By Abdulsalam Khoja
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Participants in the “Unity of Communities” conference said that holding the event at this time came in light of the escalation of hate speech and attempts to sow discord among the components of the Syrian people.
They noted that the aim of the conference was to send a unifying national message expressing the participants’ commitment to Syria’s unity, their rejection of division, and their insistence on dialogue as the sole path to a solution.
The conference was held on Friday with wide participation from Arab tribal leaders, representatives of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), and religious figures from northeastern Syria as well as from other parts of Syria. It issued a final statement calling for the drafting of a new democratic constitution that guarantees pluralism and fair political participation for all components of the country.
Response to hate speech
Hikmat Habib, member of the conference’s preparatory committee, told North Press that the timing of the event was a direct response to the growing tide of hate speech and attempts to divide Syrians.
He added that the conference carried a message of unity aimed at reaching a democratic solution that includes all Syrians, stressing that participants consider themselves an inseparable part of Syria.
He explained that the components represented at the conference “believe in being part of the political solution in the coming stage in order to secure the rights of all communities and build a democratic project.”
Habib also emphasized their support for dialogue between Northeast Syria and the Syrian transitional government, based on the March 10 agreement, as a prelude to the coming transitional phase. He noted that the conference’s final statement called for combating hate speech and holding a national conference that includes all Syrians.
Intra–Syrian dialogue
For his part, Hassan Farhan, head of the Arab Tayy Tribe Council, said the conference sent a clear message that no one can divide the Syrian ranks, regardless of differing components and affiliations.
In a statement to North Press, he pointed out that attendees unanimously agreed that intra–Syrian dialogue is the foundation for resolving all issues, stressing that decentralization is the most effective way to protect the dignity and rights of Syrian citizens.
“We are a Syrian society on Syrian soil, and we view decentralization as a safer approach that safeguards the Syrian citizen.”
Siham Qaryo, member of the Syriac Union Party, considered the conference a message for the future of Syria.
She told North Press that the united stance of the components of Northeast Syria reflects a model for a new Syria based on understanding and coexistence, and it proves that stability can be achieved when there is political will among all spectrums.
The conference was also attended by Ghazal Ghazal, head of the Supreme Alawite Islamic Council in Syria and the diaspora, who, in a recorded speech, called for establishing a “civil, secular, pluralistic, and decentralized” state, affirming that this model is the optimal solution for ensuring a safe and just future for all Syrians.
He stressed that Syria is experiencing “a critical moment in its modern history,” urging “closing ranks and uniting voices against the discourse of takfir and extremism that has divided the sons of the same nation,” referring to what he described as “criminal acts” that have targeted Syrian communities from the coast and Suwayda.
During her participation, Ilham Ahmad, head of the Foreign Relations Department of the AANES, said that political pluralism is “an essential requirement for building a modern and inclusive Syria,” warning that “the persistence of a one-sided mentality will deepen crises and obstruct political solutions.”
Ilham Ahmad stressed the importance of representing the components of Northeast Syria in any constitutional or negotiation process, considering that “the participation of representatives from the region is at the core of the political and constitutional process.”
She pointed out that the voice of local communities is “the cornerstone of any sustainable political solution in Syria,” warning that ignoring these communities’ demands will lead to further deterioration and division.
For his part, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, spiritual leader of the Druze community in Syria, said in a recorded speech during the conference that the unity of position among the components of Northeast Syria is not merely a political meeting but “a call to the national conscience and a response to the cry of a people exhausted by wars and marginalization.”