TEV DEM calls for improved living, public services

The TEV DEM issued a statement today in the city of Hasakah, read by Mohammed Bashir, an administrator at the Union of Intellectuals, at the Fire Brigade Roundabout. Representatives of civil institutions and communes attended the gathering, carrying signs reading: “The dignity of the people is not negotiable,” “We have the right to live with dignity,” “We will not accept this suffering to continue,” and “We will not tire of demanding our basic rights.”

The statement said: “We gather with you today at one of the most difficult stages Syria has gone through, as economic and living crises have intensified to unprecedented levels, making bread, medicine, fuel, basic services and food a daily concern weighing heavily on every family.

The economic policies adopted have led to rising prices for fuel, electricity, food and medicine, declining purchasing power, expanding poverty and unemployment, and increasing corruption and monopolies, at a time when public services are deteriorating and the foundations of a dignified life are eroding. Rising customs duties and energy prices have also directly affected markets, driving up the prices of goods and bringing production to a halt in many sectors. Agriculture, which forms the backbone of the Jazira region’s economy, is facing its most serious crisis as a result of rising costs of fuel, fertilizers, seeds and irrigation, along with low crop purchase prices. This threatens food security and the future of thousands of families who depend on the land.

Citizens’ suffering has also continued due to shortages of petroleum products and rising prices of gasoline, diesel and gas, increasing the burden of living costs amid deteriorating infrastructure and services. Environmental and health risks are also growing in our cities and towns.

We welcomed the January 29 understandings as an opportunity to establish security and stability, pave the way for the return of displaced people, and launch a new phase of peace and joint work. We continue to believe that dialogue is the best way to build a democratic Syria that safeguards the rights of all its people. However, the success of any political understanding remains dependent on its ability to improve people’s lives and translate its promises into tangible steps that citizens can feel in their daily lives.

The Democratic Society Movement stresses that addressing the current crisis requires responsible political and economic will based on protecting citizens, supporting production and strengthening social justice, rather than placing additional burdens on the poor.

From this standpoint, we call on the Syrian interim government and the Autonomous Administration to take urgent measures, foremost among them:

- Halt policies that contribute to rising prices and provide fuel and petroleum products at fair and stable prices.

- Support the agricultural sector by providing production inputs, adopting fair prices for strategic crops and protecting food security.

- Improve basic services in electricity, water, health, employment, bread and roads; rehabilitate infrastructure; protect the environment; and combat desertification.

- Raise wages in line with the cost of living, reduce customs duties and taxes on essential goods, combat corruption and monopolies, and ensure fair distribution of wealth.

- Revitalize the local economy by encouraging investment and production, creating job opportunities, particularly for youth and women, and providing support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

- Address the issue of the new currency and its replacement in a way that protects citizens’ rights and prevents the depletion of their savings, while extending the currency exchange period.

- Complete the safe and dignified return of displaced people and refugees and consolidate stability across all areas.

- Safeguard public freedoms, guarantee freedom of opinion and expression and peaceful political activity, and strengthen democratic participation for all components of Syria.

- Work toward a comprehensive democratic political solution that guarantees the rights of all Syrians and recognizes the legitimate rights of the Kurdish people and other components within a new democratic Syria.

Our people have made enormous sacrifices in confronting terrorism and authoritarianism, and these sacrifices will not allow poverty and high prices to become a permanent fate. We believe that the unity of our people, the solidarity of all national and democratic forces, and adherence to dialogue and joint action are the path to protecting our gains and building a future worthy of our children.

Let us raise our voices for a dignified life, for social justice, and for a democratic Syria where peace and equality prevail and human dignity stands above all else.”

A-H 

ANHA