The Syrian Forum commends the resilience of the Syrian people in all their diversity, despite years of suffering, displacement, and oppression. The removal of any area from the grip of the authoritarian regime represents a significant step toward change and political transition. However, this progress also requires collective efforts to prevent chaos, safeguard public and private property, establish stability, and uphold the rule of law.
A Historical Responsibility for a Sustainable Future
The Syrian Forum emphasizes that transforming recent developments into a foundation for justice and stability requires joint efforts from Syrians and political, civil, and military institutions. Accordingly, the Syrian Forum, in collaboration with its civil society partners, is actively organizing a coordinated response to the rapid developments, particularly in Aleppo, its countryside, and Idlib.
Toward Effective and Sustainable Management of Aleppo
The Syrian Forum calls for the development of a comprehensive plan to manage the newly regained areas, focusing on:
1. Engaging Local Communities: Ensuring that Aleppo’s residents play an active role in managing their city.
2. Enhancing Good Governance: Providing essential services and restoring normalcy to daily life.
3. Humanitarian Response: Addressing the needs of residents in a manner that preserves their dignity and security.
Rejecting Revenge and Building Genuine Reconciliation
The Syrian Forum underscores the importance of avoiding acts of revenge or escalation, ensuring humane treatment of detainees, and upholding the principles of the Syrian revolution, which are rooted in freedom and dignity. The Forum also calls for the establishment of a national transitional justice process that includes holding major perpetrators accountable, ensuring the right for truth, compensating victims, and laying the groundwork for comprehensive national reconciliation.
Promoting Political and Civil Engagement
The Syrian Forum urges the expansion of political participation and the protection of civil society organizations’ independence, fostering national unity and enabling all national forces to contribute effectively.
Prioritizing Political Transition and Preventing Partition
The change in Aleppo marks a pivotal step toward achieving a sustainable political transition. The Forum calls on all relevant actors to intensify their efforts to establish comprehensive stability through a political solution that is the centralized, nonsectarian, inclusive and protects the rights of all citizens, regardless of their political positions, or religious and sectarian background. This process must align with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254.
A Call for Collective Action
The Syrian Forum calls on both the international and local communities to shoulder their historic responsibility toward the Syrian people. This entails supporting the call for the protection of civilians, political transition, followed by a reconstruction process in a manner that honors the sacrifices of Syrians and fulfills their aspirations for freedom and justice.
