The following is a true story from the Syrian revolution, it was originally published by one of my favorite pages on Facebook; “Syrian Women in Support of Syrian Intifada.” This page is excellent in many ways, it publishes beautiful stories of unknown revolutionary women in Syria, mothers, wives and activists. It encourages regional and international solidarity by posting on female Bahraini, Yemeni, Tunisian and Egyptian activists and more. It’s a secular and peaceful grassroots group that has a great role in the Syrian street and revolution. The text below is my translation, I am a bad translator but I am trying my best. I dedicate this translation on Mother’s Day today March 21st to the mothers of martyrs, to the mothers of the wounded, to the mothers of the detainees, and to the mothers of missing.

Um Ahmad

A woman,  in her seventies,  carries a stick as she walks behind the demonstrators in Shahba city, and ululates, as they chant for freedom. As soon as the regime forces attack the demonstrators, she waves her stick high and attacks a security agent to protect the demonstrators, screaming: “these are my sons, you sons of dogs!”

The protesters, and upon hearing her shouts, get thrilled, some even kiss her head.

 Um Ahmad [Ahmad’s Mother], has a daughter she hasn’t seen in fourteen years. The daughter fell in love with a guy from Occupied Golan, married him, and passed that barbed-wire fence in order to come back and visit. She did visit, once, for 24 hours from which she spent six hours in several security forces branches.

 Um Ahmad gathers rocks in her dress and lifts it indifferent to people’s laughters, for the Shabiha (thugs) might come to attack her sons’ houses at night after the demonstrations end. She won’t let them as long as she’s alive, so she says. Assad lovers couldn’t come out with a religious argument to condemn her behavior -as they usually do.

 Until today, the people of Shahba city, are yet divided into two groups: pro and against Um Ahmad.

The Original text in Arabic can be found here.

‘Like’ Syrian Women in Support of Syrian Intifada on facebook here.