Armenian call for inclusive Syrian constitution to end marginalization, division

Amid the transformations taking place in Syria, calls are intensifying for the drafting of a national constitution that genuinely reflects the country’s social diversity and ensures the participation of all its components without exclusion.

Representatives of various societal groups affirm that the coming phase requires a new social contract that lays the foundation for a state based on equal citizenship, moving away from the policies of marginalization and exclusion that prevailed in the past.

In this context, Imad Tetrayan, General Advisor of the Armenian Social Council, stressed the importance of involving all Syrian components in drafting the new constitution, describing it as the fundamental safeguard for the country’s unity and stability.

comprehensive participation in drafting a national constitution

Imad Tetrayan stated:
“The participation of all components Armenians, Syriac-Assyrians, the Kurdish people, and others in drafting the constitution is essential to ensure that it reflects the rights of all Syrians.”

Tetrayan affirmed that the new Syria must differ from what it was under the Ba’ath Party era, when exclusionary policies prevailed and only those affiliated with or working within the party were accepted.

He added:
“Future Syria must belong to all components, religions, and sects, founded on the principle of mutual acceptance and national partnership.”

strengthening national unity

Tetrayan pointed out that involving everyone in drafting the constitution would help eliminate the strife and sectarianism that had been fueled in the country. He stated:
“A comprehensive gathering of all components will expose those who have wagered on dividing Syria or steering it toward a sectarian path.”

He explained that if the new constitution is drafted in a unifying national spirit, it will represent a fundamental step toward ending racial and sectarian conflicts and consolidating the concept of a Syria that embraces all its citizens, with their diverse backgrounds and faiths.

risks of exclusion in drafting the constitution

Tetrayan warned that drafting a constitution without genuine participation from all components would result in an imbalanced document lacking both social and legal legitimacy. He noted that excluding any religious or ethnic group would render the constitution vulnerable to sectarian bias.

He further emphasized that Syria represents a diverse mosaic, which necessitates the involvement of all its citizens in the constitutional drafting process.

Tetrayan also highlighted that broad discussions among different components have consistently led to inclusive solutions, as seen in the deliberations surrounding the social contract previously proposed by the autonomous administration, which incorporated the rights of various components.

call for a constitution that enshrines partnership in state institutions

Tetrayan stressed that the desired constitution must guarantee the rights of all components and ensure their representation in the People’s Assembly and throughout the institutions of the Syrian state, thereby preventing the marginalization of any group or sect.

He concluded by stating:
“Syrians rejoiced at the fall of the previous regime in the hope of building a new state that accommodates everyone. The upcoming constitution must reflect the will of all Syrians and establish a new phase that transcends the exclusionary mindset of the past, moving toward a state founded on justice and equal citizenship.”

ANHA