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The autonomous administration's manifesto for a 'New Syria'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
16 Dec 2024 14:03
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AANES, the de facto autonomous region in northeastern Syria, outlines notions and measures that should be pursued for the building of a "New Syria".

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Syrian opposition militants celebrate the Syrian government collapse in Damascus, Syria, on December 8, 2024. (AP)

A special press conference held on Monday saw the democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) announce an initiative to kickstart building a "New Syria".

The conference, held in the Administration's center in the city of Raqqa, attracted an abundance of media outlets and included the initiative's manifesto, read by the co-presidents of the Executive Council, Hussein Othman, and Aven Suweid, as well as a question-answer segment with reporters.

The Syrian Dialogue Initiative for Building a New Syria

The initiative, named the Syrian Dialogue Initiative for Building a New Syria, comes as Syria kickstarts a new era following the collapse of the Assad regime, and calls for unity and collaboration toward working for "a shared roadmap" far from the political exclusion and marginalization that devastated Syria.

All political actors were encouraged to participate in building a "New Syria", even throughout the transitional period.

Therefore, the manifesto urged all political actors and factions to reassess their approaches to one another and prioritize shared national interests. Should this succeed, the Autonomous Administration noted that its cooperation with the Damascus leadership would be in the greater interest and benefit of the Syrian population.

AANES further stated that the initiative for Syrian-Syrian dialogue was proposed based on its responsibilities and duties entrusted by the diverse Syrian people. The manifesto also expressed its perceived value of the positive role Arab countries and actors play in supporting the Syrian people's quest toward building a new nation that guarantees all of their rights, which must be done in a democratic process that includes all participating parties.

Measures proposed for a 'New Syria'

In this context, the administration proposed a set of measures to be followed to achieve their end goal, which come as follows:

Preserving the unity and sovereignty of Syrian territories and protecting them from attacks carried out by the Turkish state and its mercenaries
Ceasing military operations across Syrian territories to initiate an inclusive and constructive national dialogue
Adopting a policy of tolerance and avoiding hate speech and accusations of treason among Syrians, as Syria is a country rich in its components and diversity, which must be preserved on a fair democratic foundation
Holding an urgent meeting in Damascus, involving Syrian political forces, to unify visions regarding the transitional phase
Ensuring the effective participation of women in the political process
Affirming that wealth and economic resources must be distributed equitably among all Syrian regions, as they are the property of all Syrians
Ensuring the return of Indigenous populations and those forcibly displaced to their areas, preserving their cultural heritage, and ending demographic change policies
In light of the developments in Syria, we reaffirm our commitment to combating terrorism to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, through cooperation between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the International Coalition Forces.
Ending the state of occupation and leaving the decision to the Syrian people to shape their future while adhering to the principle of good neighborliness.
"We welcome the constructive role of Arab states, the United Nations, the International Coalition forces, and all international actors involved in Syrian affairs. We urge them to play a positive and active role in providing advice and support to the Syrian people, bridging differences among its components, and ensuring stability, security, and an end to external interference in Syrian affairs."

All factions in Syria to be dissolved, no mandatory draft: al-Sharaa

This comes after Ahmad al-Sharaa, the head of the Military Operations Administration in Syria, revealed a set of decisions currently under review by the country's interim government.

In a press meeting on Sunday, al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, confirmed that "there will be no mandatory military conscription, except for certain specialties, which will be obligatory for short periods."

He pointed out that the primary priorities are rebuilding destroyed homes and returning displaced individuals.

Al-Sharaa also confirmed that all factions in Syria will be dissolved, emphasizing that there will be no weapons in the hands of anyone other than the new Syrian state.