When one thinks of a book on the war in Syria, one imagines a story which talks about dead bodies lying around, rubble stained in blood, howling loved ones plagued by the loss of their dearest ones and about atrocities committed during the war.
But Refuge portrays a story of love and hope in a war-torn Syria. It is a story that shows the human side of the war, a side that is hardly portrayed in the media, a side that shows a story beyond the statistics and the destruction. Set in war-torn Syria, Refuge follows the journey of newly wedded Noora as she is compelled to leave her husband due to the war and flee for safety. 

How she stays strong and hopeful in the times of uncertainty, despite the constant losses and months of not knowing her husband’s whereabouts forms the crux of the story.
The authentic portrayal of the situation in Syria and the life of a war victim would make one think that the author is a Syrian however it would be surprising to note that the author is a Sri Lankan.
Attorney-at-Law, Sajla Anees, the author of Refuge is an avid reader who started her writing journey by writing poetry. “Refuge was a write up that I couldn’t put to a poem and ended up becoming prose,” revealed Anees. 
It was in her college that Anees penned down a few lines which would later form Refuge. She stated how her friends encouraged her to continue the story. When the Syrian war had started, Anees was in school and she recalled how hearing about the war on the news and seeing it escalate with little to no action taken, frustrated her. Later, it was this frustration that made her pen Refuge.

“I wanted to create awareness regarding the war. I want people to know that the war is real and to take action either by donating, praying or spreading awareness,” she said. Explaining why she chose the Syrian war, Anees stated that because the war occurred when she was growing up and continued throughout, it left an imprint on her. Anees also added that she wanted readers to find hope through her story, which is one of the reasons she had set the story in a setting filled with hope and humanity. 
“I’ve also made references to Noora’s faith because I’ve found hope through my faith. I want my readers to realize that you can go forward despite the trials,” she explained and added that she also wanted to create awareness on those with special needs, mental health issues, the White Helmets and their sacrifices.

Talking about the challenges during her writing journey, Anees described herself as an underwriter and said she found it challenging to describe a setup. She had to overcome it by reading many books. Anees shared that it was challenging to ensure that the timeline was as authentic as possible.
“Even though the story is fictional, I wanted to ensure that I had the correct locations and the timing of events to fit my story’s timeline. I couldn’t mention a place that wasn’t affected by war in that specific timeline or an event which took place before the timeline,” she said adding that she had to research extensively.

" Refuge was a write up that I couldn’t put to a poem and ended up becoming prose "

Anees’s attempt to put herself in someone else’s shoes helped her imagine the issues faced by war victims and their feelings resulting in the authentic portrayal of her characters. She mentioned that while writing the story, she would share certain excerpts with her friends who would provide constructive criticism, which has helped enhance the story.
Anees stated that she suffered from writers’ block which she had to overcome through sheer determination. “I had to remind myself that I was trying to create awareness on the Syrian war and I was telling the story of a voiceless community whose voice had to be heard.”
She was also anxious that the story would not be understood by readers of other faiths, however, her publisher, Mr Jeremy Muller, put her fears to rest.

Anees’s plans include trying to ensure the book has a wider reach, thus helping spread awareness of the war and the plight of war victims and refugees. She is also hoping to release the e-book on digital platforms such as Amazon and ship worldwide. When asked if she would be writing another story soon, Anees stated that she had to be inspired and motivated to write and might be releasing another book in a few years. 
For authors wishing to write on a similar setting as Refuge, Anees shared that the writing journey can be challenging.
“People can put you down unintentionally and there will be many times you will have to push yourself to keep writing as you might want to give up. Other than it being challenging, writing can also be very therapeutic.” 

Refuge is available at Jam Fruit Tree Publications, Colombo 03 or contact the author via Instagram: @sajla.anees or email: [email protected] to purchase a copy.