(6 Jul 2016) LEAD IN:
Five years into the civil war, Syrians displaced from their homes are celebrating the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
The Eid al-Fitr holiday is marked by children getting presents and money from their parents which they spend on food, clothes and entertainment.
STORY-LINE:
At the Zaatari refugee camp, Syrians displaced from their homes are celebrating the end of Ramadan.
In these basic conditions, they've been fasting and praying, just like all observant Muslims around the world.
Almost 80,000 live in the camp, a fraction of the more than 4.8 million Syrians who have fled their homeland, including some 640,000 now living across Jordan.
Zaatari's transformation continues from its beginnings in 2012 as a chaotic tent camp into an organised community.
There is now a video game cafe for children, gardens, community police, street names, and an economy offering goods from ice cream to wedding dresses.
Abu Waleed Zoabi is a mukhtar, or tribal leader, who is a community leader in the camp.
He came to Zaatari from Daraa when it was just a few tents.
This is the 62-year-old's fourth Eid in the camp.
"On this occasion of Eid al-Fitr we want to wish a happy holiday to all our loved ones in Syria and to those refugees in the Arab world and Europe. We tell them 'may you have a good year.' God willing, the next Eid will be an Eid in our country, free and undivided, and (we'll) finish with this tragedy of ours," Abu Waleed said.
Wherever Syrian Muslims forced from their homes now live, they celebrate Eid and pray for peace in their homeland.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
