Despite the great magnitude of the disaster that has befallen Syria over the past 12 years, throughout the war, the political impasse, and the intertwined international dilemma, Syrians have not wavered in their perseverance and belief in their right to a free and dignified life. Now the Syrian phoenix is rising from the ashes in a new popular revolutionary wave demanding freedom and dignity.
In the city of Suwayda in the south, for the seventh consecutive week, peaceful popular demonstrations continue with diverse participation from all segments of the Syrian people who manage to reach its squares. Other Syrian cities have also responded, reviving the march of the Syrian revolution that began in March 2011.
Sahat al-Karama, or the Square of Dignity, in Suwayda and the squares of its towns and villages have become a meeting place for people from all segments of society, with women, youth, and civil action groups demonstrating daily alongside religious and political figures — opposition and pro-regime alike. Behind them are the words of truth proclaimed by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, the spiritual leader of the Druze community. Their demands are for freedom, dignity, and a decent life in a state of citizenship, and their slogan is for political change as a long-awaited national entitlement under U.N. Resolution 2254/2015.
In the squares of Suwayda, there is a festive atmosphere, full of love, dignity, and a quest for peace, security, and a decent life. The squares resound with the traditional songs of the Jabal al-Arab region, recalling the memories of Syrians in the early days of their revolution. It has become a national celebration that extends across the country.
The people of this region belong to the Druze, a minority group known for its civil and moderate religious nature. Secular in thought and practice, they do not impose their religion on their children, while their religious leaders do not engage in politics and detest sectarianism. The Druze have peacefully participated in the Syrian revolution since 2011 and maintained a positive neutrality during the war, despite the interference of regional and sectarian militia groups and the rise of extremist forces, terrorists, and the regime’s oppressive rule against the people from 2013 on.
The Druze withdrew a significant number of their sons from mandatory military service, reaching the tens of thousands, refusing to participate in the bloodshed. They reject isolation, separatist projects, and the illusion of self-administration. They also rejected fighting against the authorities and opposition factions, avoiding war unless forced into it. The Druze are committed to self-protection as long as the Syrian state does not fulfill its responsibility in this regard. They have faced multiple extremist attacks, one of the most prominent of which was carried out by ISIS in July 2018. Recently, the satellite TV channel al-Mayadeen broadcast never-before-seen ISIS footage from this attack — in what has been perceived as an attempt by Hezbollah to intimidate the protest movement in Suwayda.
The Syrian issue has transformed from a local struggle to bring about political change from a military dictatorship to a state of law and justice into an open regional war involving multiple forces, primarily Iranian militias and Lebanese Hezbollah, alongside the rise of extremist groups and terrorists, with ISIS at the forefront, beginning in 2013. This situation continued until Russia’s sudden military intervention in 2015, which further exhausted the Syrian people, resulting in a flood of refugees and displaced individuals. The majority of their cities, infrastructure, economy, and their very lives were devastated, while those remaining in the country became captives of the regime’s authority, as their resources were drained and what was left of their homeland’s assets were sold — all without a response to any Syrian resolution initiative.
Since 2018, the Syrian regime has not responded to any political initiative that could lead to a resolution of the Syrian catastrophe and political crisis. Governed by armed groups and de facto authorities, Syria remains unsafe for those living there or for refugees to return. The international community is also dependent on the global balance of power and its geopolitical axes, which have intensified conflicts around the world, starting with Syria and reaching into the heart of Europe in Ukraine. This threatens the entire world.
Today, there is a popular realization that the Syrian regime has no intention of making any concessions to the Syrian people through any political solution that could lead to improvements in economic and living conditions. Instead, it has remained stubborn and arrogant its response, including:
- Making false claims about implementing U.N. Resolution 2254: The regime falsely claims to have implemented U.N. Resolution 2254 by holding presidential and municipal elections, which are essentially appointments made by the Ba’ath Party and its manufactured front parties. These appointments have no relation to the text and spirit of the resolution.
- Continuing to obstruct the Constitutional Committee.
- Lacking a real response to the recent Arab initiative.
- Turning Syria into a hub for the drug trade: Syria, including the southern region and the city of Suwayda, has been turned into a center for the production and trade of Captagon, spreading it to neighboring Arab countries and the wider world. The regime’s security apparatuses have recruited gangs to aid it in this purpose, with the sponsorship of Hezbollah. These activities were exposed during the events of July 2022, when the people of Suwayda raided a headquarters of these gangs affiliated with the regime’s military security.
Syrians, including the people of Suwayda, are well aware of the intricacies of the international political process. They understand the Syrian regime’s notorious reputation, and they are fully aware that the interests of the principal powers involved in the Syrian file are conflicting and contradictory. These powers often settle their disputes on Syrian soil, benefiting from the fact that the current regime remains in power. This explains the lack of seriousness in advancing a Syrian solution and the complexity and intertwining of its various tracks, delaying any actual progress on a political resolution based on U.N. Resolution 2254.
U.N. Resolution 2254 calls for the initiation of a transitional phase led by a national government, followed by the election of a constituent assembly representing all segments of the Syrian population. This assembly would oversee the drafting of a new constitution and the holding of democratic elections. However, the political process has been stagnant for eight years because no actual steps towards this end have been taken.
Initiating a political solution in Syria through the implementation of U.N. Resolution 2254, with the introduction of the regime’s and the opposition’s obligations to an immediate political transition led by a transitional government, would entail:
- Serving the common interest of Syrians and neighboring Arab countries, as well as the rest of the Middle East and the world more broadly, helping to reduce global tensions and begin untangling complex conflicts.
- Achieving peace and stability for Syrians, benefiting all neighboring countries, as well as the global community at large.
- Preventing Syria from becoming a center for drug production and distribution.
- Halting and countering jihadist and extremist movements that have exploited the Syrian conflict.
Today, as Syrians in Suwayda and elsewhere reclaim their revolution, they emphasize that peaceful political change has become an urgent necessity, leaving no room for delay. This political change has been repeatedly stalled since the Geneva Communiqué of 2012, the adoption of U.N. Resolution 2254, and subsequent Geneva negotiations, all of which make it abundantly clear that a true Syrian solution has not yet begun.
The catastrophic consequences of this inaction continue to this day, with millions of refugees and internally displaced people, ongoing youth emigration, and poverty levels surpassing 95% of the population. Syria remains an unsafe country with sharply degraded living standards in terms of freedom, education, healthcare, and general well-being.
Despite the challenges they face, Syrians persist in their peaceful demonstrations, firmly believing in the need for change and political transition. They are calling for peace and stability, not only for Syria, but also for neighboring Arab countries, the Middle East, and the world at large.
Source : Middle East Institute
