Unity of Kurdish political parties in Syria... Key to ensuring sustainable rights – Dia'a IskandarThe Kurdish

people in Syria have suffered from injustice and marginalization for decades, and this suffering reached its peak during the rule of the Ba'ath Party, which remained in power from March 8, 1963 until December 8, 2024. Although the suffering of this people did not begin with the rise of the Ba'ath, this era left harsh marks on their political and social life. In 1962, the Syrian authorities conducted an exceptional census in the Syrian Jazira region, in which about 120,000 Kurds were excluded, stripped of their nationalities and described as “foreigners,” which deprived them of their most basic civil rights.In the seventies, specifically in 1973, the government began implementing the "Arab Belt" project, which aimed to settle Arabs in the Kurdish-majority areas in northern Syria, by deporting Kurds from their villages to change the demographic composition and strengthen its authority over those areas, in addition to changing the names of villages and towns to Arabic names.The suffering of the Kurdish people did not stop, but rather continued in the following years, as the city of Qamishlo witnessed an uprising against the Assad regime on March 12, 2004, called the "Qamishlo Uprising", to which the security forces responded by opening fire, which resulted in the killing of many and the arrest of others, following the incitement of some racist Baathists by the Syrian security forces against the fans of the Jihad team in the match that took place in Qamishlo between the Jihad team and the al-Futuwa team coming from Deir ez-Zor.With the outbreak of the popular movement against the Ba'ath regime in 2011, the Kurdish situation worsened further, as the Kurds were subjected to multiple violations from various parties, whether from the Ba'ath regime or from sectarian militants and those in their position, in addition to the ongoing conflict between regional and international powers on Syrian soil. However, despite this complex situation, they were able to establish their own forces and establish a Democratic Autonomous Administration in their areas, which included all components of Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, Assyrians and Armenians, which allowed everyone to enjoy their cultural, social and political rights equally, in an environment characterized by co-existence and equality.This democratic model contributed to building participatory and transparent local institutions, which enabled them to impose a kind of relative stability and protect their regions from multiple threats. At the same time, the Kurdish region in North and East Syria were the target of Turkish military operations, represented by “Euphrates Shield” (2016-2017), “Olive Branch” (2018), and “Peace Spring” (2019). These operations resulted in the occupation of several areas such as Afrin, Serêkaniyê (Ras al-Ain), Tal Abyad/ Gire Spî, Al-Bab, Azaz, and al-Rai, in addition to a large number of villages in the northwest of the country, which led to the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians and the widespread destruction of infrastructure, including electricity and water stations and hospitals.With the fall of the Ba'ath regime at the end of 2024 after 54 years of authoritarian and dictatorial rule, and the control of "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" led by "Abu Muhammad al-Julani" over Damascus and some other provinces, the intention to hold a "national conference" was announced, including the Syrian political forces to discuss the future of the country. In this context, the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria called for organizing a conference that includes Kurdish parties and independent figures with the aim of reaching a consensus formula to represent the demands of the Kurdish people. There is no doubt that the unity of the Kurdish parties in Syria represents a strategic necessity, despite their political differences. All parties share a set of basic demands such as protecting the rights of the Kurds, recognizing the Kurdish cultural identity and language, and they also share in calling for issues that concern most political forces in the country, such as supporting democracy, human rights, combating corruption, and distributing wealth fairly. In addition, they are united in resisting any threats targeting their lands, whether from Turkey, ISIS/Daesh, or others.In this context, forming a unified delegation of Kurdish parties to participate in the "National Conference" is an important step towards achieving political unity, as it will enhance the Kurds' ability to present unified demands, reduce fragmentation, and give them greater negotiating power. It will also enable the presentation of a comprehensive vision that represents all segments of the Kurdish people, which increases their chances of achieving positive results at the domestic and international levels.Unifying ranks opens the way for the formation of sustainable political alliances, which guarantees the rights of the Kurds in the long term, supports dialogue between them and the rest of the Syrian components, and contributes to building a Syria based on tolerance and equality.In conclusion, the absence of understanding between the Kurdish parties to form a unified delegation will have serious consequences for the future of the Kurdish issue in Syria. Political fragmentation will weaken the Kurdish position and marginalize them in any future political settlement, allowing other parties to exploit the divisions to their advantage. Kurdish unity is the decisive step to guarantee the rights of the Kurds and effective participation in building Syria, so the Kurdish parties must overcome their differences and unite to face the upcoming challenges; because unity is the only way to ensure a strong and influential position in shaping the future of Syria and opening horizons of hope for future generation

.T/ Satt.

ANHA