5th Syrian Forum: " Peace Manifesto” as path to resolve Syrian issues; guarantee rights of people

The activities of the Fifth Syrian Forum continue in the city of Hasakah in al- Jazira canton under the slogan “The Peace and Democratic Society Manifesto: A Guarantee for Building a Modern Syria.” The forum gathers 120 political figures, human rights activists, intellectuals, women’s unions, and activists representing various Syrian communities, along with Arab tribal leaders.

The third session featured Aldar Khalil, Co-Chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) Executive Committee, and was titled “The Importance of Leader Ocalan’s Initiative for Peace and Democratic Society.”

Khalil explained that the manifesto represents the path of the revolution, noting that Leader Abdullah Ocalan articulated how to realize its significant meanings. He defined revolution, according to the leader, as the restoration of society to its genuine essence, allowing it to live freely in an ethical community possessing free will; unlike the systems embedded in institutions and universities.

Khalil pointed out that Ocalan’s first manifesto was written in 1987, based on socialist and Marxist ideas and the fundamental principles of the nation-state, which advocated for a Kurdish nation-state called Kurdistan. He added, “However, after years of struggle and the risks endured by people,especially the Kurds he came to believe that freedom and its achievement require reassessment. This is what distinguishes the leader: he does not follow the usual and conventional, but always seeks new ideas and draws lessons from history.”

He emphasized that Ocalan envisions societies possessing their own will and development. He defines the nation-state as an authoritarian institution that controls the destinies of people and cannot achieve freedom as Syria is experiencing today. Khalil noted the great significance of the release date of the “Peace and Democratic Society Manifesto,” given Syria’s transitional and deeply transformative stage, especially since Damascus was ruled by the Baath Party.

He confirmed that the legacy of Baathism and the pillars it exploited to build the Arab nation-state have not yet been discarded, stating: “Currently, what governs Damascus is the right-wing Baath Party, combined with the use of religion.” He added, “The manifesto’s release to address these issues is important because if we want to eliminate the anticipated negative consequences of such transformation, this project is necessary.”

Khalil stressed that the importance of the project lies in two principles: first, the rejection of the nation-state principle; second, the adoption of women’s freedom as the foundation for societal development. He said, “When we adopt these two principles, we conclude that the solution depends on the philosophy of the democratic nation.” He added, “If the philosophy of the democratic nation and women’s freedom are achieved, any potential conflict whether sectarian, ethnic, or denominational will be blocked and prevented from emerging; otherwise, Syria will face a very difficult phase.”

Khalil expressed concern that upcoming conflicts might transform from clashes with the ruling regime into conflicts between societal components. He considers the manifesto a remedy for such fears, which could complicate the equation as it did during the Assad eras. He pointed out that the project’s importance lies in addressing the region’s existing issues and problems peacefully, achieving partnership, preserving the country’s unity, and uniting all Syrian components within an inclusive democratic administrative framework encompassing all of Syria.

He noted that some reject this proposal easily, and that this contradiction reminds us of those who oppose the Sykes-Picot Agreement and its practical consequences. Khalil said, “The manifesto, by rejecting that agreement, offers solutions to overcome the maps that agreement imposed, geographical divisions, and the labeling of every state.” He added, “That agreement divided communities by separating Arabs, Kurds, and Turks from one another, as well as religious groups, drawing maps to form entities in the region.”

Khalil also highlighted that Ocalan addresses the Kurdish issue in the manifesto as a crucial and existential matter in the Middle East, while also tackling other issues such as democracy by proposing solutions, in contrast to those who raise problems without offering solutions such as the long-standing Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He said, “As long as insistence on the nation-state exists, conflict will continue.”

He argued that thinking about solutions should be flexible, allowing acceptance of unconventional solutions like those proposed by Ocalan, who does not conform to the usual ideas and solutions people are accustomed to. Khalil noted that when Ocalan proposed the Democratic Nation project at the onset of the Syrian crisis, many rejected it as if they were obligated to accept the authoritarian system’s ideas and unable to think freely outside the box.

He affirmed that democracy and communal life based on participation provide an alternative to the nation-state-centered power structure and considered it a fundamental solution to the region’s problems. He stressed their commitment, as Syrians, to building a democratic Syria.

The fourth and final session, titled “The Era of Peace and Democratic Society and Prospects for a Syrian Solution,” featured Amina Othman, spokesperson for the Relations Committee of the Kongra Star.

Othman emphasized that Leader Abdullah Ocalan’s call for peace and democratic society marks a historic turning point in the trajectory of Middle Eastern peoples’ issues. She said, “It transcends military interventions and is a comprehensive political and intellectual project.”

She noted that peace cannot be achieved by merely ceasing fire and establishing good authority arrangements, but through building a pluralistic democratic society that recognizes the rights of all peoples and components. She pointed out that a key intellectual feature of this call is the concept of the democratic nation as an alternative to the singular nation-state and the philosophy of democratic confederalism as a framework for decentralization and popular participation. The project also adopts peaceful and negotiated solutions instead of bloody wars and connects the Kurdish issue’s resolution to building comprehensive peace in Turkey, Syria, and the broader region on the political level.

Regarding social aspects, Othman considered women’s liberation, social justice, and reconciliation between communities to be fundamental pillars for any sustainable peace. She affirmed that Ocalan presented a vision transcending class boundaries within states, opening horizons for cooperation among peoples based on freedom and democracy, thus guaranteeing regional and global stability.

At the session’s conclusion, Othman stressed that the peace initiative is not exclusive to one people but aims to rescue the region from the cycle of conflicts and open pathways to build a new Middle East based on democracy, peace, and equality.

Following the session, the floor was opened for discussion, during which participants highlighted the importance of communes as the foundation of democratic society, the necessity of advancing Syria and preparing future generations to build a decentralized democratic Syria, the establishment of mechanisms to develop Syrian society, and drafting a comprehensive constitution that includes the rights of all societal segments and separates powers. They also called for non-interference by Turkey in Syrian affairs and regarded Ocalan’s peace proposal as a positive and essential step toward building democratic thought that liberates peoples from sectarian ideologies and raises awareness.

ANHA