2 Protests held in Darbasiyah, Zarkan over rising prices, deteriorating living conditions

The cities of Darbasiyah and Zarkan witnessed two protests on Wednesday in condemnation of deteriorating living conditions, rising prices and fuel shortages.

Darbasiyah

In Darbasiyah, residents, along with members of civil institutions and councils, held a protest that began in front of the Free Women’s Square. During the demonstration, participants raised slogans expressing their dissatisfaction with deteriorating living conditions; “Prices are rising while incomes remain unchanged.”

When the protesters reached the city center, the demonstration turned into a sit-in, during which a statement was read by Dilber Shemo, co-chair of the Democratic Union Party.

The statement said citizens’ hardships were worsening day by day due to the continued rise in the prices of food and basic commodities, as well as increases in fuel, transportation and service costs.

It noted that the difficult living conditions were no longer compatible with citizens’ income levels and purchasing power, while salaries and wages were no longer sufficient to meet daily needs amid continued price increases.

The protest concluded with participants calling on the relevant authorities to intervene urgently to improve living conditions, ensure the provision of diesel fuel and distribute it fairly and transparently, regulate markets, strengthen consumer-protection oversight, and take measures to ease the economic burden and support citizens’ purchasing power.

Zarkan

In Zarkan, dozens of residents took part in a protest that began in front of the Women’s Bakery. Participants held up banners calling for an end to shifting the burden of crises onto citizens, curbing monopolistic practices and rising fuel prices, and chanted slogans demanding their right to live with dignity.

When the protest reached the city’s main street, it turned into a public gathering, during which a statement was read by Saleh Semo, an administrator in the Democratic Union Party, and Diana Ma'o, a member of the district council’s administration.

The statement addressed the deterioration of living conditions, price chaos and the shortage of diesel fuel in Syria, as well as the impact of fuel shortages on vital sectors, including transportation, agriculture, industry and bakeries, and the resulting effects on people’s mobility, the agricultural season, local production and bread supplies.

It also addressed rising prices of goods, food products and declining purchasing power amid price chaos and weak market oversight.

The statement called for measures to curb rising prices, tackle monopolistic practices and price manipulation, and hold the relevant authorities accountable for the current situation. It also called for transparency and for involving the community and experts in developing sustainable solutions to economic and service-related crises.

The protest concluded with participants calling on the relevant authorities and oversight bodies to ensure the provision and fair and transparent distribution of diesel fuel, regulate markets, and impose penalties on those engaging in monopolistic practices and manipulating prices of essential goods.

ANHA