ROCHEL JUNIOR
Sweida - Amid Syria’s turbulent political and social landscape, the push to strengthen national unity through the inclusion of all communities in dialogue on the country’s future has gained urgency. Against this backdrop, the spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze community, Hikmat al-Hijri, took part in the Hasakah Conference.

The Conference on Unity of Position for the Components of North and East Syria, held in Hasakah on August 8, resonated across the region, bringing together representatives of Syria’s diverse communities at a single dialogue table. The gathering was seen as a step toward unifying visions and demands, though it was also targeted by hate speech and incitement campaigns.

Unifying national role

Linia Darwish, an inspector at the Central Authority for Inspection and Control in Sweida, said the Druze participation carried symbolic and strategic weight, noting the community’s historic role in unifying ranks and defending Syria’s identity.

“The Druze have historically produced prominent figures who played key roles in Syria’s independence and in preserving its national identity. From these principled positions, we support any project that unites all communities and any discourse that promotes equal citizenship. Participation in such conferences affirms that national decisions are not shaped in Damascus alone, but through the inclusion of all groups and stakeholders,” she explained.

National messages from Hasakah

Darwish stressed that Druze participation in the Hasakah conference was not symbolic but carried clear national messages. “The first message is coexistence. The Druze community is known for its openness to all religions and ethnicities despite its religious particularity. We respect the traditions of others and take part in their holidays and rituals, offering a model of peaceful coexistence,” she said.

She added: “Although numerically small, the Druze have proven that numbers do not define strength. We have shown effective positions and outcomes, which means political value is measured by impact, not size. Quality outweighed quantity. Another message is national support—we stand with all national components in Syria, Arab, Kurdish, and others. We support every unifying national project and are active participants in this state, not mere spectators.”

Active participation, not symbolism

Darwish underlined that attendance alone is not enough. “When we participate in national conferences, we want our role to be effective, not just symbolic. For that, participation must be continuous, persistent, and genuine. We need real representatives who faithfully express the community and deliver its voice transparently. And outcomes must be implemented on the ground. Continuity and application are essential,” she explained.

Challenges and hardships

Darwish described the situation in Sweida as “bitter,” recalling the July 13 massacres. “Terrorist forces and sectarian militias stormed Sweida under the pretext of ending clashes between Druze residents and Bedouin tribes, but they sided with the tribes against us. We have lived alongside the Bedouins for thousands of years without such sectarian war. Civilians were attacked, homes burned, properties looted, and thousands displaced from western villages to safer areas. Even women were raped, executions carried out in public squares, children and elders killed, and religious symbols desecrated,” she said.

She pointed to the continuing siege imposed by the interim government through Hayat Tahrir al-Sham factions. “They enforced a suffocating economic blockade for more than a month, closing roads and preventing aid. Anyone trying to enter or leave faced death or abduction. Even after their withdrawal, they looted food supplies, destroyed olive and apple orchards, vineyards, and bulldozed houses. It was a systematic policy of starvation, not just a blockade.”

According to Darwish, these conditions have turned daily life in Sweida into a struggle for survival. “University students could not attend classes, school exams were disrupted, and citizens were left focused solely on staying alive. Those who could, tried to support neighbors and relatives facing hunger and displacement,” she noted.

Druze stance on autonomous administration

On the Druze community’s stance toward autonomous administration projects, Linia Darwish said: “We support any national project based on a genuine cause, and the people have the right to determine their own fate. Belonging to the homeland is a conviction before it is a feeling, and it is tied to the citizen’s freedom and dignity.”

However, she emphasized that after July 13 in Sweida, the community’s position had shifted: “Before this date, we demanded federalism or autonomous administration, believing we could manage our internal affairs according to the region’s particularities, especially after losing trust in the central government in Damascus, which usurped power and practiced exclusion and discrimination. But after the massacres and sectarian mobilization, coexistence with this government is no longer possible. That is why we now demand full independence from it.”

Irrevocable demand for independence

Linia Darwish affirmed: “The blood of innocents who died defending their homeland and dignity will not be in vain, and we will not forgive. We demand full independence from this government that fueled civil and sectarian war. We chose freedom and dignity above all. Despite siege and starvation, we are well as long as we hold on to our dignity.”