the events in Syria. He has rejected all attempts by friends and family to keep him from participating. His condition makes him easy prey for the security and Shabbiha who do not care about the young or elderly, disabled or women when crushing demonstrations. First Time The first time Raad joined demonstrations in Midan, in the middle of Damascus, other participants were surprised by the presence of this young man who shows a rare determination, unlike thousands of other young people who remain silent. “One day many demonstrators tried to convince me to change my mind, but I insisted on staying. That was the first time since my accident that I stopped being afraid of not being on an equal footing with people who can walk,” says Raad. “I realize exactly what awaits me if I were to be arrested, but what is my arrest compared to the daily deaths of young Syrians? I admit that during my first contact with the security forces I told them I found myself at the demonstration by accident, to avoid arrest, because I was scared. At the time, my story didn’t convince them, and some wanted to arrest me and some wanted to leave me alone. Finally they left me alone, but not before they threatened and insulted me. But if that situation happens again, I won’t repeat what I said last time, because now I have a stronger conviction of the importance of peaceful demonstrationsand challenging the authority of the security forces and the Shabbiha,” he adds. Message to the Silent Without a doubt, Raad’s participation in the streets is a message to all Syrians who are still hibernating.More than that it’s a wake up call to all who still hesitate,for is there a stronger motivation than a young man with this disability who has joined the ranks of peaceful demonstrators? “I hoped that my actions would encourage those who have not made up their minds yet to join in the streets.In fact, I have sensed a change in the attitude of many of my colleagues, which has prompted some of them to join,” he says. “For years we the disabled have been accused of exploiting or trading on our disabilities to obtain personal benefits from the government, which in reality always turned its back on us and our needs. Today I don’t allow anyone to accuse us of exploiting our disabilities for any purpose. On the contrary what I’m doing is as a result of complete conviction,” he adds. “I never used to forget my disability completely, but when I’m at a demonstration I forget. I feel my will and determination to continue getting stronger. Imprisonment is no longer scary for me,in fact it’s an honor as I demand my freedom and the freedom of my country at a time when most people don’t expect someone in my position to even leave the house,” he continues. Raad realizes that the revolution has opened for him new horizons in a world that hadforced him to be confined to a wheelchair for five years.Although the revolution hasn’t freed him from his wheelchair, it has helped him forget the idea that he is a hostage to the wheelchair. The courage and boldness he possesses distinguish him from his peers who have not yet joined the revolution. Raad encourages them to follow in his footsteps to catch up with him. Friends, who used to try to persuade him to settle for political participation away from the streets, have since given up trying to convince him not to join them in demonstrations. Instead they have found ways toensure Raad’s safety and to safely transport him from areas where demonstrations take place.

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