Damascus Declaration

The Damascus Declaration for Democratic Change in Syria (French Déclaration de Damas ) is a document from the year 2005, which combines the most opposition forces in Syria. It contains the most important elements of a comprehensive plan for democratic change in Syria and proposals to end the authoritarian political system.

Content

The Damascus Declaration is the first explanation of the opposition within Syrian territory since the Damascus Spring after such statements have been made previously only from the opposition from outside Syria.

It represents a compromise between various forces of the secular national parties and the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood poses Islam is the majority religion in Syria is therefore emphasized in its importance, also the full equality of civil rights of all Syrian citizens regardless of their ethnic or religious affiliation is highlighted.

Emphasis is also the need to find a just solution to the Kurdish question in Syria, although no clear position is formulated as a solution should look like. This is explained by the fact that the signatories of the Damascus Declaration had no mandate of the Syrian people to discuss such issues with the Kurdish minority. However, it is expressed the intention to solve this problem through negotiation and dialogue as soon as a democratic government in Syria could form.

Signatory

The Damascus Declaration was in October 2005, known by the National Democratic Rally Party in Syria, the Kurdish Democratic Alliance in Syria, the Committees for the Revival of Civil Society, the Kurdish Democratic Front in Syria, the party of the future, the Syrian Committee for Human Rights, as well as of several independent persons signed as the recently released opposition Riad al - Turk and Riad Seif, the Muslim thinkers Dschawdat Said, Abdul Razzaq Eid, Samir Nashar, Fida Akram al - Hourani, Adel Zkar, Abdel- Karim Dahhaak, Ibrahim Makhous, the lawyer Haitham Maleh and Nayef Qaysip.

From their side the London-based group of the Muslim Brotherhood announced in Syria under the then leadership of Ali Bajanuni to their complete support for the Damascus Declaration.