Kurdish politician: Ensuring political pluralism is essential for building democratic Syria

The future of political parties and the freedom of political work is one of the issues on the table during the transitional phase that Syria is witnessing, in light of the need to build a political system that ensures the participation of various components and political forces, and establishes a new phase based on democratic pluralism and the preservation of political rights, away from the exclusionary and marginalization policies that have prevailed over the past decades.

In this context, Azhar Ahmed, a member of the Central Committee of the Kurdish Leftist Party in Syria, confirmed to our agency that the future of political life in Syria is linked to the transitional authority's ability to learn from past experiences and to allow political parties and forces to operate freely.

A history of political activity and marginalization

Azhar Ahmed pointed out that Syria has witnessed extended political activity since after the First and Second World Wars until today, especially in the regions of the Syrian Jazira, and that the Kurdish political movement, alongside the Syriac and Arab parties, played a role in expressing the demands and rights of the components.

He added that "the opposition was not limited to opposing the authority, but also included demanding a change in the structure of the central system and achieving the demands of the various components, and that the Kurdish political parties, as well as the Syriac and Arab political parties, also had legitimate demands."

He pointed out that the political movement in Syria went through many phases of arrests that targeted forces representing different components, while the parties affiliated with the National Progressive Front received material and moral support from the previous regime, along with privileges in appointments within official circles.

He explained that parties, including the Ba'ath Party, the Syrian Communist Party, and other parties within the National Progressive Front, enjoyed privileges under the previous regime in exchange for supporting and justifying its policies. He added that the nature of Syrian society and its diverse components, along with the political, regional, and international dimensions, contributed to the continuation of political activity in the country.

Challenges of the transitional phase

In his discussion about the reality of political work after the change of the Ba'ath regime and the arrival of the transitional authority in Damascus, he said: "Some of the politicians within the transitional authority and the current transitional government view politics and parties as if they are forbidden, and they do not wish for there to be political activity because they fear the activity that expresses the existing components and the reality of the region and the unresolved issues within it."

He explained: "The Kurdish issue is a matter of a people, a matter of land and people in the region. Therefore, the Kurdish political parties carry the concerns and goals of the Kurdish people, and since 1957 until now, they have been struggling for their rights in Syria."

Ahmed warned against the dangers of approaching political life from a strict or radical religious perspective, and emphasized that Syria has a history of national and political activity and movements that have expressed its various components.

He saw that the current phase requires the transitional authority to reassess the reality of political movements and to read the Syrian scene correctly, away from narrow approaches that could marginalize political forces or limit their ability to operate.

A law for political parties and constitutional guaranties

Ahmed emphasized the necessity of issuing laws specific to political parties, allowing them to operate according to their internal regulations, defining official licensing mechanisms, and ensuring their rights in the Syrian constitution, thereby achieving political freedom and regulating the relationship between parties and state institutions.

He added, "We, as politicians, view party and political movements within any society as a positive phenomenon when they express the cultural, social, and political concerns of the people, take suggestions from the grassroots to convey them to the existing authorities, and help in building the state as well as in organization."

He emphasized that the one-party system does not reflect the reality and diversity of Syrian society, and called on the transitional government to learn from past experiences, move away from previous methods and ideologies, and work on transitioning the country from a phase of political repression to a phase of freedom and democratic pluralism.

Regarding the fears of fragmentation and secession, Ahmed clarified: "Not everyone is calling for the disintegration of Syria, nor are they demanding what is being rumored." Additionally, the previous regime accused political forces of seeking secession and carving out parts of Syrian territory for the benefit of other entities, and we are tired of these accusations.

Political pluralism is the foundation for building Syria

Regarding the licensing of parties and guaranteeing their rights in the constitution, he said: "Political forces should have space to operate, parties should be licensed, and their rights should be enshrined in the Syrian constitution. It is essential for the constitution to specify the operational space for political forces, how they obtain official licensing, and how they contribute to the building process."

He added that the freedom of political work enhances citizens' sense of belonging to their homeland and prevents them from feeling marginalized or excluded.

He warned that the continuation of political repression could open the door to regional and external interventions in Syrian internal affairs.

He emphasized: "A politician should not feel repressed in their own country, nor should they feel unwelcome; because the absence of political freedom may open the door for regional and external countries to intervene in Syrian internal politics."

In conclusion, Azhar Ahmed, a member of the Central Committee of the Kurdish Leftist Party in Syria, affirmed that "taking advantage of the existing groundwork in Syria to build a future for all Syrians is a necessity for the upcoming phase."

ANHA