Arab League rejects systematic demographic change in Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The official spokesman for the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Jamal Rushdie, stressed the League’s position rejecting systematic demographic change in northern Syria, whether by Turkey or Iran, while also holding Damascus partly responsible.
The remarks were made on Saturday, at a symposium organized by ‘the al-Farabi Center for Studies, Consultations and Training’ titled ‘Demographic Change in Syria and the Unity of the National State: Dimensions, Repercussions, and Ways to Confront it’ at the headquarters of the Egyptian Cultural Forum.
The head of the center, Medhat Hammad, told North Press that the symposium dealt with a number of topics, most notably the dimensions and nature of demographic change in Syria, the Turkish and Iranian roles in it, the effects of demographic change on the unity of Syria, and mechanisms to confront the Turkish plans in this regard.
Ilham Ahmed, President of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), as well as a number of prominent Egyptian academics, were among the attendees.
Rushdie stressed that the Iranian and Turkish governments are practicing “a systematic policy”.
The spokesman noted that the Turkish government will try to solve the Syrian refugees issue before the upcoming elections by imposing more demographic change in northern Syria.
He said that the League supports everyone who works for Syria’s territorial integrity, whether Arab or Kurd.
Rushdie added that the demographic change did not occur as a side effect of war, but is a systematic policy.
This policy was followed by the most prominent external parties to the Syrian conflict, Rushdie argues, and was also practiced by the government in Damascus in the early years of the war, before escalating in 2016 and 2017.
Rushdie considers the Syrian regime mainly responsible in this regard, as the region was emptied from important communities and replaced with others.
He referred to the Arab League’s decision regarding demographic change. The League previously issued a resolution on Syria, which is being renewed, that completely and categorically rejects all acts of demographic change. The decision considers these acts a violation of international laws, as well as a threat to the unity of Syria and the security and stability in the region.
The symposium discussed the Arab League’s efforts in confronting demographic change in Syria and the Iraqi experience, which could serve as a model for northeastern Syria.