AANES: Elections are not democratic and do not reflect Syrian people will

The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria issued a statement today regarding the so-called "People's Assembly elections," scheduled to be held by the transitional government in Syria next September. The North and East Syria region and Sweida have been systematically excluded from these elections.

The statement read:

“Since the fall of the Assad regime until today—starting from the National Dialogue Conference, the formation of the Interim Government, the declaration of the constitution, and now the announcement of parliamentary elections in Syria—all of these steps have contradicted the goals of the Syrian revolution, which called for justice, democracy, equality, and freedom for all components of Syria. Syrians have sacrificed for true citizenship rights, foremost among them the right to free and fair candidacy and elections. Yet, we see history repeating itself, as this right is once again stripped away from all Syrians. These elections are neither democratic nor reflective of the will of the Syrian people in any form, but rather a continuation of the marginalization and exclusion that Syrians have suffered for the past 62 years under Ba’ath rule.

The conduct of what is called “elections” at this time excludes nearly half of the Syrian people from the process—whether through forced displacement or through systematic policies that prevent the participation of communities and active forces in shaping the country’s future. This very exclusion is clear evidence that what is being presented as elections is nothing more than a formal step that does not meet the requirements of a comprehensive political solution needed by Syrians.

We would also like to stress that labeling our regions as “unsafe” to justify denying the rights of more than five million Syrians is baseless. Compared to other parts of Syria, the regions of North and East Syria are the safest.

As an inseparable part of Syria and its people, we reject any measures or decisions imposed with a unilateral mindset that disregards the sacrifices and legitimate rights of all components. Any decision taken within such an exclusionary approach will neither concern us nor be considered binding on the peoples and regions of North and East Syria. We call on the international community and the United Nations not to recognize these elections, which are in direct contradiction to Resolution 2254.

Finally, we reaffirm that the solution in Syria will not come through reproducing the same old policies, but rather through a comprehensive political process in which all Syrians, with their diverse components and free will, participate—leading to a democratic, pluralistic, and decentralized Syria that guarantees rights and opens horizons for peace and stability.”

Sh-S

ANHA