SDC delegation discusses decentralization, ways to rebuild democratic Syria with Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri

The SDC delegation, led by the council’s co-chair Leyla Qaraman, visited Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in As-Suwayda, at his guesthouse in the town of Qanawat, in As-Suwayda Governorate.

The delegation included the council’s deputy co-chair Ali Rahmon, Women's Office member Janda Ramo, and the Secretary-General of the Kurdish Democratic Accord Party, Fawzi Shankali. A delegation from the Political Body for Democratic National Action also participated in the meeting.

According to the official website of the Syrian Democratic Council, the meeting focused on the current situation in Syria following the fall of the authoritarian regime. The attendees discussed the critical phase the country is going through and the challenges facing the Syrian people.

The participants emphasized the need to maintain civil peace and reject a return to violence and conflict while affirming that the unity of Syrian territory remains an irreplaceable priority.

The discussion also covered future visions for building a new Syrian state based on civil and democratic principles, stressing equal citizenship and the separation of powers to ensure institutional justice and neutrality.

Additionally, the attendees underscored the importance of separating religion from the state as a fundamental pillar for institutional neutrality and guaranteeing equality among all citizens.

During the discussions, the participants expressed appreciation for the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria as a decentralized model that could serve as a foundation for achieving fair and inclusive representation for all regions and components in Syria’s future.

The issue of weapons was also raised, with attendees stressing the need to hand over arms to the state, represented by legal authorities, once a comprehensive transitional government is formed and a complete ceasefire is achieved across the country.

The meeting highlighted the importance of enhancing the participation of women and youth in the transitional phase, both in state structures and governance, to ensure inclusive and sustainable solutions.

Furthermore, the attendees reaffirmed the necessity of strengthening relationships among Syria’s diverse components and working towards holding an inclusive national conference that guarantees representation for all groups without exclusion, contributing to building a Syria that accommodates everyone.

The meeting concluded with an emphasis on national unity and the pursuit of political solutions that meet the aspirations of the Syrian people, preserve their achievements, and restore Syria’s status as a democratic and civil state that ensures the rights of all its components, free from violence and divisions.

A-H

ANHA