The people at the political security apparatus contacted me today and promised to resolve my “travel restrictions” situation soon. They said the whole issue was related to the fact that they were trying to find some legal/official framework to allow for the Tharwa Project to be operated from Damascus. This will not take more than a few weeks, they said. Meanwhile, I will be given permission to travel wherever I want, no questions asked, provided I give 24 hour notice. This arrangement is only temporary, I was told, and everything should be back to normal soon.
Despite my hesitation and while not totally convinced of the veracity of what I was told, the change in tone and the fact that I was promised that the matter would be resolved within “weeks” made me decide to take the offer.
My first trip is coming up in early March. Let’s see what happens. If official recognition should indeed be given to Tharwa, then this country might indeed still be hospitable to people like me. A room for heresy might still exist.
The heretic’s dream: a safe place where he can practice and preach his heresy, undisturbed, unmolested.
