Syrian politician: SDF integration lays groundwork for new political, constitutional path

Syrian writer and politician Ghassan Mifleh stressed that the announcement by the Syrian Democratic Forces to end their mission and integrate into the Syrian army represents an important turning point in the country’s trajectory. He called for the outcomes of the agreement to be constitutionally enshrined, for a state governed by the rule of law and a democratic system to be built, and for foreign interference to be reduced.

Speaking to ANHA's agency in response to a question about the significance of what the two sides had reached, and about the SDF’s transition from a military role to participation in state-building across Syria as a whole, Mifleh said: “The SDF and what it represents are extremely important in establishing the state we aspire to. The SDF’s fighters have now become part of the army of this state. This will also have positive consequences for building the institutions of power within this state.”

A step toward a new Syria

He added: “It is a step that lays the groundwork for a new Syria. More important than all of this is the significant contribution this transition makes to consolidating civil peace.”

From the People’s Palace in Damascus, on August 25, the General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, announced the end of the Syrian Democratic Forces’ mission and their integration into the state. Speaking at a press conference, he said: “We want this day to mark the beginning of a genuine transition from battlefields to the fields of reconstruction, from the era of weapons to the era of peace, and from the stage of defending Syria to the stage of building Syria.”

Regarding whether the announcement would move the Kurdish issue from a military track to a political and constitutional one that guarantees Kurdish rights, Mifleh said that what had been achieved for the Kurdish cause in Syria “is not insignificant as a result of the agreement,” adding: “Regardless of the perspective from which I examine it, what has been achieved also provides a foundation for continuing the democratic struggle for the remaining rights. The agreement and what has been achieved must be enshrined in Syria’s permanent constitution.”

The Syrian writer asked: “There is a point I would like to see discussed in this context: Is the experience of Iraqi Kurdistan applicable to Syria?”

He believes that the experience of “Iraqi Kurdistan is a unique model that will not be repeated in Syria, for objective and subjective reasons. This may require us, as activists and Syrians who support the rights of Syrian Kurds, to reconsider what some of us regard as self-evident assumptions, given the atmosphere of freedom created by the agreement and the current situation in the country.”

Risks and challenges

Regarding whether the agreement could serve as a model for resolving the remaining Syrian issues and mark the beginning of a new national pact that safeguards the rights of Syria’s various components, Mifleh said: “After this agreement, there is no longer any reason to fear for the country. However, there is one danger, in my view, that everyone must confront: the hardline Salafist current that overlaps with ISIS, which has now formed sleeper cells for the organization and could therefore expose the country to ISIS attacks if it obtains logistical infrastructure and support from a state.”

As for the main challenges facing the transitional government following the announcement of the SDF’s integration, and whether this could help curb regional interference and strengthen Syrian sovereign decision-making, Mifleh stressed that the challenges are the responsibility of all Syrians, saying: “The challenges before us concern all of us as Syrians. Without a democratic system, Syria will not survive. This requires all efforts to come together to form a historic bloc capable of exerting pressure on all parties to establish a state governed by the rule of law, a democratic system, a political parties law, and constitutional foundations for public and individual freedoms.”

He concluded: “Certainly, the agreement will also contribute to curbing some forms of foreign interference.”

Ghassan Mifleh is a Syrian writer, journalist, and political analyst, born in Daraa Governorate in 1960. He spent approximately 12 years in Syrian prisons because of his political activities and currently resides in Switzerland.

He is known for his writings on Syrian affairs, focusing on issues of democracy, the civil state, and political transformation. He provides critical analyses of the Baathist regime, while also criticizing the performance of opposition forces. His work addresses freedoms, human rights, and the future of the Syrian state, in addition to discussing the Kurdish issue and the regional and international relations affecting Syria.

ANHA