Jobar, Qaboun Trustees Board demand property rights, safe return

Concerns are growing over the future of Damascus’s Jobar and Qaboun neighborhoods amid the urban development plan proposed by the transitional government and its potential implications for property rights and the return of displaced residents.

In this regard, the Board of Trustees of Jobar and Qaboun stated in a joint statement issued on Wednesday that the reconstruction of the two neighborhoods is a right of land and property owners, not merely an investment or urban planning project. It stressed the need to involve representatives of local residents in preparing urban plans and making decisions concerning the future of their neighborhoods.

The statement called for protecting the rights of property owners and lawful occupants and preventing any measures that could lead to the renewed displacement of residents or undermine their legal rights. It also called for ensuring transparency by publishing studies and urban plans and clarifying rights, obligations, and procedures for filing objections and grievances.

The board also called for adopting alternative urban planning schemes that take into account the population density and social composition of the two neighborhoods while preserving their social fabric and historical identity. It stressed that priority should be given to the return of displaced residents and the provision of housing and essential services needed to ensure their stability.

The statement noted that these demands are based on constitutional principles related to the protection of property rights and international human rights standards, particularly the right to adequate housing and protection against arbitrary eviction.

The board stressed that the success of reconstruction should not be measured by the scale of investment or the number of buildings constructed, but by the extent to which it guarantees residents’ return, safeguards their rights and dignity, and ensures their meaningful participation in shaping the future of their neighborhoods. It emphasized that reconstruction should serve as a means of achieving justice, providing redress for harm, and restoring rights, rather than creating new injustices.