The Syrian Pound is Detained, Accused of Attempted Escape | Fahed Arabi

Amid the harsh living conditions faced by the Syrian people, discussing the Syrian pound is no longer just about numbers on paper; it has become more like a security issue, surrounded by speculation or political maneuvering. It’s as if the currency is locked in a dark basement, watched with suspicion, and prohibited from moving freely in the markets without permission!

The pretext?

“The pound might think of escaping, which is, of course, strictly forbidden—or it might attempt to reclaim some of its stolen value.”

The result?

Employees are waiting for their salaries as if they were refugees in their own country, hoping for approval under its new regime. Others have been dismissed without clear justification. Meanwhile, traders stare at their ledgers as if looking at maps of lost treasures in a market that groans in pain, while the government wonders: “How can we delay the impending disaster without acknowledging it?”

But wait…

Why has this financial siege been imposed on ordinary people—from the era of authoritarianism to the so-called (era of freedom)?!

Match Scenario

First Opportunity: The Baath’s Favorites of Yesterday, The Freedom Government Today

Imagine if the country’s wealthiest individuals suddenly realized they could twist the government’s arm! The very same people whom the former (contracting) government praised for their resilience are now using economic manipulation against the same people it once claimed to protect.

How? Simply by hoarding the Syrian pound and pulling it out of circulation, forcing the government into a frantic search for remaining cash reserves. These business elites, once the privileged class under the previous regime, now seek to maintain their status under the (freedom) government. They play a game of “hiding the currency,” driving up demand to buy dollars at a lower price, securing their future business dominance.

In other words, they are pressuring the government into making concessions in a highly tactical match. But what if this isn’t just a ploy by businessmen? What if the opposing team is even more cunning?

Second Opportunity: The Government as the “Captain” in the Financial Chaos Game

Perhaps this is not merely an economic conspiracy by businessmen but a strategic move by the government itself! Amid the current chaos, authorities have decided to take control—keeping the pound on the bench, delaying salary payments, and eliminating the burden of dismissed employees to experiment with a new financial system.

The goal?

Some speculate that the government may be planning to replace the currency entirely. If true, this would give the state a golden opportunity to reorganize the economic landscape and determine who stays in the market and who must be eliminated.

It would be akin to security raids searching for armed regime remnants—but in financial form, targeting “economic remnants” instead, allowing for tighter control over the economy.

The Horizon? The End? Or a Game Still in Progress?

Regardless of the true scenario, the essence of the (free) political system is becoming clearer than ever since December 8, 2024.

The government today does not hide its negotiations with the powerful or its punishment of the weak. Rather, it is searching for something else—something we can only uncover with time—as it pursues its first major title: “A Civil State for Citizens? Or a New One-Color Baath?”

Democracy and Freedom in the Match

So far, democracy has hit a concrete defensive wall, and it seems that freedom won’t be able to break through without consequences—ones that could prevent the people from achieving victory in securing a unified land.

Which greedy neighbors?

Certainly not just drug traders, who are easy to handle in exchange for government leniency. The real concern lies with those who have turned parts of the country into a marketplace for dumping their goods—or worse, those building military bases without permission, while the government remains silent about their ambitions.

The Government to the People: “Fend for Yourselves”

In this reality, it’s as if the government is telling its citizens: “Find creative solutions to survive. Smiling at passersby for a living is better than waiting for salaries trapped in banks, which may lose their value before they even arrive.”

The Remains of a State… or a New Plantation?

I couldn’t explain my stance to my friend Diana about prioritizing my work on the (ground) in a suffocating city. Nor could I interpret Uncle Abu Rashid’s comment on why the Syrian pound is being held hostage in the same city.

And I dreaded my friend Diyaa’s response to my questions about solutions—afraid he would accuse me of being too rigid.

So, I remained silent, avoiding the issue without lying, simply because I saw no other way out as we entered extra time in the game, still unable to achieve what we wanted or find common ground.

Yet, I held onto hope for a shared language in (free) Syria, just as I did in (Baathist) Syria—because, for me, nothing has truly changed.

I told this to Bouthaina as an excuse for my shortcomings in something while navigating a swamp that no longer allowed me to admit my admiration for someone I have long wished to see—without ever finding the right time to express it.

And the Most Important Question for Yassin

Will we endure, as a people, through this temporary remaining period and score a “consolation goal” to preserve what remains of the nation and its land?

Or will we remain stuck in endless rival speeches, surrendering to the complete collapse of the country—after conceding goals in the first half of military conflict and the second half of economic starvation—before the regime falls?!

Will the game end with a new figure in Syria’s geography books?

It was a question I directed to a friend who cut ties with me over a disagreement—without ever giving me an answer.