Syrian Democratic Council: Developments in Suwayda could plunge the country into deeper crises, comprehensive national conference needed

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) is watching the serious security developments in the southern Syrian province of Suwayda with great concern and alarm, warning that any escalation risks plunging the country into deeper and more violent sectarian and regional crises. 

In a statement released today, the legislative body of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Region of North and East Syria (DAARNES) states that what is witnessed “in As -Suwayda today is not an isolated event, but rather a direct embodiment of the state of general collapse that strikes the political and institutional structure of the country — a result of decades of exclusion, tyranny and marginalization of national components.”

The SDC condemns all forms of violence, armed clashes, and security chaos that threaten civil peace and calls for an independent, responsible, and transparent investigation into the events. It blames the central government for a lack of commitment to its responsibilities towards the management of diversity and ensuring civil peace.  

Therefore, the SDC reaffirms its commitment to inclusive dialogue and the participation of all segments of Syrian society as essential steps toward building a new Syria and achieving long-term stability. One of the key takeaways of its statement, is that the time has come for a comprehensive national dialogue. This national dialogue should lead to a comprehensive national conference, in which all democratic national forces in the country participate, and aims for the adoption of a non-centralized democratic political system — which is one of the SDC’s stated missions — that guarantees the actual participation of all components of the Syrian people without exception. 

The Syrian Democratic Council further notes that any political solution and internal reconciliation for a new Syria should be “a Syrian one” and that internal or external powers should refrain from incitement, hate speech, and interventions into the current situation that might contribute to the conflict escalating.