Statement Issued by the Assyrian Democratic Party Decree No. (13) of 2026 issued by the President of the Syrian Arab Republic

Statement Issued by the Assyrian Democratic Party

The Assyrian Democratic Party welcomes Decree No. (13) of 2026 issued by the President of the Syrian Arab Republic for the transitional phase, Mr. Ahmed al-Sharaa, and considers it a positive step in the right direction. This decree, in principle, intersects with the vision advocated by the Party for more than four decades, which is based on consolidating the concept of equal citizenship and strengthening belonging to a unified Syria founded on justice and equality among all its citizens, بعيداً from ethnic or religious alignments or exclusionary policies.

In this context, the Assyrian Democratic Party affirms that addressing major national issues—foremost among them issues of identity, rights, and citizenship—cannot be governed by decrees or temporary measures, regardless of how positive they may be. Rather, such issues must be grounded in an inclusive national constitution that emanates from the will of all Syrians and constitutes the supreme legal reference guaranteeing the rights of all ethnic and religious components on the basis of full equality, not on the basis of grants, exceptions, or temporary political balances.

The Party believes that any genuine path toward building a state of citizenship and the rule of law must necessarily pass through a comprehensive national dialogue conference that excludes none of the components of the Syrian people. Such a conference should give rise to an independent national constitutional committee tasked with drafting a modern democratic constitution that acknowledges the country’s ethnic, religious, and cultural pluralism, safeguards the rights of all components without discrimination, and puts a definitive end to the legacy of exclusionary and authoritarian policies that have governed Syria for decades.

From this perspective, the Party values what was included in the presidential decree regarding references to redressing injustices suffered by Syrian Kurdish citizens, particularly the recognition of their cultural and linguistic identity and the addressing of the effects of previous discriminatory policies, foremost among them the consequences of the 1962 census. The Party emphasizes, however, that justice for any national component must not be the result of political deals or top-down decisions, but rather a fixed constitutional right, protected by a broad national will and by clear legal guarantees not subject to changing circumstances or individuals.

The Assyrian Democratic Party stresses that protecting ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity in Syria is not a political option, but a fundamental condition for the unity and stability of the country. Recognizing the legitimate rights of all national components enhances the prestige of the state and reflects its strength and ability to embrace its citizens regardless of their affiliations, paving the way for building a new national democratic system based on partnership, accountability, and the rule of law.

A review of the positions and statements of the Assyrian Democratic Party confirms its steadfast commitment to advocating for the building of a participatory Syria founded on a just national constitution that guarantees the rights of all components of the Syrian people without exception. Based on the principle of equal citizenship, the Party renews its demand for justice for Assyrians of all denominations through constitutional recognition of them as an authentic Syrian national component, rejecting the reduction of their existence to a purely religious framework, and guaranteeing their national, cultural, linguistic, educational, and administrative rights, as well as the protection of their ancient national and civilizational heritage, within the framework of a single, fully sovereign Syrian state.

The Party also calls for the adoption of April 1st as an official holiday, as it marks the Assyrian New Year, in view of the deep civilizational symbolism it carries in the history of Mesopotamia and Natural Syria, and what it embodies in terms of renewal, peace, and life, as an integral part of the collective Syrian national memory.

Coinciding with the approach of the eleventh anniversary of the invasion of the Assyrian villages of the Khabur region, the Assyrian Democratic Party emphasizes the need to remind the President of the Republic of his national and moral responsibility toward the tragedy and genocide suffered by the Assyrian villages of Khabur on February 23, 2015, and the accompanying forced displacement and systematic destruction. The Party calls for the adoption of an official stance commensurate with the magnitude of this historic crime.

While affirming that these crimes do not fall under any statute of limitations and cannot be erased from the national memory, the Party demands that the Syrian state undertake the following:

Open an independent and transparent legal investigation to uncover all those involved and hold them accountable in accordance with the law.

Initiate the reconstruction of the Khabur region as a strategic agricultural area and an integrated food basket, and ensure the dignified and safe return of its inhabitants.

Provide the requirements for stability, services, and necessary infrastructure in a manner that restores the region’s agricultural productive capacity, in support of the national economy.

The Assyrian Democratic Party affirms that the Syria of the future cannot be built through decrees or partial solutions, but rather through an inclusive national project based on genuine partnership among all its components, equal citizenship, mutual recognition, and historical justice.

Long live a unified Syria,

and long live the struggle of its people for freedom, dignity, and justice.

Issued in the Homeland on: 17/10/6775 Assyrian

Corresponding to: 17/1/2026 AD

Assyrian Democratic Party

Executive Committee