Decentralization as a path to guarantee rights of all components

Popular and political demands are growing in Syria for the adoption of a democratic decentralized system of governance that guarantees the participation of all components in managing the country and prevents the return of authoritarianism. Activists and experts believe that the coming stage requires an inclusive national dialogue and a new constitution that emphasizes diversity, justice, and citizenship, establishing a genuine democratic transition based on decentralization and the peaceful transfer of power rather than monopoly and exclusion.

In this context, ANHA agency conducted a series of interviews with activists in the city of al-Hasakah to gather their opinions about the current stage in Syria and their stance on political transformations and popular demands calling for decentralization and democratic transition.

Decentralization: The Path to a Unified Syria

Mohammad Bashir, a member of the Union of Intellectuals of al-Jazira Canton, stated that despite promises of constitutional reforms and new elections, what was witnessed in Damascus meetings, the constitutional declaration, and the selection of parliament members was closer to reproducing rigid centralization “one color, one flag, one ideology” almost identical to the former regime, with only slight cosmetic differences.

He added that decentralization is currently a sustainable political and social solution for a nation characterized by a wide mosaic of ethnicities and sects. He emphasized that “the abolition of diversity and the imposition of centralization by force in the past are what ignited tensions and led the country to revolution and the subsequent total collapse of the previous regime.”

Bashir stressed that Syria cannot repeat the same experience, as events especially in the coastal regions, Druze areas, and others have proven that centralization is not the solution. The “remedy for Syria,” he said, is a democratic decentralized system that recognizes all components and grants them the right to manage their own affairs within a single unified state.

He concluded by saying: “Those who equate decentralization with secession are mistaken. Most developed countries in the world adopt federal or broadly decentralized systems, and these models have proven that they strengthen the state rather than weaken it, creating lasting political, economic, and social stability.”

Decentralization as a National Necessity, Not a Political Choice

For his part, writer and critic Abdulwahhab Birani believes that discussing decentralization in Syria remains incomplete in the absence of a constitution that clearly establishes a genuine decentralized system. He asserted that all nationalist and one-party regimes that ruled the country over the past century have relied on strict centralization, leading to the marginalization of Syria’s diverse cultural, social, and linguistic fabric.

Birani pointed out that Syrian society is characterized by unique ethnic, religious, sectarian, and linguistic diversity, rooted in a rich geographic, ethnic, and religious composition that forms the foundation of Syria’s cultural identity. He stressed that the continuation of the centralized system—with its laws and administration inevitably leads to failure, whereas a decentralized system represents the optimal approach to governance, as it ensures a stable political and cultural life for all Syrians.

He added: “Centralization over the past decades relied on military and intelligence apparatuses to run the state, turning the country into a kind of ‘large prison.’ In contrast, a decentralized system enables mutual trust, security, and economic development by ending marginalization policies and achieving justice among all regions without exception.”

On the security front, Birani emphasized that the presence of local community-based forces composed of residents of each region to assume security responsibilities constitutes a real guarantee for the safety and stability of society and enhances the sense of belonging and shared responsibility.

He concluded by stressing that decentralization is the most vital option, supported by various segments of the Syrian people, because it alone can guarantee the rights of all components and open the door to building a democratic and pluralistic Syria.

Decentralization: An Inevitable Choice to Guarantee Rights

For her part, Zainab Mohammed, a member of the Legal Office of the Armenian Social Council, affirmed that decentralization has become a necessity in the current stage Syria is going through. She pointed out that the Syrian people have lived under repression and denial of rights for more than 50 years not only during the past 14 years. She said that Syrians’ rights have always been confiscated, and it is now time to establish a new system that “includes everyone” under a single authority, while granting each region the power to manage its own affairs.

Zainab explained that the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has been managing the region’s affairs since the beginning of the revolution and has provided much to its people. She emphasized that the residents of the region also demand decentralization and their full political and social rights so that the sacrifices of the martyrs who defended this land do not go in vain.

She added that the current stage requires every individual to know their rights, away from the repression and fear that prevailed during the former regime. She stressed the need for every citizen to live with dignity and be able to express their opinion without fear of persecution or threats, considering these factors together make decentralization an inevitable and non-negotiable choice.

In conclusion, Zainab Mohammed criticized the constitutional declaration issued by the transitional government in Damascus, noting that many rights were diluted or omitted. She said: “We see the necessity of changing the constitution and recognizing the rights of the Kurds and the regions of North and East Syria in general.

ANHA