BTW there's nice interview with Anhar. She's some travel agent from Syria, best known for being self-made journalist (I guess, no job for travel agent now). She was very kind to share her perosnal observations on the situation and translate, comment few reports for me (and not only me). She's been kidnapped and managed to escape recently, that made her relatively famous in Syria (see video of negotiations with terrorist I posted earlier, it's her voice behind the scene).
It's google translate, of course...
Anhar Kochneva was not known in Ukraine before the fall of last year, and then the Syrian rebels kidnapped her and asked her for a ransom of $ 50 million. However, the Ukrainian government has shown unprecedented strength of mind and did not hurry to release Kochnev.
Representatives of the Syrian diaspora even put forward the theory that her captors Bashar Assad's security forces. In general, Anhar had the most to escape from captivity, and the story of the escape of any series looks cooler adventures of James Bond. Too many took the story with skepticism Kochneva, including us.
A couple of days ago Anhar Kochneva came to our colleagues from The Dipcomment and invited her to record the interview. After some discussion we decided to put it on "Hvilya" because of its vivid account of life in Syria is an alternative view of the events in the Middle Eastern country.
You move to Syria as a reporter and what passport?
I live in Damascus ever since October 22, 2011. First came to the country in November 1999 and since then has worked and is working with Syria as a tour operator. That is my main profession - tourism. Sell tours to Syria (tourists here go so far, though very little - we've got not so much bad as commonly believed) in Lebanon, Jordan. Wrote several books: the first guide to Jordan and the Russian Guide to Cairo. It feeds me and tourism. Since I absolutely free Arabic and I know the country, I work also as a producer and translator for Russian journalists. Therefore, all allegations to the effect that I'm here for the money allegedly came - the attempts of some people measure others by themselves. About 90% of the work. I am doing as a journalist, I'm doing for free. Passport I have a very ordinary.
Can you briefly describe how you were captured?
Nothing complicated: going home to Damascus from Tartus. The bag among other personal items was a swimsuit, which, together with other clothing and hygiene items stolen attackers. I take my underwear and swimsuit were vital to the revolution. So, I was riding in a taxi from the sea to their home. On the road popped up a few thugs sent to us machines. My taxi driver and accidentally picked up our companion shoved into the trunk, I was left in the cabin and drove fields - deep into the villages they seized the enclave, which was located around Quseir. Such are the methods in this leash. The driver in the first day after the kidnapping showed me he was beaten so that it was impossible to find out. She was beaten for what he Alava of Homs. That is, it was the usual radical thugs. Later, I took away from this group other bandits, they were more sane, that is, to me in this regard with them luck. But this is a very conventional "luck": I can say that. for example, the well-known Abu Saqqara (the one who ate the inside front of the camera he had killed a soldier) I saw a few times just a few meters around him.
Public organization "Syrian House" in Kharkov, in a statement said that during your abduction regime security forces are "al-Assad?"
They are lying. You know, I would urge, if possible ask these people to show their passport for that. when these people were last in Syria. I think, two feet on their former homeland was not. Otherwise, they would not carry such nonsense: we are living in Syria. good to know who is actually standing there for terror, murder and kidnapping. Personally, I have at my very wide social circle there is no one in the family who would not have killed someone or kidnapped. You know, the first two days after the abduction, I was held in a house in which there was a TV. But the TV was tuned to the satellite, which no normal Syrian channels: 7-8 of opposition. I'm not just wrote in his blog after the escape, come back through the mirror: the TV that's Through the Looking Glass and show. I'm living in Syria, and I know the truth. Example. I have many times been in Homs. I knew I was under the control of militants only a few urban areas. And show me a bouncer tear movie about "blocked completely rebellious Homs" and tells the tale someone Khaled Abu Salah, who says that this is the most besieged Homs, and I have it in the first days after the abduction through the window of my room saw. Then he went to Jordan to marry. They say that even in Moscow noted. And the TV - a miserable, sitting with torches - allegedly without light ... a lie a lie. I told stories gangsters Al Jazeera that the May 10, 2012 allegedly organized the attack the state itself and exploded some buses with corpses umorennyh prison revolutionaries ... But I was on the site of the explosion. I'm from the excavator bucket lifted all. There was only one bus ... small bus. which were burned alive who were traveling to school students ... I mean. if you watch all these channels. You can become a kid. All Syrian normal channels of satellite discarded. For what? To those who do not live in Syria, calmly ate what they are fed by the enemies of Syria? Other explanation I personally have not.
