Jia Kurd calls on transitional government to review its approach; begin serious national dialogue

In a post on his official social media account, Badran Jia Kurd, advisor to the Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria, stated that the Druze issue is "a Syrian national issue par excellence, and is inseparable from the issues of other components," emphasizing that "each component constitutes an integral part of the single Syrian body."

Badran Jia Kurd began his post by saying, "The systematic violations targeting the Druze community in southern Syria, and the previous similar violations on the Syrian coast, clearly confirm the deep rejection of cultural and religious pluralism by the Ministry of Defense within the transitional government and its affiliated institutions. This undermines the foundations of coexistence within a single national geography."

He pointed out that "the continuation of these practices is pushing Syria toward further fragmentation and disintegration at the political and social levels, and poses a serious and systematic challenge to all Syrian communities, whether collectively or individually."

He emphasized his solidarity with the Druze community, saying, "We stand in solidarity with our Druze community in their suffering, and we call for the preservation of their ancient identity and their inherent rights."

"The transitional government must initiate a comprehensive review of its approach to dealing with internal Syrian affairs."

Jia Kurd called on the transitional government to review its approach and initiate a national dialogue, saying, "From this standpoint, the transitional government must initiate a comprehensive and urgent review of its approach to dealing with internal Syrian affairs and initiate a serious and responsible national dialogue with all components, while respecting the privacy and cultural and religious identity of each component. Priority today must be given to a return to internal Syrian dialogue and openness to internal affairs, rather than prioritizing external openness at the expense of national consensus. No authority can gain legitimacy without this consensus and without mutual recognition among all citizens."

Jia Kurd added, "State sovereignty cannot be imposed through tools of repression and intimidation. All regimes that have taken this path have fallen due to the will of their people. This approach not only threatens national cohesion, but also opens the door wide to foreign interference and transforms Syria into an arena for regional and international conflict in the absence of independent Syrian decision-making."

Emphasizing that national responsibility falls on all components of Syrian society, he said, "We are all called upon today to shoulder our responsibilities in shaping the future of the country by unifying efforts and positions, and working to formulate a pluralistic, democratic national project, free from factionalism and exclusionary approaches."

"The transitional authorities must engage in the national dialogue process."

Jia Kurd emphasized the necessity of the transitional government in Syria's participation in the national dialogue: "It is essential that the transitional authorities in Damascus engage seriously in the national dialogue process and make effective concessions by transferring some powers to local authorities, in a way that enhances trust and consolidates the concept of partnership."

He held the government responsible for the sectarian rhetoric, saying, "These authorities bear full responsibility for the inflammatory sectarian rhetoric, whether through their media outlets or through the "populist" rhetoric prevalent in the streets and on social media, which only leads to societal mobilization and conflict."

He called on regional powers to play their part, saying, "In the same context, effective regional and international powers must play a responsible role in supporting comprehensive national solutions that reflect the aspirations of all Syrians, rather than solely pursuing their own interests. The Syrian people must be the primary priority of any initiative, especially in light of the expanding scope of threats threatening the entire region as a result of the spillovers of the Syrian crisis."

He concluded his post by stressing the need to open an independent international investigation into the crimes committed in Sweida: "It is now imperative to open an independent international investigation into the crimes committed in Sweida and to hand over the investigation file into the crimes committed on the Syrian coast to neutral international committees, given the failure of previous investigations to achieve tangible results. This constitutes a necessary prelude to comprehensive national reconciliation based on justice, enhanced trust, and the effective participation of all components in the political process during the transitional period, in preparation for building national institutions and drafting a new constitution that expresses the will of all Syrians."

ANHA