A few weeks ago, HTS seized power in Syria, resulting in the flight of dictator Bashar al-Assad from the country. Since the Syrian people first rose up against the regime in Damascus in 2011, the Kurdish people have been at the forefront of the resistance. In both Iraq and Syria, Kurds have fought against ISIS and other terrorist groups, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to regional stability and the pursuit of freedom.
For over 60 years, the Kurds in Syria have endured systemic oppression. In the early 1960s, more than 100,000 Kurds were stripped of their Syrian citizenship as part of a government-led Arabization campaign. During the 1970s, Kurdish lands were seized and redistributed to Arabs, with numerous Arab settlements established in historically Kurdish areas.
Today, calls are being made to transfer governance of Kurdish regions back to a restructured Syrian government in Damascus. We firmly assert that any new political framework for Syria must guarantee the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Kurdish people.
We demand the following:
1- The recognition of Kurdish rights in the new Syrian constitution, including official acknowledgment of the Kurdish language and flag.
2- The right to self-governance in Kurdish-majority areas.
3-The restoration of Syrian citizenship to Kurds who were unjustly stripped of it.
4- The return of confiscated Kurdish land to its rightful owners.
5- An end to discrimination against Kurds, with guaranteed protections for their security and well-being.
6- The condemnation and prevention of Turkish aggression against Kurdish regions, along with the return of Kurdish territories currently under Turkish occupation.
We call upon democratic nations to support these critical demands, ensuring justice, equality, and stability for the Kurdish people in a free and democratic Syria.
Kurdistani Diaspora Confederation
December 28, 2024
