NEXEM ÇAÇAN

Qamishlo – Democratic laws are essential for ensuring peace and protecting society, forming the foundation of coexistence, civil trust, and a democratic system that guarantees stability and safeguards the rights of all communities in Syria.

Bashira Jamal al-Din, co-chair of the Union of Lawyers in North and East Syria, said democratic laws are the guarantee of peace and a democratic society.

She noted that Syria entered a new stage after the fall of the previous regime. “A new government was formed, known as the Syrian Interim Government in Damascus. Since then, after Ahmed Shar’a declared himself president of Syria and a unilateral constitution and elections were introduced, the people of Syria—who are advanced and civilized—rejected such governance. We do not want to return to one system, one language, and one nation. All communities in Syria must live together, but the interim government refuses to accept diversity. What we want is a democratic, decentralized Syria.”

‘International laws must be applied’

Jamal al-Din stressed that the situation worsened under the interim government: “Massacres are committed daily in different parts of Syria by the Syrian Interim Government and armed groups such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, as seen in Syria’s coastal areas and in Sweida.”

She added: “We support the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian Democratic Forces, and we trust their ability to build a new Syria based on peace and stability. The United States and the European Union must take more positive positions. International law must be applied in Syria, and the country’s name should be changed from the Syrian Arab Republic to the Syrian Democratic Republic, since Syria is home not only to Arabs but also to many other peoples and communities.”

‘Women play a vital role in building society’

Jamal al-Din highlighted the importance of drafting a new constitution that protects the rights of all groups and guarantees women’s rights: “Despite women’s long struggle in Syria, the new constitution does not protect them. Women have played a vital role in building society, and the Rojava Revolution was launched with women’s leadership and support.”

She noted that women in North and East Syria have shown unprecedented resistance: “Many women’s organizations and institutions have been established. Yet the interim government insists that Syria’s president must be Sunni, while far more urgent issues need to be resolved—liberating cities under Turkish occupation, ensuring the return of refugees, and guaranteeing women a role in all fields. Women must be given the opportunity to lead Syria. Our demand is to build a new Syria that protects women’s rights.”