Riyad Darrar: SDC's participation vital in Syrian solution

Since the establishment of the Syrian Democratic Council, the SDC, in late 2015, to the present day, it has been seeking to clarify the reality of the democratic project adopted by the people of north and east Syria, and it seeks to democratize Syria by organizing internal dialogues, seminars and meetings.

In a bid to correct some of the misconceptions and concepts that some anti-democratic actors have tried to promote, and to develop diplomatic relations, the Syrian Democratic Council SDC has opened offices in Washington and Cairo. It is now preparing to open another office in Vienna on July 4th. And to find out the latest developments and the aim of opening these offices, ANHA held an interview with the co-chair of the SDC, Riad Darrar.

Riad Darrar explained during an interview that it is not easy to implement democratization inside Syria, because there was a counter-attack; "The regime says that the people will not live up to the exercise of democracy, and some of the opposition are exerting a tyranny like the regime but with Islamic meanings.

You have got an office in Washington and another in Cairo, and now you're are about to open an office in Vienna. What is the purpose of opening these offices?

The opening of an office by the Syria Democratic Council SDC in Vienna is part of our activities in Europe and other regions all over the world. The main objective is to reach out to Syrians, to develop understandings and to convey the reality of the north and east of Syria, in a bid to correct what is being circulated by the opposition that seeking to defame the reality of the region as Kurdish and separatists, through our meetings with Syrians, we are trying to correct their concepts because it is completely not the case.

We are also meeting with European MPS and politicians to clarify the nation project in the region and what is happening there, and we are talking about the issue of terrorism and how to confront it; about the case of ISIS detainees in AANES' areas, how to deal with these people, and the possibility of holding trials or transferring them to their country to be tried there.

We will also discuss the fate of ISIS children during the meeting that is being held with concerned parties with the collaboration of AANES to be transferred to their countries, because this requires different new attention and education and the rehabilitation of these children.

Our main objective is to show the reality of the democratic nation project that is applied on the ground in north eastern Syria, this system, it is called democratic decentralization, to confront authoritarianism, to seek a political solution to the Syrian crisis, to push for our participation, because the Syrian Democratic Council SDC and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria have not yet been invited to participate in the political solution, despite all the efforts that have been made, why that happened is due to transfer the opposition to conceptual errors about the reality of AANES project.

Since the establishment of the SDC you have been in contact with the democratic opposition and you have been meeting with the European countries concerned about the Syrian Arab Republic. Is there any progress made in the diplomatic field?

With regard to our ongoing contact with the European countries and the countries concerned in the Syrian Arab Republic, we are certainly moving forward. There is a distinct view of the situation in north eastern Syria, which is very different from those of these countries, of the form of practices taking place in the regions of northwestern Syria that is controlled by the armed factions and the opposition, which see it as the replacement for the regime without the participation of the other Syrian components and sects. This has caused to belittle the opposition worldwide.  

We have always spoken about the Syrian problem and the possibility of addressing it. We have made clear to the European countries our objectives in promoting democracy and combating terrorism. We have a distinct view of an enlightened Islam. Because there is an enlightened Islamic vision in our regions that differs from extremism and control by the regime over Sheikhs in Damascus.

Diplomatically, We have given a distinctive truth of what is taking place in north and east Syria, there is great respect for what is happening in the region, and there are countries that continue to support our efforts; at any moment when an appropriate project is agreed for Syria in general, they will support our position, and surely if there is a political solution for Syria, we will be involved and we cannot be excluded.

You adopt the Democratic Nation Project, and you aim to democratize Syria. How could you define this project for public opinion, and how it is viewed abroad?

The cultural project is a long-term project. Changing mindset is not easy. Especially there are those who are fighting it. Some people give it a special character and not a regional one. Although when we talk about culture and meeting issues, it's tempting for some to participate in, and there's an openness to the meaning that comes from it. It's not easy, and we grow an idea in mind, and it's going to have to grow.

Do you have any activities in this regard internally or externally?

We are now trying to organize meetings at home and abroad to introduce people to the democratic experience, explain its vocabulary and present the ideas of this experience, and this work requires the participation of intellectuals and political practitioners.

There are discussions on the need to find a solution to the Syrian crisis. In your view, are the countries that are involved in the Syrian issue serious about this matter?

The Syrian crisis became an intractable one, because, from the outset, there has been no attempt to intervene positively, there was participation in settlements that Syrians were expected to reach through understandings or through conflict; Many countries supported the solution through military conflict in one way or another, and they realized that it had failed.

The political solution is the real solution to which Syrians must commit themselves, and I think it will happen by weakening one of the fighting parties, or commit themselves to a solution after they feel that there is no result of military conflict.

Some countries adopt a political solution on the basis that Syria is on its side, and this is part of international and regional rivalry. Thus, solving the problems of other countries at the expense of the Syrian issue is a constant and it is Syrians who lose because they are either with this part or with that one.

Serious steps have not yet begun. There is still an effort to manage a crisis, not to solve a problem, so the Syrians must take steps to solve this crisis.

T/S

ANHA