We have to go and see what we have here and how do we have here. Tickets cost about $ 500. Come and see: opposition channels lie. I myself saw the bandits kidnapped them beaten man recorded video and shouting pro-government slogans. Guess one time, it was presented as a video? Of course, this is an evil army of people stealing and beating them.
Alas, I was kidnapped Dzhibhat Nusra, after two days spent in the rest of them I was 149 days at the head voenshtaba Farouk Brigades. They were also struck in the captive for 53 days, two Russians and an Italian ...
Standing the blame on habit is not very useful, so to speak. Like, adults in Kharkov, and do not understand the simple things ...
In your stories many gaps: the kidnappers put Ukraine expense of $ 50 million, and then the figure was less, and then suddenly you manage to escape? If you're standing so expensive, why you did not guard, respectively - this issue has sent us a skeptic, a native of Syria in Ukraine, he is one of the most ardent supporters of the Syrian government's policy with regard to the armed opposition?
I do not particularly guarded. I have the same one group from another selected. Told me that they want to kill me first, and therefore are looking for. And in my best interest to sit where I was being held without revealing themselves. In our house there were people who had no idea. that in addition to the two guards in the house lives a third party.
Those were the days. When my guards slept almost all the daylight hours. That is, in fact, if I had gone then I would be enough only for the evening. I carried out a diary. It says, when someone how much woke up when I was left completely and one ton. § In recent days, just the security was strengthened: in "my" group having trouble relating to al-Qaeda Dzhiyubhat Nusra. As the head of the group that kept me at home, have been Qaida in line for elimination (yes, they do kill each other), he exhibited at the house armed. And this protection was located near the exit of the house, where they kept me. In the future could be even worse, so I ran away to a time when it was still possible to be there and when it became increasingly dangerous, I decided that in the end they will kill me and try to blame the crime on the army (as this is the "home of Syria "tried to hang on the State to my abduction - technology perfected).
Of course, the chance to get out was negligible. But out of the house there was a problem. We had to just have the courage, and I do not take her from childhood. Just open the door and go past the gate, behind which sat guard. The most difficult part was to get out of a gangster enclave. And just then there was a non-human act of luck: I have taken out on a boat the locals I met, having about 9 km.
Audacity. decisiveness, ability to use your head, not in order that the user has + luck.
About 40 days ago I first came to the house from which I fled. With me were journalists channel "Inter" I found it easy, and two houses in that village where I was held, and then found a home in Quseir - I lived there for 8 days. She took off her interview with the people who have helped me to evacuate. I will make an amateur documentary.
You managed to avoid almost death, why did you decide to risk their lives and go back to Syria, again with what passport?
I have a passport, I repeat, the most common. Where else can I have a passport other than the one issued to the Visa Office? Is it that he now had a new: my old passport. phone and camera were the bandits.
As for the risk, if I really want to kill, they can do it anywhere, right? I was not afraid or during the abduction. or during captivity. Why should I be afraid of some thugs after she became free again? Especially because not long ago I was on the phone with the man who held me. Joke - a good laugh. He told me that Dzhibhat Nusra stabbed the two guards. from which I slipped away. He personally against me does not hold: so far I have not said anything wrong. I say what that was and is. I've been doing psychology in 1988, I was able to build a more or less respectful relationship with those with whom I was. And if there is a situation where they get into the environment, I am ready to act as a mediator in the negotiations of surrender. I know these people, I understand. who they are and whatever they think. There are both full of thugs and people who just went out there and did not become criminals, thinking that they are involved in a good business. Some of the people I saw there, I do not want to die. In principle, this is no different from the position of the president of Syria, we want to. people pay for their mistakes by law, and then return to their parents. Here, the two men who were killed because of my escape, Al Qaeda, I certainly would not want the death. It's just lost souls. Which, I think, it was still possible to return to a normal life.
