Political parties in Jal Agha reject parliamentary appointments, condemn political marginalization

Opposition to the parliamentary appointments carried out in Al-Hasakah Governorate on May 24 continues to grow. In this context, representatives of political parties in Jal Agha city, located in al-Jazira region, expressed their rejection of these appointments.

Mohammad Abdi, representative of the Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party in Syria, stated that what took place "was not an electoral process but rather a series of appointments." He added: "We all seek to build a democratic Syria where all components can coexist. Everyone has the right to choose its representatives through genuine and free elections. However, what happened was an appointment process that was far removed from any fair electoral procedure, particularly regarding the Kurdish people."

Abdi further noted that the Kurdish people have the right to secure their rights within the constitution of a new Syria, but argued that the seat distribution mechanism failed to ensure genuine Kurdish representation in parliament. He emphasized their rejection of "any unfair process that does not reflect the size and presence of the Kurdish people in Syria, because accepting it would mean accepting marginalization and exclusion once again."

He also pointed out that Kurdish political forces had hoped to adopt a unified position regarding the allocation mechanism. However, he said that "some parties, including the Kurdish National Council (KNC), accepted the process, and this does not represent the position of the Kurdish political movement and the forces striving to secure Kurdish rights constitutionally and legally."

Abdi concluded by calling on Kurdish political parties and movements to work collectively and coordinate politically in order to reach a unified vision that guarantees fair and genuine Kurdish representation in the Syrian parliament.

For his part, Zidan Hussein, a member of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), stated that the existing agreement between the Autonomous Administration and the interim government included provisions aimed at guaranteeing the constitutional, political, and social rights of the Kurdish people. However, he argued that the seat allocation process "was neither fair nor just and did not reflect the true size of the Kurdish population or its role in Syria."

Hussein added that granting only four parliamentary seats to the Kurds amounted to an attempt "to silence and marginalize the Kurdish voice once again," asserting that such practices reproduce "the mentality of the former Ba'ath regime, albeit in a different form."

He stated: "The Kurdish people are not a migrant community; they are an indigenous people living on their historical land. Therefore, four seats do not reflect their true presence nor guarantee their rights."

Hussein stressed that governing Syria in a democratic and equitable manner requires the participation of all components in decision-making. He warned that continuing policies of marginalization would deepen divisions among Syria’s national forces.

He also criticized the position of the Kurdish National Council, arguing that its participation in the process diverged from the unified Kurdish stance. "Political disagreements should not be mixed with the rights of the Kurdish people," he said. "But they chose partisan interests over the public interest."

Meanwhile, Khaled Safouk, representative of the Syrian Democratic Modernity Party, stated that the parliamentary appointments "do not represent the Syrian people or the country’s diverse communities. Rather, they constitute an attempt to undermine national efforts aimed at building a democratic Syria."

Safouk added: "We categorically reject the seat allocation mechanism, which was unfair and exclusionary. It failed to provide genuine representation for communities such as the Assyrians, Syriacs, Armenians, and Christians, while granting the Kurds only a small number of seats that does not reflect their size or role in Syria."

He argued that such policies "will hinder any progress toward building a democratic Syria and will deepen divisions among national forces."

Concluding his remarks, Safouk said: "Syria belongs to all Syrians, and all components are equal partners within it. The appointments made to parliament do not represent the Syrian people; they represent only the government and its supporters. The Syrian people believe in justice, equality, and peaceful coexistence."

ANHA