Deir Ezzor – Obadah al-Sheikh
Following the decision by the regime-run Directorate of Supplies in Deir Ezzor province to allow bread distribution by smart card, residents are struggling to get their supplies and are queuing for hours in front of bakeries.
The new mechanism has led to difficulties in obtaining individual shares according to the schedule issued by the Directorate for the number of family members and reminds residents of past crises in the region, as some of them recounted Enab Baladi.
The city of Deir Ezzor, which is under regime control, suffers from serious deficiencies in public services at all levels, including constant power outages and poor road conditions, and there is virtually no responsible authority.
Poor distribution, price increases
Aliya al-Oujan, who lives in the Rashidiya neighborhood of Deir Ezzor, has recently been facing similar problems to most city residents when trying to get a loaf of bread or a packet of bread, mainly because she has to wait for hours for the vendor assigned by the city’s supply directorate.
Al-Oujan said Enab Baladi that waiting in line for bread is somewhat manageable, but the timing of distribution makes it even more difficult, as in some neighborhoods the line does not start until after midnight. Added to this are the irregular distribution times and vendors not adhering to schedules, as well as the vendors increasing the prices of bread bundles.
A bundle of bread is said to cost 1,000 Syrian pounds, but some traders sell it for 1,300 Syrian pounds. In addition, the relevant authorities are not listening to citizens’ complaints, said al-Oujan.
Some families are suffering from not being allocated enough shares, especially because residents have become reliant on bread as a staple for all meals due to rising prices of essential goods in the markets. This contributes to residents being deprived of most food and essential items, says Abdullah al-Kanameh, a resident of the city of Deir Ezzor.
Combating violations is not enough
Laith al-Alwan, a teacher in Deir Ezzor, believes the decision to use the smart card in the city was not well thought out, especially given the government’s plans to lift bread subsidies, he said. Enab Baladi.
Al-Alwan expressed surprise at the timing of the decision and asked why the previous distribution system was not maintained without the use of smart cards. He pointed out that the quality of the bread had deteriorated since the decision was implemented due to poor storage.
Mahmoud al-Sayed said Enab Baladi He used to receive a bundle of bread every day, but thanks to the distribution via the chip card, his share is now two bundles per week, each containing 14 loaves of bread, which is not enough for him, his wife and his little daughter.
An employee of the Supply Directorate, who preferred to remain anonymous for security reasons, said: Enab Baladi that several bakeries and traders were caught in violations including poor bread production, reducing pack weight, refusing to sell, providing inadequate services, charging excessive prices and trading in subsidised bread. Violations related to traders’ failure to follow instructions were also found.
While residents of Deir Ezzor suffer from a severe bread shortage, prices of tourist bread, the expected alternative to subsidised bread, vary from shop to shop and can reach 10,000 Syrian pounds per bulk pack in most grocery stores, while the price of a loaf of “mashrooh” (tandoor) bread in the city reaches 1,200 Syrian pounds.
A grim situation
In a special interview with Al Arabiya television, UN envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen gave a brief overview of the main outstanding issues in the Syrian affair, ranging from the issue of prisoners and missing persons to the economic and humanitarian crisis and the existence of nearly 12 million displaced people.
Pedersen said in the interview published last May: “Neither Assad nor the Russians, the Iranians, the Turks, the Americans or anyone else can determine the outcome of the conflict in Syria.” The situation in Syria is “extremely dire.” Around 16.9 million people are dependent on humanitarian aid and nine out of ten people suffer from poverty.
In Syria, 16.7 million people need humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an increase of 9% compared to 2023.
In addition, according to statistics on the number of people suffering from food insecurity in Syria released on February 12 by the World Food Programme (WFP), 80 percent of the Syrian population will be in need of humanitarian assistance by 2024.
About 55 percent of Syria’s population, or 12.9 million people, suffer from food insecurity; 3.1 million people are affected by severe food insecurity.
