Syria on the way to unity: National Dialogue Conference calls for change
Syria on the way to unity: National Dialogue Conference calls for change
Damaskus, Syrien - On February 26, 2025, the national dialogue conference took place in Damascus, which is to mark a significant step in the political transition in Syria after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December. The conference was announced only two days in advance, which many potential participants hardly gave time to prepare. Nevertheless, around 600 Syrians from different regions and social classes took part, including representatives of civil society, opposition and religious communities, which takes this occasion to an important step towards future elections and a democratic future, such as Al Jazera reported.
The conference, organized by the Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), sought a clear agenda. Delegates were divided into various working groups that should deal with topics such as creating a new constitution, the freedoms of citizens, business and civil society. An explanation at the end of the conference emphasized the need for a new constitution that is supposed to create a balance between the authorities and lay the foundations for a rule of law.
claims and challenges
In the final declaration, the Israeli military campaigns in Syria were rejected as a clear violation of national sovereignty. The conference called for the "immediate and unconditional withdrawal" of Israeli troops from Syria. Israel has currently stationed troops in the buffer zone between Syria and the Golan heights and also controls areas outside of this zone. The explanation decidedly dismissed statements by Israel's prime minister Netanyahu on the demilitarization of southern Syria and regarded armed groups in Syria as "lawless", which underlines urgency, to establish a weapon monopoly in the hands of the state, as on Deutschlandfunk .Another central point was the discussion about the role of women and the promise to reject all forms of discrimination. The final declaration called for greater support for women in all areas, while ethnic and religious odds were rejected in the government. The concerns of the Kurdish -dominated Syrian democratic forces (SDF) were also addressed, with a focus on lying down weapons and contributing to the unity of the Syrian Arab Republic.
The vision for a new constitution
The need for a new constitution is considered crucial for the future of Syria, especially with regard to the constant distrust of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who had connections to al-Qaida. Al-Sharaa gave a speech in which he emphasized the Syrian unit to cure the wounds that have been created by the dictatorship for decades. His efforts for a respectful and inclusive meeting should set the course for a transitional judiciary and the assumption of responsibility for committed crimes.
In the context of the existing Syrian constitution, which has been in force since February 27, 2012, the Arabic identity and the country's Republican system are funded, while dubious party foundations are excluded. The Baath Party had laid down the previous constitution and was more designed for a socialist state structure. A rethinking is now necessary to anchor democratic principles and to give human rights an important role, which was all emphasized as the essential aspects of the planned constitutional change, as can be read on wikipedia
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| Ort | Damaskus, Syrien |
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