Arabic original: الاجتماع الموسع للقوى والشخصيات المدنية والسياسية السورية
On the morning of December 8, 2024, the freemen of Daraa and Swaida entered the capital, Damascus, followed by armed factions from the north and various provinces, to end half a century of tyranny and bloody oppression.
This historic national milestone signaled the beginning of the end for injustice, despotism, and dictatorship. However, we have also witnessed actions and initiatives that contradict the foundational principles of the March 18, 2011 Revolution: “One, one, one—the Syrian people are one.” Kurds and Arabs united, Christians and Muslims hand in hand, Sunnis and Alawites in solidarity—a state of citizenship for all Syrians, where people are citizens, not subjects. These principles, for which our people sacrificed nearly half a million martyrs, remain the cornerstone of our vision.
We remind our people: liberation from tyranny does not justify the presence of any non-Syrian fighters on the soil of our beloved homeland. We categorically reject any military force monopolizing national decision-making, regardless of its size or strength. We will not accept any ideology replacing fifty years of Baathist misery, nor will we tolerate any authority imposed by the force of arms.
Yes, the criminal Assad regime has fallen. Yet, familiar hands—known to all Syrians—are working to reproduce the old system under new guises, perpetuating internal conflicts, war crimes, and cycles of revenge.
Today, as regional powers have granted Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) authority over operations in Damascus, we are witnessing blatant attempts to manipulate those who entered the Presidential Palace. Each faction seeks to secure its interests first, ensuring that the new authorities align with Western-Turkish regional agendas. These actors exploit the fact that the current leadership in Damascus lacks popular legitimacy, tainted by Syrian blood, marred by purges of allies and opponents alike, and susceptible to external influence on issues dictated by foreign powers.
We Syrians now find ourselves under a weak new authority shackled by the misconduct of its leaders. Armed militias, including foreign fighters, have become the dominant force in Syria's security and military institutions, seeking to impose their vision in any national dialogue or discussion. Meanwhile, external powers play the role of overseers, dictating the steps of the “caretaker government.”
The Syrian state cannot be rebuilt without the collective effort of all its people, grounded in a shared sense of ownership and responsibility. No decision-maker in Damascus, or their opposition, can afford to ignore the root causes of our current tragedy: since 2011, politicians, armed groups, and the regime have all sought external validation to gain “legitimacy” and maintain power.
Many parties to the conflict, to varying degrees, have contributed to instilling fear and division among Syrians, reducing them to sectarian, religious, ethnic, or tribal identities, perpetuating the absence of a citizenship-based state—a situation that began with Assad the father’s rule.
Both Islamists and secularists have fallen into the trap of populism, driven by momentary emotions, at great cost. The time has come for rational, wise dialogue—one that moves beyond narratives of defeat or victory.
Principles to Unite Syrians:
1. Sovereignty and equal citizenship.
2. Human dignity and rights for all, regardless of nationality, religion, or sect.
3. Gender equality—women as equals to men.
4. Freedom of expression and political participation.
5. The rule of law.
6. Balanced economic development.
Necessary Steps:
• Establish a National Military Council: Dissident officers must form a council to oversee the rebuilding of a unified Syrian national army.
• Convene a General National Conference: Inclusive of all Syrian national forces, excluding no one, under international sponsorship. This aligns with UNSC meeting on 12/18/2024 AD to implement UNSC Resolution 2254, aiming to create a transitional governing body, a constitutional drafting committee, and an independent judicial body for transitional justice.
• Form an Interim Technocratic Government: Its mandate will end with the election of a government under the new constitution.
• Revive and Expand the Syrian Network for Free and Fair Elections.
• Establish the Syrian National Commission for Human Rights: A collaborative effort between human rights organizations and lawyers’ unions to guarantee and protect all human rights in Syria, with special emphasis on women’s rights.
• Respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: All parties must commit to the principles Syria ratified in 1968, distinguishing those dedicated to citizenship and democracy from those seeking to reproduce dictatorship.
• Criminalize Hate Speech and Sectarian Incitement: Enact laws against hate speech based on religion, race, ethnicity, or nationality and amend the Penal Code to increase penalties for systematic sectarian violence and killings.
Additional Points:
• Foreign Occupation: The world, as well as the Syrian people, is well aware of the presence of multiple occupying forces in our country, including American, Turkish, and Israeli troops currently stationed on Syrian soil. We have witnessed the blatant Israeli aggression against Syrian territory, targeting the military’s infrastructure, research centers, and defense factories. It appears there is an unspoken agreement or coordination between the de facto authorities, their supporters, and the Israeli military to disengage under Israeli terms, along with those of the powers backing the current regime. Yet, we have not heard any condemnation from the Security Council, Western parties, or even a clear and unequivocal demand for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syrian soil. This serves as a crucial lesson for all Syrians: the urgent need to build a national army dedicated to ensuring the departure of these foreign forces and preserving the unity and integrity of Syria’s entire territory.
• Economic Sanctions: The Syrian people have suffered under unilateral sanctions for two decades, which have affected every aspect of life. We demand the immediate and unconditional lifting of these sanctions to relieve our people’s suffering.
All these demands require urgent action. Delays, procrastination, or neglect are unacceptable. History teaches us that the absence of clear timelines leads to catastrophic consequences.
Call to Action:
In three weeks of discussions among political and civil forces, we recognized the need for the broadest meeting to unify all those committed to building a sovereign state, inclusive citizenship, and democratic transition. This pivotal meeting will take place in a Syrian city capable of hosting it, with parallel gatherings via video conference in Geneva and major Syrian cities.
This broad national meeting aims to develop a unified roadmap, foster collaboration among active forces, and envision a Syria that reflects its people. All indications we observe today point to the intentions of the de facto authorities to establish military and security apparatuses that replicate the tragedies our people endured in Idlib at the hands of the same decision- makers now in control of Damascus. These include the re-seizure of decision-making power from professional unions and the perpetuation of retaliatory and vengeful actions against large segments of our population.
The Preparatory Committee invites all Syrians to join this effort, rejecting exclusion and division, to prevent new dictatorships and avoid the perils of civil war and partition.
Long live free, independent Syria!
The Preparatory Committee for the Broad Meeting of Syrian Civil and Political Forces and Figures
For inscription please: ➤ https://syrnc.org/
