Syrian man in Minnesota expresses cautious optimism about his country's future
NORTH OAKS, Minn. — Bashar al-Assad was a notorious ruler for many years in the Middle East, but his successor in Syria is not guaranteed to be a "good guy."
"We are cautiously optimistic," Fadel Sakkal, a Ramsey County physician who grew up in Aleppo, said. "The optimism is in free Syrians that can say what they want, have relationship with the west, with their neighborhoods. The caution is from how are they going to change. How far will they take their beliefs."
Fadel Sakkal was 11 years old when Hafez al-Assad rose to power in the 1970s. Bashar, his son, became president in 2000. Sakkal recalled the environment being a culture of "fear."
"They had a saying that the wall has ears because we were so afraid of saying anything that will, in their book, be against what they want to do," he explained. "If you talk politics, we are going to take you to jail."
After graduating medical school, Fadel Sakkal came to the United States and built a successful practice as a pediatric cardiologist in Fridley. He would return to Syria to visit family, however, but worried for their future.
"Only maybe 5% of the population were flourished, and 95% of them were suffering poverty, suffering lack of education, suffering so many other things."
According to Fadel Sakkal, he learned via text message that rebels were making sweeping gains in Syria and were headed towards Damascus.
"I can't explain to you how happy I was that, one, there was no blood, and two, it didn't take long," he added. "It was so joyful for me."
Jessica Sakkal, Fadel's niece living in Aleppo, said that people in her neighborhood are now returning to work and are eager for the next phase in the transition.
"In the beginning we were afraid. Everything was new for us," she said. "We're good. We hope everything will be better soon. We're waiting for a better future."
