Kurdish Members of the Syrian People Assembly

By: Omar Kochari

A few days ago, members of the Syrian People’s Assembly took the constitutional oath of office, marking the beginning of concrete steps to reactivate the People’s Assembly—an institution that had been largely ceremonial and marginalized, reaching its lowest point during more than five decades of Ba’athist rule, one of the most difficult periods in Syria’s modern history.

At the end of its first extraordinary session of the legislative term, following five days of deliberations, the Assembly approved its new rules of procedure, a comprehensive document comprising 231 articles.

There are twelve Kurdish representatives in the People’s Assembly for the current interim session. They will continue to participate in deliberations on bills to be introduced before the Assembly and in discussions addressing the overall situation in Syria for a renewable two-and-a-half-year term—a period that is by no means short, given the context in which the People’s Assembly was formed and the circumstances surrounding Syria’s overall situation at all levels.

Naturally, twelve Kurdish representatives will not be able to achieve anything tangible given their limited number. First, they must undertake significant diplomatic efforts with members of the Assembly from diverse backgrounds and political affiliations. They must present the Kurdish perspective and its particularities clearly and effectively, acting with one voice regardless of party affiliation. They must also engage with other members of the Syrian People’s Assembly to build support for the Kurdish issue. Although this endeavor is challenging, Kurdish parliamentarians must not lose hope and must continue working in this direction.

It is extremely difficult for any proposal regarding the Kurdish issue to succeed among members of the People’s Assembly unless Kurdish diplomatic efforts are active and capable of persuading those who will not readily support Kurdish demands, as we might expect or hope. This is because a pan-Arab mindset and excessive nationalist pride remain dominant and deeply ingrained in the thinking of many of them. For this reason, the task facing Kurdish parliamentarians is not an easy one.

Furthermore, it is natural and to be expected that Kurdish representatives in the Assembly are not well-versed in all laws, constitutional provisions, and other legislative matters. This means they must form advisory committees with expertise in various fields, particularly legal matters, and seek assistance from Kurdish lawyers, intellectuals, and judges to avoid mistakes that could have serious consequences. This is not a difficult task, as many qualified Kurdish professionals are ready to work with and support their parliamentarians to ensure their success in this important Syrian institution, which will play a major role in the country’s future.

Unfortunately, a significant segment of the Kurdish public wants the parliamentarians to fail in this Syrian legislative body. They are trying to thwart the parliamentarians through platforms they use to criticize them, for no significant reason other than the parliamentarians’ political leanings not aligning with their own. They view the parliamentarians’ failure as their own major success, which is truly regrettable.