Democratic Path Conference.. When we face difficult questions - Bashar Abboud

The contradictions in the Syrian political reality does not indicate an abundance of radical and satisfactory solutions. Furthermore, the possibility of finding such solutions will inevitably collide with reality of the forces intervening in the Syrian issue. The problem is not only in the large number of players on Syrian soil, but in the diversity of these forces locally, regionally and internationally, as each one has its own interest in Syria.

As soon as, these interests do not go hand in hand, the extent of the conflict will inevitably lead to deadly one at any moment. So Syria and its people will become hostages to the settling of accounts of those forces and the price will undoubtedly be primarily the blood of its sons.

The bleakness of this scene is not new in any case, but it has become more evident and perhaps more tragic than before, especially with the entire Middle East region entering a new test, which was brought into it by the October 7, 2023 attack on Israeli civilians, which increased the tension and  made it more vague, especially in finding a solution to the Syrian crisis. In the midst of this heated atmosphere, it has become politically innocent to say that the two parties to the conflict in Syria are limited only to the regime and the opposition. Neither the regime resembles the same as it was before 2011, nor is the political opposition that emerged from the regime’s cloak at first, the same now after it has turned into a puppet in the hands of regional countries, led by Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP).

When we reach such a painful result of our inability to disentangle the interests of powers that have interests on our land, it becomes difficult for any researcher in the Syrian file to separate what is happening in this exhausted country from what is happening in neighboring countries, to the point that it is now almost impossible to think about starting to address any file within the Syrian borders without taking into account what Turkey, Iran or Israel will say, for example, since these countries have a clear presence in everything that happens within the country's borders, but also without ignoring the forces of terrorist and criminal gangs that have enabled their presence throughout the years of security chaos, and it has become necessary to deal with them seriously and professionally.

The Syrian political forces and parties acknowledge that their country is facing pivotal historical and existential challenges. State institutions are suffering from fragility and collapse, and the unity of the homeland is threatened by division, especially in light of the direct regional presence within Syrian territory. Syrians also agree on the need for their society to formulate a new social contract that protects it from the severity of the division between its components, which is no longer hidden from anyone.

Despite these legitimate concerns, the Syrian national collective mind has never met under one dome and around one table to think about forming a national bloc that would revive Syrian politics, there is no doubt that such meetings have taken place before among Syrians, but the question is what effects have they left behind on the national and street levels?

Hence, the call to gather Syrians at one dialogue table is no longer a kind of political luxury, but has become a national and historical entitlement.

Hence, the importance of the Syrian Democratic Path Conference meeting, which will be held in the Belgian capital, Brussels, over two days on October 25 and 26, will be a new glimmer of hope that will push the Syrian democratic and secular forces to conduct such a comprehensive national dialogue.

Furthermore, the conference will put us before an inevitable entitlement, which is to answer with transparency and clarity the difficult and bloody questions that can no longer be ignored. If the goal of the participants in this conference is not to give priority to the supreme national interest, then their participation is worthless.

If their goals are not focused on thinking about the possibility of establishing a national action that liberates the country from all occupiers, or at least dealing with them rationally and with a balanced understanding of the regional and international balance of power and with a high sense of nationalism, then this participation is not important.

If the strongest motive is not to work on building a unified democratic Syrian state that respects national and religious diversity and guarantees the rights of all components without discrimination or exclusion, then there is no need for this presence.

 However, no matter how difficult the complications are, they must not overcome the basic concern, which is to meet to strengthen the idea of building a national standard based on a purely Syrian foundation.

No matter how loud the voices of the objectors are, they must not be able to overcome the necessity of thinking about answering the following question: How can Syria be built as an absolutely modern state based on basic components in human rights, democracy, and everything related to the concepts and values of the modern state, development, and respect for all components?

Without adhering to the idea of the salvation of the Syrians, it will be nothing more than taking souvenir photos like other meetings we have experienced over the past years.

a.k

ANHA