Alawite leader calls for secular, decentralized state as path to Syrian unity
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – Ghazal Ghazal, head of the Supreme Alawite Islamic Council in Syria and the diaspora, called on Friday for the establishment of a “civil, secular, pluralistic, and decentralized” state, describing it as the optimal model to ensure a secure and just future for all Syrians.
In a recorded address to the “Unity of Components” conference held in the city of Hasakah in northeastern Syria, Ghazal stressed: “We do not seek a religious state, but one that preserves everyone’s dignity and builds solutions based on rights, not domination.”
He described the current period as “a critical moment in Syria’s modern history,” urging unity and solidarity to confront the rhetoric of takfir and extremism, which he said has divided Syrians and fueled violence from the coast to Suwayda.
Ghazal further stated that “a decentralized or federal system is the true guarantor of the rights of all communities in Syria’s future constitution,” emphasizing the urgent need to halt the cycle of violence and launch a national reconciliation process “to rebuild trust and transform differences into a source of strength rather than conflict.”
He concluded by noting that “the road to freedom and justice is fraught with challenges, but it is the only path to safeguarding dignity and ensuring Syria remains a homeland for all, without exclusion.”