Archived: Syrian Civil Society Declaration on Geneva III

Over 200 Syrian organisations and more than 790 individuals, including civil society organisations, local councils, NGOs and refugee groups, have laid out their expectations of the Geneva III peace process, and demanded the immediate implementation of confidence building measures, in a new declaration released this week. The full text of the declaration can be found below.  

 Text of Declaration 

The Syrian cause is at a pivotal moment following recent political and field developments coupled with regional and international agreements – including the Vienna Declaration and Security Council Resolution 2254 – that have called for the launch of a negotiated political process between the Syrian opposition and regime.

In preparation for a political process, international envoys and diplomats tasked with the Syrian file have continuously engaged representatives of Syrian civil society on the political process and issued multiple proposals calling for the participation of civil society in any discussions or negotiations between the Syrian regime and opposition.

The signatories of this declaration – both organizations and individuals – hereby affirm that Syrian civil society would not have emerged but for the March 2011 revolution; a revolution that resisted all tyrannical restrictions of a regime that consistently suppressed calls for basic freedom and the formation of civil society since 2000 through the sacrifices of its people, the suffering of its detainees and the souls of its martyrs.

The signatories also affirm that the main conflict in Syria remains with the leadership of the ruling regime based in Damascus and its repressive policies that have led the country down a catastrophic path.

The signatories of this declaration further affirm that in order for Syria to be put on the road to salvation, the Syrian people and what remains of Syrian state institutions must be liberated from this brute force and that civil society, in its many manifestations, must play a key role in furthering the March 2011 revolution and its values.  Only then can Syrians realize peace through justice and thereby transition to a democratic pluralistic system where equal rights and responsibilities are granted to all Syrians. And if indeed civil society is to participate in the political process, it must be those members of civil society who emerged from the womb of the struggle for freedom and dignity and sided with the people’s just demands who should participate.

The success of any political process requires the commitment to the following:

1. Prior to any political process, there must be confidence-building measures including: an end to the regime’s indiscriminate shelling of residential areas using explosive barrel bombs amongst other munitions as required by Security Council Resolution 2139 (2014); the lifting of the sieges on besieged areas and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid without the regime’s prior consent as mandated by international human rights law and Security Council Resolution 2165 (2014) renewed by Resolution 2258 (2015); the release of all detainees and full disclosure on the fate of all those forcibly disappeared; the authorization of human rights organizations to visit prisons and interrogation centers; and the cessation of arbitrary political detention once and for all.
2. That the final outcome of the political process be Syria’s independence, unity and territorial integrity as well as the expulsion of all belligerent foreign forces.
3. That the rejection of terrorism that Syria currently suffers from and the efforts to end it and address its complex root causes be clear and unequivocal, with the recognition that the foremost cause of terrorism is the Assad regime, its affiliated militias and allied countries as well as other extremist organizations such as ISIS.  All Syrians have the right to live securely, freely, and with dignity. Indeed, no party or entity has the right to forcefully dictate an ideological or political vision on the Syrian people.
4. That the points of reference and goal of the political process be the enforcement of the Security Council resolutions relating to the situation in Syria that have been issued since 2011, including resolutions 2042, 2118, 2139, and 2254.
5. That the political process lead to a transitional phase towards a democratic pluralistic system where all the powers of the current leadership in Damascus are transferred to a transitional governing body nationally agreed upon and that there be no role for Bashar al-Assad and those responsible for persecuting the Syrian people in the transitional body.

Lastly, the signatories of this declaration emphasize that it is of the utmost importance that the political, military and civilian forces representing the March 2011 revolution values and goals who are involved in the political process take unified positions and coordinate efforts during the negotiations.