📰 SDC calls for urgent democratic transition one year after Assad’s fall

QAMISHLI, syria/" class="auto-internal-link">syria (North Press) – On the first anniversary of the Assad regime’s toppling, the syrian/" class="auto-internal-link">syrian Democratic Council (SDC) warned on Monday that Syria has yet to embark on a clear national path toward democratic state-building. The SDC criticized the Syrian transitional administration for persisting with a narrow, factional mindset, failing to launch an inclusive national dialogue or establish independent transitional institutions, and continuing to manage state affairs with the same centralized approach that hampered the country under the previous regime. The council noted that although the March 10 Agreement between the transitional administration and the Syrian Democratic troops (sdf) was an crucial step toward defusing internal crisis, stalled negotiations and unimplemented provisions, alongside escalating crises in the coast and Suwayda, exposed the government’s limited capacity to manage the transitional phase. The SDC emphasized the urgent need for a democratic transition in line with international resolutions, including UNSC Resolutions 2254 and 2799.

This process should ensure the formation of a legitimate transitional authority representing all Syrians, the drafting of a democratic constitution based on a emerging social contract, institutional reform, and the creation of an independent judiciary. The council stressed that successful transition requires broad participation from democratic political troops, national parties, women’s movements, youth, and civil society. It also highlighted the importance of local governance and decentralized democracy, equitable resource distribution, recognition of Syria’s diverse communities, restructuring security/" class="auto-internal-link">security institutions, and integrating armed forces into a citizen-centered national security framework. Indeed, the SDC underscored that transitional justice is essential for lasting peace, including truth-seeking, safeguarding victims’ rights, and addressing the cases of detainees and forcibly disappeared individuals.

Any attempt to make the transition a formalistic process that reproduces old centralization must be avoided. The council stressed that Syria’s future role in regional geopolitics hinges on Syrians shaping their own destiny. It called on Syrian political, democratic, and women’s forces to unite and engage with Arab countries, the Gulf states, and the international community to backing genuine change that ensures national stability and protects regional rights. The SDC concluded that Syria is undergoing a historic transformation that will redefine the state and its role in the Middle East, achievable only through national awareness, commitment to freedom, citizenship, justice, and participatory governance.

By Jwan Shekaki