Syrian refugee family reunited in Vancouver after more than 10 years apart

A Syrian man who has been waiting five years for hissons to join him in Canada was finally reunited with them on Thursday.

"It's been a long time since I've expressed any feelings of happiness," said MamonAlhomsi. "The Syrian dictatorship had wronged us for many years."

As soon as Alhomsi'ssons, 25 year-oldYaseen and 23 year-old Majd, saw their father at the airport, theydropped their bags and ran to him, embracing the man theyhadn't seen in more than 10 years.

Alhomsiwasan independent MP in Syria. He came to Vancouver in 2010 after the current Syrian regime arrested him and put him in jail for aboutfive years.

He was told his sons would be able to join him soon after he arrived, but he said their refugee applications wereheld up by Ottawa. He said hasbeen fighting to bring them here ever since he arrived, and that they had been physically abused and arrested in Syriajust by virtue of being his sons.

"All Syrian people live an unfair life, and hope to finish this war," said YaseenAlhomsi.

The sons also got to meet their half-brotherMustufa, 9,and half-sisterMariam, 4, whom they had never met because they were born after their father fled Syria.

MamonAlhomsisaid everytime hisyoung childrensaw a plane fly by, they asked if their brothers were in it. And when they found out their brothers were actuallycoming, they jumped up and down on the couch so hard that it broke.

'Please help us'

Sons and father alike had a definitivemessage they wanted to share with the citizens of their new country.

"Please help us, help Syrians reunite with their families," said MamonAlhomsi. "It's something that we really need."

"Syrian people is a very good people ... We do not host any extreme ideas. We are moderates. We love life.Do not be afraid of Syrian people."

MamonAlhomsi said he has gotten excellent support from social service agencies and his fellow Burnaby residents since his arrival.

"It really feels like Syria here, because of all the diversity that exists," he said. "When I first moved toBurnaby, I felt like it was Damascus."

As many as 400 Syrian refugees are expected to arrive in B.C. by the end of the month, and another 1,500 are expected by the end of February.