SDC celebrates its anniversary, pledges to decentralized democratic Syria

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the founding of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), and the first anniversary of the fall of the Baathist regime, the Council organized a mass political celebration at the Shattou Hall in the city of Hasakah, in the Jazira Canton, in tribute to the path of shared struggle for freedom and the building of a democratic, pluralistic, decentralized Syria.

The celebration witnessed broad participation from representatives of political parties, women’s organizations, and active social forces, alongside representatives of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces, and Arab and Kurdish tribal sheikhs.

A democratic project based on diversity and social justice

The celebration opened with a welcoming speech delivered by the co-chair of the Executive Council of the Autonomous Administration in the Jazira Canton, Vivian Buho Osi, who stated that this occasion cannot be reduced to a mere anniversary, but should be measured by the scale of sacrifices made by the peoples and by the path forged with their blood and perseverance.

She emphasized that the ten years of the SDC were not merely a political experiment, but a journey to restore the value of the human being and an attempt to write a new chapter in the country’s history; one written not by force and weapons alone, but by the will of the people and their free voice.

She noted that the fall of the defunct regime, on its first anniversary, proved that those who believed they owned the country failed to break the will of the people, because history shows no mercy. She added that over these years, the SDC underwent a genuine test in building a new model in a region exhausted by wars, and despite pressure and challenges, it remained committed to a democratic project based on diversity and social justice; one that places women at the forefront, grants youth a genuine partnership role, and ensures that components can manage their own affairs.

She stressed that the SDC has never defended power, but rather the human being, his dignity and right to freedom, affirming that responsibility today is greater than ever and requires protecting what has been achieved with the blood of martyrs, deepening the foundations of the Autonomous Administration as a national solution for Syria, and as a project open to all who believe in a democratic, decentralized Syria that guarantees the dignity of all its citizens.

Decentralization is a condition for stability, and the Autonomous Administration represents a national project for all of Syria

This was followed by a speech by the co-chair of the SDC, Laila Qaraman, who said that Syria is today at a pivotal moment that requires an honest vision to restore Syrians’ right to live with dignity and on an equal footing, emphasizing that the sacrifices of young women and men who wrote epics of heroism constitute a source of strength and motivation to continue.

She explained that commemorating the tenth anniversary of the founding of the SDC, coinciding with the first anniversary of the fall of the defunct regime, is not intended merely to recall the past, but to renew the spirit of national partnership and entrench democratic values as the option of the future.

She affirmed that the founding of the SDC came at an extremely complex stage in Syria’s history, marked by wars, fragmentation, and the rise of terrorist organizations, and represented a national response aimed at saving the country, stopping the bloodshed, and opening the horizon for a comprehensive political solution.

She added that since its inception, the Council has carried the project of a democratic, pluralistic, decentralized Syria not as a slogan, but as political practice, pointing out that the unity of Syrians has always been, and remains, the foundation for building Syria’s future. She stressed that decentralization is a condition for stability, and that the Autonomous Administration represents a national project for all of Syria.

In concluding her speech, Qaraman emphasized that the current transitional phase places the country before two choices: either building a just state, or sliding into chaos. She affirmed that the responsibility of national forces today is to turn this phase into a starting point toward a free, democratic, decentralized Syria that safeguards the rights of all Syrians and the displaced.

A call for Syrians to unify their national discourse

For his part, the co-chair of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, Hussein Othman, said in his speech: “We are pleased to extend our warmest congratulations to the SDC, to all political forces and organizations under its umbrella, and to our Syrian people as a whole, on the anniversary of the founding of the SDC, which coincides with the fall of the Baath regime at a historic moment that marked the beginning of a new phase in our country’s history, defined by the pursuit of freedom, democracy, and the building of a state on just foundations.”

He added: “The SDC was founded at a time when war was tearing apart Syrian geography, amid the absence of any comprehensive national framework expressing the aspirations of Syrians. From the heart of those difficult circumstances, the SDC emerged carrying a new political vision, forming a unifying national umbrella for the Democratic Autonomous Administration, embracing within its ranks diverse Syrian forces from all components, with the primary goal of shaping a new Syria based on partnership and decentralization, and putting an end to a long era of tyranny and marginalization that overshadowed the country.”

He continued: “Today, we stand before an extremely sensitive phase that requires the concerted efforts of all patriots to build a solid political, social, and institutional structure. In this context, the SFC has presented, and continues to present, national democratic projects grounded in the principles of decentralization, justice, equality, and the strengthening of popular participation.”

Othman called on “all Syrians to unify their national discourse, as responsibility is shared, and the current moment requires rapprochement rather than division, looking to the future rather than returning to the past.”

It is worth noting that the SDC was founded on December 10, 2015, during a conference held in the city of Derik, in the far northeast of Syria.

A-H 

ANHA