A SAFE HAVEN
SYRIAN FAMILIES VISIT SLIGO AHEAD OF PLANS TO HOUSE 100 REFUGEES
MORE than 100 Syrian men, women and children from war torn cities such as Aleppo, Damascus, Latakia and Deir al- Zour- the site of the recent deadly chemical attack- made their first trip to Sligo last Friday. Pushing buggies up Quay Street the refugees looked like any normal family group, the Superman slippers worn by some young children in the drizzling rain the only hint of their tragic plight.
They were hosted here by the Sligo Leitrim Islamic Cultural Society who donated a collection of shoes, toys, clothes and other items of need at their centre on Mail Coach Road.
21 year Alaa arrived in Ireland just two weeks ago: “It was very hard in Syria. We feel safer here.” Mohammed ( 30) said Ireland was “good, good.” “Sligo is good,” said Mustafa, from Latakia, “Very problem in Idlib.” Their visit comes after Sligo County Council confirmed it would be accepting 100 refugees this year.
EXCITED and anxious, Syrian refugees who have experienced the horrors of war at first hand, stepped off two coaches into the drizzle of Sligo last Friday.
They were welcomed by a volunteer from the Sligo Leitrim Islamic Cultural Society who escorted them on a short walk down O’Connell Street to see the shops.
Pushing buggies and walking aids, they made their way uptown, apprehensive but smiling when approached by this newspaper, the first to interview them since their arrival to Ireland.
In broken English, they were happy to talk: “We feel more comfortable. We have arrived two weeks ago,” said Mohammed ( 30).
“It was very hard in Syria. We feel safer here,” said Alah ( 21).
The group attended the Islamic Centre on Mail Coach Road for Friday Prayers.
The Muslim community in Sligo presented the families with donated gifts, books, toys, shoes, clothes and other items of need.
Spokesperson for the Society Dr Jamshaid Sulehri said the Ballaghaderreen Refugee Centre had contacted them initially and he went to visit them in Roscommon before arranging last Friday’s trip.
He also volunteered some medical aid to them. “It was important to let them know what Sligo looked like, what shops are like here in Ireland, basic things. It’s a good way to show them our schools, churches and mosques,” he told The Sligo Champion.
“If you don’t work alongside them and help them, they don’t know what to do. We believe it’s important to help them integrate rather than be a burden on you and me as taxpayers - we would encourage them to take that burden on themselves,” he said.
Sligo County Council said last week that they expected to be allocated 100 refugees in two tranches of 50 this year. It’s expected they will be accommodated in Enniscrone, Ballisodare, Sligo, Ballymote, Grange and Collooney, under the Goverment’s committment to the Refugee Crisis in the Mediterranean. “We still have people here who are hesitant. They might not be as informed as others. If we’re all informed we’ll do better,” said Dr Sulehri. People are afraid to talk to each other. But they talk about each other. Once people are aware that this is the society now, they will make it better.
“We will do all that we can to help,” he said. “It will help us prosper. It’s something being done already by us but we should all work together. We’re ready to help,” he said.
Sligo/ Leitrim Deputy Eamon Scanlon said “everyone has a part to play. They’re coming from atrocious conditions. It’s important that they get the supports that’s needed and not left to fend for themselves.”
The refugees returned by coach to Ballaghaderreen on Friday afternoon.