By Murhaf al-Sha’er
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Anti-government protests in Suwayda, southern Syria, have now marked a year in motion, evolving from calls for better services to broader demands for political reform, including the ousting of the Syrian “regime”.
The protests erupted on Aug. 17, 2023, starting with a widespread general strike that saw roads blocked and Baath Party offices, government buildings, and municipalities shuttered. This wave of dissent was fueled by rising fuel prices and the worsening living and service conditions under government rule.
On the very first day of the protests, prominent figures in Suwayda, including key community and religious leaders led by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajiri of the Druze community, publicly backed the demonstrators and voiced their support for their demands.
Planted bombs and military intimidation
Although the Syrian government has largely remained silent on the unrest in Suwayda, it has made several attempts to quell the protests behind the scenes.
On Feb. 28, government forces killed protester Jawad al-Barouki while attempting to disperse demonstrators outside a reconciliation center in Suwayda’s April 7 Hall.
Soon after, activists in al-Karama Square uncovered bombs and IEDs near the protest site, accusing the government of planting them to scare off participants.
By April, the government forces had escalated its presence, deploying heavy military reinforcements, including dozens of vehicles and hundreds of soldiers, to barracks in and around Suwayda.
Local activists, religious leaders, and armed groups warned of further escalation amid recent government arrest campaigns, which have triggered retaliatory detentions of officers by local armed factions.
What are the prospects of these protests?
A year into the protests, the situation remains ambiguous, and the future uncertain. Activist and politician Jamal al-Shoufi emphasized that despite Syria’s “paralyzed” political climate, the people of Suwayda remain committed to their peaceful struggle, determined to keep the movement alive.
He expressed hope that the uprising in Suwayda could pave the way for a national consensus among Syrians, fostering unity and healing under the banner of a state for all.
He also warned that any military action by the government would be met with an unexpected resistance, though he doubts a full-scale intervention. Instead, he pointed to the Syrian government’s tactic of using affiliated militias and armed individuals to provoke unrest in Suwayda.
Kamal Barbour, a politician from Suwayda, criticized the regime’s five-decade rule, which, he said, had failed to deliver essential services and rights to the people. He highlighted the internal organizing efforts that emerged from the protests, leading to the creation of independent unions and professional associations, separate from Baath Party control.
Barbour urged international powers to curb Iran’s growing influence in the region and to prevent it from extending into Suwayda, warning that the government seeks to militarize the protests in order to crush them. The politicians refrained from predicting what lies ahead, acknowledging that Suwayda’s fate is deeply entwined with the broader Syrian context. They also pointed out that regional developments, particularly the Gaza conflict, have further complicated the situation in Syria.