13 Years Since the July 19 Revolution: Coexistence through 4,138 Communes, Councils

At a time when conflicts, destruction, and crises are escalating in Syria, the Middle East, and around the world, the region of North and East Syria emerges increasingly as a model for a solution.

Over the 13 years since the July 19 Revolution (2012), the system established in the region which represents all spectra and components of the region has become a source of trust and hope. The autonomous administration system stands out even more, especially amid the ongoing massacres and violations in other parts of Syria.

The Social Contract of the Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria, completed on December 12, 2023, highlights this participatory model.

The preamble of the Social Contract states:

"We, the sons and daughters of North and East Syria, in recognition and belief in the rights and values of the martyrs, fulfilling the demands of our peoples to live with dignity, and in response to the tremendous sacrifices made by Syrians, have united together; as Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Assyrians, Turkmen, Armenians, Circassians, Chechens, Muslims, Christians, and Yazidis, to establish a democratic system in North and East Syria that forms the foundation for building the Syria of the future without any racist tendencies, discrimination, exclusion, or marginalization of any identity."

Articles 29 and 49 of the Social Contract stipulate that no person shall be discriminated against, insulted, or excluded due to differences in color, gender, ethnicity, religion, belief, or sect. Furthermore, all components must have fair representation within the institutions of the Democratic Autonomous Administration according to the demographic composition of the regions.

Representation of Components

One of the important issues in the Social Contract is the representation of components within the administrations.

Articles 77, 80, 82, 84, and 88 of the Social Contract emphasize that the General People’s Assembly, as well as the councils of cities, towns, and neighborhoods, are composed of 60% representatives elected by the people through general elections, and 40% representatives of the various components.

Article 91 stipulates that the Democratic Council of People of the North and East Syria region is made up of representatives of the people including Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Assyrians, Armenians, Turkmen, Circassians, and Chechens, with women constituting 50% of its members. It also ensures representation of all religious and social components such as Muslims, Christians, and Yazidis. The council takes into consideration the historical, demographic, geographic, religious, ideological, ethnic, and cultural structures and characteristics of all peoples and groups.

Co-Chairs of the Councils

Currently, the co-chairman of the Council of People in the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the North and East Syria region is held by Siham Qaryu from the Syriac component and Farid Ati from the Kurdish component.

Meanwhile, the co-chairman of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the North and East Syria region is held by Avin Suleiman Sweid from the Kurdish component and Hussein Othman from the Arab component.

Furthermore, the co-chairs and administrators of neighborhood, city, and district councils are appointed according to the proportion of the components

Three Official Languages for Official Documents

According to Articles 6 and 7 of the Social Contract, Kurdish, Arabic, and Syriac are recognized as official languages. Therefore, all documents of the DAA are issued in these languages.

How Do the Components View the System?

Co-Chair of the Amuda Council: We Are Satisfied with It

Afaf Dawood, co-chair of the People’s Council in the city of Amuda and from the Kurdish component, indicated that the democratic system guarantees the rights of all components, beliefs, and all segments of society, especially women. She emphasized that there is no discrimination and that every component enjoys its cultural rights, which is a source of comfort.

Administrator in the Women’s Council: We Say What We Want

Kenana Abdo, an administrator in the Women’s Council of North and East Syria and from the Arab component, explained that they have achieved many accomplishments thanks to the autonomous administration system. She stated that women express their opinions freely and noted that through the co-chairman system, women play a leading role in all fields, including the military.

Member of the Yazidi Women’s Union: We Say We Are Yazidis Boldly and Without Fear

Majdolin Ibo, a member of the Yazidi Women’s Union from the Yazidi community, pointed out that the achievements made since the July 19 Revolution have opened many doors for Yazidis. She said, “We used to be registered as Muslims in Syrian records, and we suffered greatly because of that, but now we say we are Yazidis proudly and boldly.”

Member of the Syriac Union Party: Our Rights Are Protected

Ileen Issa, a member of the Syriac Union Party, pointed out that the autonomous administration safeguards their right to live according to their culture and traditions.

Independent Organizations

According to the Social Contract, in addition to the councils and institutions of the autonomous administration, every ethnicity, religion, and culture has the right to establish its own independent institutions and organizations.

Article 60 of the Social Contract states that cultural, ethnic, and religious groups and components have the right to name and form their democratic organizations and institutions and preserve their cultures. No individual or component has the right to impose their creed, ideology, or culture on others by force.

Currently, the Kurdish, Arab, Syriac, Assyrian, Armenian, and Yazidi components have many political parties, cultural centers, and social institutions, and the number of these parties and institutions is constantly changing

The Structure of the Joint Organization: Communes and Councils

The organizational method of the democratic system described in the Social Contract is defined by communes and councils.

According to Article 75 of the Social Contract, a commune is the smallest administrative unit within the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. It is the place where the moral and political community develops and where social, economic, and cultural life is produced.

Within the framework of this article, councils and communes have been established in the regions, cities, and towns, through which work is implemented.

Number of Communes and Councils

In the Jazira canton, there are 16 city councils, 47 town councils, and 2,069 communes in cities, towns, and the Washukani camp.

In the Euphrates canton, there are 5 city councils, 14 town councils, and 521 communes.

In the Tabqa canton, there are 3 city councils, 13 town councils, and 186 communes.

In the Raqqa canton, there are 5 city councils, 16 town councils, and 349 communes.

In the Deir ez-Zor canton (western, central, eastern, and northern lines), there are 4 general councils, 62 town councils, and 771 communes.

In the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo, there are 3 councils and 54 communes.

According to statistics from the executive councils in the regions, the total number of city councils in Jazira, Euphrates, Tabqa, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo is 36 city councils, 152 town councils, and 3,950 communes.

In addition to the city and town councils, there are also neighborhood councils, though their numbers fluctuate.

Example of Communes

Some communes have been formed based on ethnic and cultural foundations, while there are also general communes shared by all components.

One notable example is the Martyr Sido Commune in the Arbayeh neighborhood of Qamishlo city, where Kurds, Syriacs, Assyrians, and Arabs all participate.

In this report, we wanted to highlight the work of this commune, which represents more than 1,200 families.

The co-presidency of the commune is held by a Kurdish woman and a Syriac man, while the commune’s committees include members from the Kurdish, Arab, and Syriac components.

The commune’s co-chair, Jihan Hussein, noted that home visits are a primary part of their work and activities. During these visits, they get to know the residents, communicate with them, discuss their problems more deeply, and cooperate to find solutions. She mentioned that she works in the commune daily, dealing with issues ranging from the simplest to the most complex.

The commune’s co-chair, Malika Kouria, emphasized their commitment to fulfilling their responsibilities and duties toward the community within the commune.

Residents discuss their problems within the commune and collaborate to find appropriate solutions.

ANHA