By Jwan Shekaki
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Under the slogan of decentralized and pluralistic Syria, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) completed its fourth conference on Wednesday that resulted in remarkably outcomes including its structure, leaders, and a roadmap for the solution of the Syrian conflict.
The SDC’s fourth conference was held in the city of Raqqa in northern Syria, a city that was once the so-called capital of the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS) where it witnessed all kinds of exclusion and beheading. The same city is now hosting representatives from all Syrian communities to discuss the unification of the Syrian parties and seek a solution for the conflict their country has been going through for more than a decade.
The founding conference of the SDC was held in the city of Derik (al-Malikiyah) in the far northeastern Syria in December 2015. The Council is seen as the reference and the political umbrella for the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Roadmap
In its fourth conference, the SDC presented a roadmap for a political and peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict. It stressed the need for an intra-Syrian solution through dialogue and direct negotiations in line with the UNSC Resolution 2254 and under international sponsorship and guarantees.
The SDC’s roadmap included the proposition of the formation of a transitional government with broad powers, the suspension of the current constitution, and the establishment of a committee tasked with drafting a new democratic constitution.
The SDC aims, through its political process, at ending authoritarianism and centralization, accomplishing a comprehensive democratic change, and rebuilding Syria based on a decentralized and inclusive system.
Addressing Syrians’ aspirations
Participants of the SDC conference emphasized the importance of the SDC’s role in the future Syria, and urged unifying the Syrian opposition, both inside and outside Syria, and rallying international support to achieve the aspirations of Syrians.
In a video statement to North Press, Hussam Aloush, member of the Syrian opposition’s National Coordination Committee (NCC), advocated for the formation of a coalition between the SDC and the Syrian opposition.
Holding the conference is important for our work outside the country, said Bassam Ishak, SDC representative in Washington, adding that Washington is important for any dialogue about the future of Syria.
Mazloum Abdi, Commander in Chief of the SDF, delivered a speech at the conference calling for the SDC to intensify its efforts to organize the national opposition in Syria as a whole.
The opposition related to the foreign agenda has no plans for the solution of the Syrian conflict, Abdi said.
New structure and leaders
In its conference, the SDC made new changes in its organizational structure. The Executive Committee that was once existed and headed by Ilham Ahmad, was cancelled. However, the system of co-chairmanship stayed as it is.
During the conference, both Layla Qahraman and Mahmoud al-Meslet were elected as co-chairs of the SDC as successors to Riyad Dirar and Amina Omar. Qahraman was deputy co-chairmanship of the SDC, while al-Meslet was a former opposition figure living in Washington.