How do you assess the current situation in Syria as a person who is directly side by side with armed men - by government soldiers.
The bandits have become a political bankruptcy. bankrupt and militarily, and they understand it very well. Understand that without intervention they have no chance. After all, just because of the Trojan horse in the form of a "Annan Plan" bandits managed to capture the towns from which they are now forced to beat Army. The plan meant the complete withdrawal of troops from population centers. Army withdrew and towns and parts of towns were immediately captured by bandits. We Nastya Popova from Russian "Vesti-24" in November 2011 were at the center of Homs, in the governor's office. They were driving through the city ... After the implementation of the Annan plan and so far in these neighborhoods can not get - get killed. That there are now bandits. Which, by the way, hide behind the human shield of the power held by them civilians. You say, great warriors - chop off part of the city? Alas: capturing peaceful neighborhoods, which the UN has made the throw without the protection of the army, it is not courage and military skill. Not satisfied if Syria UN conditions imposed on it - there would be a situation where the bandits have smoke and punch out of the settlements. But the army is still in fact stronger. And the people in the majority on the side of the army. Because what people want? Stability, and it can give only the state, not a bunch of armed men, kill the dogs and birds of anything better to do. I'm 5 months, consider lived under the rule of the most revolutionaries. You know, I really do not want the horror came across the country.
Why did you fail to establish direct contacts with the Ukrainian channels interested in such an experienced partner like you? There are some pitfalls ...
I'm always open for cooperation, let address, we have a video and a photo of what's really going on here. The main thing - to want to tell their viewers and readers the truth. I than I can - help. Now gradually collect on a separate site its publications, photos and videos, an interview with me. To have everything in one place for easy reference. There are dozens of publications. In different languages. It is always possible to join this list of publications. The company is quite solid.
Last question, what is happening in Syria, after two years of civil war, as is the daily life?
It is important to understand exactly what is happening in Syria. Alas, the TV almost does not give true and complete picture. Opposition channels openly lie (I was doing a report on how on the captured airfield agricultural training aircraft bandits were painted in different colors and were issued for government aircraft shot down, each time for a different). Syrian television ejected from the satellites and it can only look inside Syria. A foreign journalists in pursuit of sensation and heroic picture shoot tanks, ruins, shooting ...
But this is not what the country lives. At 200 meters from the place where he was shot ruined house can be a crowded market or crowded cafe visitors. Also in Homs, all of which are working on the government-controlled area businesses, shops, schools and hospitals. I am sitting at home, watching TV (I have Russian and Arab channels), work on the internet, I drink coffee and eat cakes, which are now falling due course the Syrian lira sold 10 pieces of $ 2.
The country lives. The country is mostly intact and will not go away. Operating hotels in the same Damascus and the coastal zone. Just live there than foreign tourists, and temporary migrants from troubled areas. It takes a military operation - people are returning to their home. Places in cheap hotels Damascus is not available. But the cost of living in, say, 3 * fell from $ 80-100 per room up to 15-20. In those places where law and order are working museums. Intact the vast majority of the Syrian tourist attractions (the variety and quantity of Syria has no equal in the world). That is, the country is more or less okay, she lives. People are tired of what is happening. Bandits killed already, apparently, more than 300 000 people (as strenuously silent in a rag UN and the notorious Syrian foreign opposition). Yes, it is hard when the whole world deceived and drawn into the anti-Syrian company focused on the destruction of the country. But stood in the same time Cuba? Sanctions, embargoes. And Syria is not Cuba, Syria - a country with a developed economy. So, the chances to survive and win she has.
http://hvylya.org/interview/politics2/anhar-kochneva-bolshaya-chast-naroda-sirii-podderzhivaet-asada.html
