Ghassan Stands in a queue of over fifty people before ATM machine in Hama city where he seems fatigued and tired ; he has no choice but for waiting so he sits on the pavement for few minutes then takes again his place in the line fearing fighting over it.
Hama city has been crowded with employees being the nearest regime-held province and that’s why thousands employees and retired from Aleppo countrysode, Deir-Alzure , Idleb and Raqqa head it monthly to get their salary ; because of which ATM machines are increasingly used and incapable to cover the city citizens need after being uesed by displaced and employees of liberated territories.
Ghassan angirly narrarets: “every month I have to go in this suffering before ATM to receive my salary that amounts thirty-five thousand SP. Misery starts with regime checkpoints on the road Idleb-Hama who bother passengers to battle of words with other retired who brought more than one card where they are asked to get in line again.”
“Some suprises can interrupt the long hours of waiting such ATM breakdown or getting out of service which may last for more than an hour where complaining to the management is pointless telling people to wait as if they are not aware of the fact that we have come from anthor city to receive the salary with which we can afford few things” , he proceeds.
Probably Ghassan aged fifty is stronger and in good health considering other retired of who are unable to stand on feet, where getting salary can take more than a day in case of ATM breakdown to be forced to stay the night in a friend house or at a hotel
More annoying than ATM repeatedly breakdowns ,is men of arms rights; Ghassan said: ” whenever Im glad that Im almost there , a man of arms holding more than one card break the queue where no one can object since he would answere loudly ‘why do not you take our place and protect Home ; we’re homeland fighters.”
What country the claim protecting; regime losses are daily doubled and citizens suffering increased specially in regime-held territory. It is worthy mentioning that economy is rapidly retreating.
Ghassan comes back telling his wife : “May Allah bestows us so that we no longer in need of that salary .. they have no idea that half of it we pay to afford travellong their and the other half can pay us bread “, how long this misery will continue?..
by Samah Khaled
Translated by Sabah Najem
#Syrian_Press_Center
The Misery of Retired Getting Their Salary; Lines Before ATM
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