By Shella Abdulhalim
QAMISHLI, SYRIA (North Press) – Protests and strikes in Suwayda Governorate, southern Syria, the heartland of the Druze minority, have been ongoing since August with demonstrators are now openly calling for the removal of President Bashar al-Assad.
Protests initially started due to increased fuel prices and frustration with economic corruption and mismanagement. However, they soon transformed into anti-government demonstrations, with people consistently demanding sweeping political changes and calling for Assad’s ouster.
Al-Karama (Dignity) Square in Suwayda, and other squares in its towns and villages, have become gathering places for people from all segments of society, women, young individuals, and civil society groups who join daily protests alongside religious and political figures, regardless of their opposition or pro-regime stance. They rally behind the powerful words of the Druze religious leader, Sheikh al-Aql Hikmat al-Hajri.
The protests of Suwayda are significant and sensitive because they are taking place in government controlled territory, where anti-government protests are relatively rare.
According to observers the immediate trigger of Suwayda’s protests is economic hardship afflicting the country, including the sharp increase in fuel prices, the withdrawal of government subsidies, and the collapse of the Syrian pound.
Dignity not hunger
Poverty was not the direct cause of the protests, but rather the need for a dignified life, as demands of the protesters revolve around freedom, dignity, and a decent life in a state where citizenship is valued.
Maad al-Ajli, a human rights activist from Suwayda residing in the UAE, insists that political reasons have motivated the protests, denying that bad living conditions are the cause.
“Our protests were never motivated by hunger or a lack of food and drink. Instead, we protested because the governing authority prioritizes filling their own pockets, even if it means exploiting the people,” al-Ajli told North Press via WhatsApp.
“We protested because the authorities that govern our society lack dignity and values. It seems that everyone wants to govern the country solely based on their personal interests, disregarding the well-being of the community,” he said.
He further explained that government agents employ various methods to “demean us, even going as far as depriving us of our basic necessities.”
Therefore, protests continue and protesters chant slogans for political change, which they see as a long-awaited national right under UN Resolution 2254.
Calling for reform
Al-Ajli told North Press that the spread of corruption, individuals monopolizing power, and restrictions hindering the daily lives of citizens have created a strong desire among the residents of Suwayda for a reform.
He stressed that the rule of one party is not acceptable anymore noting that “It is unacceptable for individuals or specific parties to control the fate of an entire people. This is completely rejected.”
“People of Suwayda yearn for a state governed and protected solely by the law, free from personal interests, as they call for implementing the UN Resolution 2254,” al-Ajli added.
The human rights activist emphasized that the renewed protests were about calls for political change, rather than economic grievances that saw smaller protests in Suwayda in previous years.
Despite the adoption of the UN Resolution 2254 in 2015, which emphasizes the importance of a transitional phase, a national government, a constituent assembly, drafting a new constitution, and democratic elections, no progress has been made in the past eight years to achieve these goals.
In general, there is a widespread understanding that the Syrian regime has no intention of making any compromises that would benefit the Syrian people or improve their economic and living conditions. Instead, it has remained obstinate and unyielding in its response, al-Ajli concluded.
Government response
“The Syrian regime deliberately ignores the anti-government protests in Suwayda for multiple reasons, one of which is to avoid direct confrontation and prevent the spread of unrest to the neighboring Daraa Governorate, Hassan Muhammad, a journalist lives in Daraa, told North Press.
According to Muhammad, the government has not been affected by the ongoing protests that have been taking place for eighty days. This is because the protests primarily take place in the city center, particularly on Fridays, which are official holidays and do not disrupt the government’s institutions.
He elaborated on how the Syrian regime frequently relies on time and strategic planning for the long run. Currently, individuals affiliated with the government are intentionally fostering conflicts and divisions among the province’s residents, causing harm without direct and open intervention from the regime itself.
On Nov.5, armed groups affiliated with the government attacked protesters in front of the Baath Party branch in the city of Suwayda. The group threatened to kill them if the strike, which led to the closure of all government institutions in the city, continued.”
Will protests continue?
Muhammad confirmed to North Press that “Protests in Suwayda are expected to continue, fueled by public anger towards the decisions made by the government, particularly concerning economy.”
He noted that the majority of the organizers in Suwayda’s protests are oppositionists who have opposed the Syrian regime since the start of the Syrian crisis in 2011. Some have been arrested and others have suffered the loss of family members. These factors drive them to persist in their protests against the regime.
“Suwayda is unique because most of its residents are Druze minority, this makes the government hesitant to suppress protests there, unlike in Daraa and other regions,” Muhammad added.
The journalist noted that the protesters in Suwayda can be divided into two groups: those actively seeking to overthrow the al-Assad regime and those demanding improved living conditions without necessarily calling for a regime change.
As the protests persist, the trajectory remains uncertain, but their impact on the socio-political landscape of the city and the country as a whole cannot be underestimated.
The majority of Suwayda’s residents now wish for the downfall of the al-Assad regime. This sentiment has been fueled by deteriorating security conditions and the proliferation of drug trade, which is being shielded by security branches aligned with the regime, according to Muhammad.
The ongoing protests in Suwayda represent a remarkable testament to the power of grassroots movements and the resilience of a community in pursuit of change.
Suwayda’s uprising, despite its intricate dynamics, is paving the way for a potential political solution that could be instrumental in the creation of a new Syria, he concluded.