RONÎDA HACÎ

Hasakah- Following the fall of the Baathist regime in Syria, Syria’s new interim government led by jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) came to power in Syria, approving a constitutional declaration and starting massacres in Syria’s coastal regions. People from different ethnic and religious groups in coastal cities such as Latakia and Tartus, especially the Alawites, have been killed and displaced. More than 1,659 civilians have been killed in Syria’s coastal region, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a Britain-based monitoring group.

“As a result of the 54-year struggle and resistance of the Syrian people, the Baathist regime was overthrown,” said Rûken Ehmed, member of the Democratic Relations and Alliances Committee of Kongra Star. “The fall of this regime brought great happiness to the people because the Baathist regime was not open to change and transformation and violated the rights of all identities. During that time, the Syrian people hoped that a new page would be opened in Syria and that all identities would live more democratically in a decentralized Syria. Undoubtedly, when the revolution (in Rojava) started, the aim was to create a multi-colored Syria, where the rights of all identities were protected.”

‘Syria faces a more dangerous and complicated situation’

Rûken Ehmed thinks that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham wants to start a civil war in Syria. “The Syrian people were disappointed. Now, Syria faces a more dangerous and complicated situation because the jihadists, who came to power, are on the terrorist lists and have a history of looting the property of the Syrian people, forcing them to displace, killing them and kidnapping them. The situation in Syria has been deteriorating.”

‘The Syrian people need security and peace’

HTS commits war crimes against the Syrian people, Rûken Ehmed stressed. “The interim government called on every armed groups to lay down arms to achieve a political solution in Syria; however, we see how the people, who laid down their arms, have been killed. The Syrian people need security and peace more than building a new Syria. The new government caused the massacres committed against the Alawites by taking quick steps. We need international supervision and investigation for the recent war crimes committed in Syria. All parties must be held accountable for war crimes. War crimes and rights violations have been committed in Afrin, Serêkaniyê, Girê Spî and Syria’s coastal regions.”

Rûken Ehmed called on all Syrian women to unite and be in solidarity with each other to stop “jihadists”. “Women pay the highest prices in war and conflict. Therefore, all Syrian women must unite and be in solidarity with each other to protect themselves and their rights. We cannot live freely in North and East Syria while women are killed in Syria’s coastal regions. All women in North and East Syria, especially Kurdish women, have an important duty and mission. We must share our experiences to achieve successes for all Syrian women. When we unite, we can stop jihadists and protect women’s rights.”