The Syrian Juncture - a Vision for Sovereignty, Unification, and Justice for all Syrians

The past weeks have ushered in historic days for the Syrian nation and its people. Culminating in the toppling of the tyrannical regime of the Assad dynasty on Sunday, December 8th, Syrians, who endured the hardships of war and displacement, have finally regained their freedom and made an important step towards sovereignty over their own nation. Whether residing in Syria or in the diaspora, they are now at the threshold of the great task of building a state in the image of their pluralistic society.

In the light of these developments, we, two Syrians living in Europe, call for our sovereignty in this humbling endeavour. We call for national unity, as well as the inclusion and involvement of all Syrian nationals as an integral part of Syrian society in the political processes of the coming weeks and months. The rights of all Syrians should be protected and reflect the entirety of the beautifully complex religious, ethnic, and political facets of Syrian society, including the Syrian diaspora.

We call on the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), which was formed by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and has assumed power in this transitional phase, to respect its role as a temporary government with the sole objective of accompanying and facilitating the orderly function and reestablishment of essential civil institutions (e.g. healthcare, internal security, basic economic matters). Lacking any democratic legitimacy by the Syrian people, the SSG must refrain from taking decisions that impact the structural character of a future political system, and which must be addressed by a (preliminary) comprehensive national conference. This conference should include all parties and individuals of the Syrian political landscape (including Syrian opposition parties and organisations formed during and before the revolution starting in March 2011), as well as competent institutions and organisations from Syrian civil society. 

We also call for leveraging of and building upon the work (e.g. in areas of transitional justice, private sector development) conducted  by numerous organisations since 2011 in preparation for this moment (e.g. by Syria Justice and Accountability Centre, Syrians for Truth and Justice, Syrian International Business Organization). This conference shall be initiated by the SSG, yet run in parallel and be organised by the transitional government (already announced by the SSG to be mandated for a period of 18 months and succeeding the mandate of the SSG). An appropriate framework must ensure equal rights in the shaping of constitutional and structural questions pertaining to a future Syrian state among the participating actors. Furthermore, the process shall be assisted by competent independent international legal experts. Only under these conditions can the voting of a constitution be conducted and structural questions pertaining to the governance of Syrian territories (e.g. centralised vs. decentralised), electoral system (e.g. through a national assembly), and other similar matters decided. These conditions shall avoid the exclusion of any party or figure essential to the reflection of the integrality of Syrian society at this crucial point, thus questioning the legitimacy of the process.

In parallel, it is crucial that all available means are mobilised to rebuild the critical infrastructure the war has destroyed, leaving the country in ruins and its people subject to existential hardship. In this sense, existing sanctions on the Syrian State must be reevaluated, such that substantial aid and funds can flow unhindered, alleviating the current humanitarian emergency. Sanctions aimed at the Assad regime - such as, but not limited to, the US’s Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act - must be lifted, under the condition of the SSG’s commitment to facilitating the transition to a newly constitutionally grounded Syrian state as described above. In the end, a stable, functioning, democratic Syrian state can only emerge as a full sovereign member of the international community.

As such, we firmly condemn any violations of Syrian territorial integrity and sovereignty. Any military interventions, unless invited by the Syrian state, must stop immediately. Israel’s annexation of Syrian territories in the occupied Golan heights in 1981 must be reversed. Furthermore, its occupation of territories in the area of Mount Hermon and the recent large-scale attacks on Syrian military defence capabilities are blatant breaches of Syrian sovereignty, international law, and Syria’s right to defend itself. We call on the European Union to mobilise all diplomatic efforts to pressure Israel to return all annexed and occupied land. We reiterate the brutality of Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza and call for a cessation of all arms deliveries to Israel that are used to violate international law, until Israel withdraws from all illegally occupied Syrian territory. Likewise, attacks on Kurdish communities in the North of Syria by Turkish forces must cease, and Turkish armed forces must retreat from Syrian territory. We call on the EU to pull its diplomatic weight in safeguarding the viability and sovereignty of a future Syrian state that can peacefully coexist with its neighbours, rather than being the battle field for proxy wars and wrangling foreign interests, be it Iranian, US, Turkish, or of EU Member States. In the same vein, we call on those actors/EU Member States  not to engage in the colonial mindset that treats the interests of the Syrian people as circumstantial in a grand geopolitical powergame instead of being at the core of the future for Syria.

A new start for Syrian society is only possible with comprehensive justice for the victims of the Assad regime, which has repressed, tortured, and murdered countless Syrians in its decades-long regime. At the same time, a process of reconciliation must be started, allowing Syrian society to heal. Therefore, we call for all criminals and key decision makers of the regime and its allies to be brought to justice in just and fair trials, governed by competent bodies and upholding human rights and international law. Vice versa, it is crucial that individuals who expressed political views in support of the Assad regime and its allies are protected from prosecution and persecution, provided  they were not involved in crimes of the Assad regime and its allies.

The international community and NGOs have to play an important role in this process of finding justice and peace in a country torn apart by decades of brutal dictatorship and a devastating war. We call for the international community and NGOs to support and provide care to liberated political and other innocent prisoners, and to lend support in the preserving and processing of existing documentation from Syrian jails, so that the criminals who enabled the regime’s oppressive incarceration system can be prosecuted. This also includes the international prosecution of criminals according to universal norms of human rights.

We believe that the EU has both the means and the responsibility to contribute to a successful transition in Syria - through diplomatic efforts, material and financial aid, and advisory and capacity-building support where needed, including for a well-functioning, independent, and ethical civil service and legal system. This work shall set the foundation for long-term cooperation through a future, mutually beneficial EU-Syria Association Agreement that, besides fruitful economic cooperation, also enables academic, cultural and youth exchanges. 

Since 2015, the EU has granted protection for over one million Syrians, many of whom now call Europe their second home. It is the case for us, as we watch these historic events unfold, and dream of building bridges between our two homes. This moment is for all Syrians, whose rich and complex history has reached truly international dimensions in the past decade. We have the will, and call for the support from our friends in the EU and beyond, to shape the future of our state of Syria and set a founding stone for stability in our region. In this, the EU must not only listen to its Syrian community, but it must empower it to become an active part in shaping its future.  

By Karam Chehade and Osama Kezzo.

This statement is supported by the Co-Presidents of Volt Europa Francesca Romana D'Antuono and Mels Klabbers, as well as MEP Reinier van Lanschot.