Political forum on forced displacement kicks off in NE Syria

The “Shahba Political Forum” officially launched today at the "Ishtar Hall" in southern Raqqa, under the slogan “Return is a Right – No to Forgetting, No to Compromise.” It was attended by representatives from al-Bab, Azaz, Jarablus, Tal Aran, Tal Hasel, and Manbij, alongside political and civil society figures and institutions from across North and East Syria.

The forum saw broad participation, including representatives from the Euphrates Center for Studies, the Syrian Democratic Council, the External Relations Department of the Autonomous Administration (represented by its co-chair Ilham Ahmed), the International Human Rights Organization, the International Center for Geopolitical Studies, Kongra Star, the Future Syria Party, as well as several members of civil society institutions in Raqqa canton.

The forum began with a moment of silence, followed by a welcoming speech from Ms. Rehab Jebo, a displaced woman from Shahba and a member of the preparatory committee. In her remarks, she highlighted the symbolic significance of August 4, the day that marked the beginning of the displacement of Shahba residents in 2013.

She emphasized that the suffering that accompanied the displacement did not break the will to return and resist. She added, “Syria today is burdened with heavy duties, and we must work together to build a new Syria that guarantees the safe and dignified return of its displaced people.”

The forum’s agenda includes a historical overview of the Shahba region, followed by a documentary screening, and then political speeches by Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the External Relations Department of the Autonomous Administration, and a representative from the Kurdish Front Forces leadership.

The forum will also address three main discussion points:

1. Forced displacement as a systematic crime (its goals and perpetrators). 

2. The suffering of displaced people inside and outside the country. 

3. The right of return and accountability from a political and national perspective.

The forum is expected to conclude with a final statement summarizing the key recommendations and proposals agreed upon.

A-H 

ANHA