Sihanouk Dibo: Kurdish rights are indivisible; must be constitutionally guaranteed

Sihanouk Dibo, a member of the General Council of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and a representative of the Democratic Autonomous Administration in the Gulf Arab states, stated that the Kurdish people in Syria are an indigenous people who constitute a political, geographical, and historical reality. He emphasized that the Kurdish issue must be safeguarded, developed, and protected in a new Syria.

He added: “First and foremost, the Kurdish issue should be recognized as a national issue, and efforts must be made to achieve a lasting solution within the framework of a unified, democratic, and decentralized Syria. The political, social, and cultural rights of the Kurdish people must also be guaranteed and enshrined in the country’s future constitution.”

Dibo explained that the Kurdish issue in Syria goes beyond the Kurdish language alone, stressing that the Kurdish language and identity are essential components of the Kurdish cause, but do not encompass it in its entirety.

“There are those who seek to promote narratives that confine the Kurdish issue solely to language and identity,” he said. “Such attempts are negative and fail to address the broader dimensions of the issue.”

He further noted that the Kurds in Syria are both a people and a cause, and that resolving this issue requires securing political, cultural, and social rights, in addition to rights related to language and identity.

Dibo also stressed that the Kurdish people should be represented in the committee tasked with drafting the country’s new constitution. However, he argued that these representatives should not be individuals selected by the interim government merely to create the impression that Kurds are participating in the constitutional process.

“That would be a serious mistake,” he said. “The representatives must genuinely reflect the Kurdish people and should be chosen by the Kurds themselves.”

He further emphasized that Kurdish participation in drafting the new constitution must be based on clear principles and standards, including the rejection of any attempt to divide Kurdish rights or portray them as concessions granted by the interim government.

Concluding his remarks, Dibo said: “Recognition of the Kurdish language and the Newroz holiday is not enough. The Kurdish issue must be addressed as a comprehensive and integrated cause, taking into account the will of the Kurdish people in determining their future. It is not sufficient to appoint a handful of individuals and allocate them a limited number of seats, as occurred in the recent parliamentary appointments. Such an approach is unacceptable.”

ANHA