The Syrian Democratic Council (Kurdish: Meclîsa Sûriya Demokratîk, MSD; Arabic: مجلس سوريا الديمقراطية; Classical Syriac: ܡܘܬܒܐ ܕܣܘܪܝܐ ܕܝܡܩܪܛܝܬܐ, romanized: Mawtbo d'Suriya Demoqraṭoyto) is the political wing of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The SDC's stated mission is working towards the implementation of a "Pluralistic, democratic and decentralized system for all of Syria".[2]
Establishment and history
2015
The Syrian Democratic Council was established on 10 December 2015 in Al-Malikiyah.[3][4][5] Prominent human rights activist Haytham Manna was elected co-chair at its founding.[6]
The Assembly that established the Syrian Democratic Council was made up of 13 members from specific ethnic, economic and political backgrounds.[7]
2016
On 1 August 2016 the Syrian Democratic Council opened a public office in Hasakah.[8]
On 11 September 2016 the Syria's Tomorrow Movement signed a cooperation agreement with the Syrian Democratic Council and the associated de facto autonomous region of the AANES.[9]
In late September and early October 2016 a forum for the Syrian Democratic Council was held in the town of Rmelan, in the northeastern Hasakah Governorate. Those that attended the conference included a representative from Jableh, in the western Latakia Governorate.[10]
2017
On 13 January 2017, a youth constituent assembly was established in Qamishli.[11]
On 28 May 2017, a female branch of the Syrian Democratic Assembly was established in Al-Shaddadah.[16]
2018
Elections for the council were planned for early 2018, but never held.[17] On 16 July 2018, the Third Conference of SDC was held under the slogan "Towards a Political Solution and Building a Decentralized Democratic Syria" in Al-Tabqa city, where the delegates elected Amina Omar and re-elected Riad Darar as co-chairs of SDC.[18][19] Amina Omar replaced Îlham Ehmed, who was elected co-president of the Executive Council of the AANES,[20]
On 6 September 2018, SDC held a meeting of local councils and autonomous administration departments in north and east Syria at the headquarters of SDC in Ain Issa town, with the participation of Amina Omar, co-chair of SDC, the heads of the civil councils in North Syria and the dignitaries of the Arab tribes, to form an autonomous administration of north and east of Syria on the basis of the decision taken at the third conference of the SDC held on 16 July this year. During the meeting, the 70-member General Council for Autonomous Administration of North, East Syria was formed as follows: 49 members of the legislative councils in the areas of Autonomous Administration and civil councils, and 21 members of the technocrats agreed upon through the preparatory committee and discuss other departments. Mrs. Siham Qariou (Syriac) and Mr. Farid Atti (Kurd) were elected to the joint presidency of the General Council for the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, also were elected five members of General Office of the council. Mrs. Berivan Khaled (Khalid) and Abdul Hamid al-Mahbash were elected co-chairmen of Executive Body.[21][22][23][24]
Later, in the meeting held on 3 October 2018, the co-chairs of the nine Authorities of the Executive Council were elected.[25][26]
On October 21, the first meeting of the General Council was held, at which a legal committee of three people was created, whose tasks is to determine laws, concepts and proposals from committees, departments and offices, in addition to studying the laws issued by the council. At the meeting it was decided to hold meetings of the Council twice a month.[27]
Involvement in negotiations on Syria
While the Syrian Democratic Council stressed their desire to participate in the Geneva and Astana talks, they were excluded from both due to Turkish veto.[28][29][30]
Effective 31 January 2018, the SDC is registered in the US as a "foreign political party" under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.[31]
On the Geneva talks, SDC member Bassam Ishak has stated:
As for Iran, Russia, and the Syrian regime, they want the regime to regain control over the territories east of the Euphrates river, and therefore they reject the DAA project and do not want its participation.[32]
Ilham Ehmed, President of the SDC's Executive Council, has said:
AANES seeks to provide a miniature model that present the whole of Syria...What has been achieved in northeastern Syria takes precedence over the Geneva negotiations, because the talks are taking place with Syrians and not between representatives of external parties.[33]
^Khurshid, Ahmed. "مجلس سورية الديمقراطي" [Syria Democratic Council] (in Arabic). Syrian Establishment for Studies and Research of public opinion. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
