UAE: Expats from conflict zones wish for peaceful New Year as wars rage back home

UAE residents who hail from war-torn countries hope for peace back home as they ring in the New Year with cautious optimism.

Sawsan Abdelrahman, a Sudanese woman who has been periodically visiting the UAE for 15 years, prays for the end of the crisis in Sudan. “Just as this war began quickly, may God end it as quickly too,” she said.

Prior to the war, Sawsan used to frequently come to the UAE for holidays since her husband works here. However, as soon as the war broke out, she was forced to flee from Omdurman on an 11-hour bus ride to Port Sudan and take a flight to Dubai.

Once the rebels entered the capital Khartoum in April 2023, chaos ensued. “They stole our cars, they stole everything from our homes, from gold to money, old artifacts, clothes, papers, cups, spoons, the ceramic plates on the ground were all stolen. They stole our memories,” Sawsan said.

Sawsan said that for some Sudanese families that were displaced, they sought refuge outside Sudan, some members winding up in the UAE, others in Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and London. Some were displaced internally, having left the capital for a safer location.

Due to limited internet connections and financial insecurity, Sawsan said she found difficulty contacting friends and family as they are in an active warzone, sometimes not speaking to them for weeks. But, she said, “through the patience of God – we are all still in contact and help each other emotionally and financially.”

“We have homes, but homes without life – they are not livable. We need to rebuild again. We can bring our furniture back, but can we buy our history and memories again and what our grandparents left to us?” she added.

For Sawsan, the gratitude she feels for the countries that greeted them with open arms rings close to her heart. “We say thank you to every country that has welcomed Sudanese people and whoever stood with us in our difficult moments.”

Ehab Galal, also from Sudan, said that not only has he gotten closer to his family since the war began, but that the conflict has brought all Sudanese people together. “In the past, dangerous times like these have only aided in making Sudan a more cohesive nation.”

Ehab said despite these hard times, members of his family keep each other company. “My family members have been looking for work or trying to continue their education out here, trying to continue their lives, which I believe has helped them cope. Their determination to persevere despite the hardships acts as an anchor for them,” he said.

Due to the constant attacks, Ehab’s family was forced to flee the house they owned for generations and move away to neighbouring countries. He said that his family’s home in Khartoum was seized.

Through all this, some of his extended family members have chosen to stay in the war-torn country, because they “have chosen the bond they have with their homeland and decided to stay,” Ehab said.

Gaza and West Bank

As with the entirety of the population in the Gaza Strip, Sharjah-based ZB’s family has been living in fear back home.

The Palestinian expat, who was born and raised in the UAE, has family members in both Nablus in the West Bank as well as in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinians in the tiny enclave are under constant threat of bombardment, so for those with family members outside of it, keeping in touch is crucial. “I speak to my family in Gaza maybe 1-2 times a week, as I’m always worried,” she said. Internet access is limited, so ZB said that even though it’s sometimes difficult to contact her family members, she still tries to call when she can.

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“My greatest wish is for the end of suffering, the lifting of restrictions, and a future where families can rebuild their lives and children can dream freely without fear.”

Tala SH, a dietician working in Dubai, traces her roots to Palestine, in the small city of Qalqilya. Born in Jordan, she moved to the UAE when she was a month old and continues living here at 22-years-old.

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