RONÎDA HACÎ

Hasakah- Following the fall of the Assad regime, women oppressed by the Baathist regime took to the streets to celebrate; however, their celebration lasted short when the jihadist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of Damascus.

The practices of HTS have raised concerns among women and people from different ethnic and religious identities.

The Women’s Coordination of the Council of Religions and Beliefs in North and East Syria held a workshop in the Til Hecer neighborhood of Hasakah, a city in the Jazira Canton of North and East Syria with the participation of 100 women’s delegates from different ethnic and religious identities to discuss women’s role in the new Syria.

‘The Autonomous Administration protects different cultures, ethnic and religious identities’

 “Syria is a country, where people from different ethnic and religious minorities live together,” said Darav Ala, one of the workshop participants representing the Alewite community and women. “The different ethnic and religious minorities in Syria will build a free Syria. The former Syrian government implemented the ‘one man, one language and one flag” policy and violated the rights of all minorities. The Autonomous Administration (of North and East Syria) is against monism and therefore, it organizes such workshops across North and East Syria. The Autonomous Administration protects different cultures, ethnic and religious identities.”

 Attacks on Alewites

Darav Ala commented on the attacks on Alewites following the fall of the Assad regime. “Alewites were attacked following the fall of the Baathist regime. Not only the new government but also the occupying Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions aim to change the demographic structure of Syria. The system built in North and East Syria, led by women, is a model for the new Syria. This system must be implemented across Syria to guarantee a free life for everyone.”

‘The new Syria must be built by the Autonomous Administration’

Leyla Îbrahim, another workshop participant from the Syrian Women's Council, stressed that women’s participation in building the new Syria would build a democratic Syria, where the rights of all ethnic and religious groups will be protected. “People from different ethnic and religious groups, especially the Yazidi community, have been killed. In order to protect ourselves from all kinds of attacks and massacres, the system of the Autonomous Administration and co-presidency system must be implemented in the new Syria. The new Syria must be built by the Autonomous Administration. As the Yazidi community, we have united under the umbrella of the autonomous Administration to protect our identity and our culture. We define the system of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria as an umbrella protecting different cultures, religions and identities.”

‘Society will collapse without women’s participation’

“Women must participate in the building of the new Syria,” said Semah Sheranî, member of the Ismaili Shia minority. “Society will collapse without women’s participation. As people from different ethnic and religious minorities in Syria, we have a strong heritage and we must preserve our heritage.”

 ‘We will strengthen our struggle to protect our identity’

Syriac people are another ethnic group in Syria. “We are the grandchildren of Ishtar,” said Marî Lehdo, member of the Syriac Women’s Union. “We will strengthen our struggle to protect our identity. Women’s rights must be guaranteed in the new Syria’s constitution and women must participate in all decision-making positions. We call on all people of Syria to build a democratic and free Syria, where the rights of all ethnic and religious groups will be protected.”