Peace By Chocolate CEO reacts to fall of Syrian government

Syrian-Canadians are greeting the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government with a mix of hope and uncertainty.

After years of war and oppression, the regime’s collapse marks a turning point in Syria’s history. For many who fled the violence, it’s a moment they never thought they would witness.

“It is a dream come true for many Syrians, including me and my family, just to see our country free again,” said Tareq Hadhad, who arrived to Halifax with his family eight years ago.

Hadhad and his family left Syria after their home and chocolate factory in Damascus were bombed during the civil war. The family then lived in Lebanon as refugees before moving to Nova Scotia. Hadhad and his family founded Peace by Chocolate, a company with a nationwide presence.

“Two-thirds of my life has been spent in that world, in Syria and Lebanon, as a refugee and I know how many people sacrificed to reach this moment,” said Hadhad.

On Saturday, the al-Assad regime collapsed after 13 years of civil war, as rebel fighters advanced into the capital city of Damascus.

“Former Al-Qaeda affiliate has basically come in and ousted him from power and now he’s seeking refuge in Russia,” said Robert Huish, associate professor of international development studies at Dalhousie University.

Hadhad still has family in Syria, including his sister who was unable to leave with the family at that time due to her husband’s health.

“I called my sister on the night of the collapse of the regime and for the first time in a very long time she was very excited. She was happy. She was living through all of it. My sister had to hide her identity that she was even connected to our family because she was scared to tell them that her family immigrated to another country,” Hadhad said.

Hadhad is hoping for better days, even though meaningful change can take decades.

“We have a golden opportunity ahead of us. Just really need to garner everyone’s support across the world to make sure that Syria the future, is better than Syria the past,” he said.

For more than a decade, Syria has been caught between civil and proxy wars, primarily between United States and Russia, as well as between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

“So you’re going to still have tensions with the Kurds in the Northeast. Israel is now occupying the Golan Heights – basically saying that the peace treaty there in the 70s is now null and void, and you also have Turkish-backed rebel groups that are also in the mix,” said Huish. “There’s still a lot of actors that are now in the borders and for what is yet to be demonstrated to be a solidified, unified government at this point.”

Hadhad said he has spoken with others in the Syrian community who say they hope to return and help rebuild Syria.

“All of that, the time of fear is behind us,” he said.