As-Suwayda city, southern Syria, witnesses a new wave of protests that went on for nearly ten days.

These protests condemned oppression, systematic impoverishment, the economic situation that worsened with the rapid deterioration of the Syrian currency, and the astronomical rise in prices.

Slogans Similar to the ones of the beginning of the Syrian revolution demonstrations were captured. Protesters demanded the departure of the regime and expressed solidarity with the revolutionary and popular movements in all Syrian cities and regions.

As-Suwayda governorate was an integral part of the revolution since its beginning, and its people made huge sacrifices in various forms. They suffered repression, arrests, violence, and many of its youth died in detention centres because they chose to be on the side with the revolution and its demands.

What we are witnessing today is part of an ongoing movement that has not stopped, and is a continuation of the “We Want to Live” campaign that started last year, which had economic demands and developed into demonstrations that linked the livelihood demands to politic ones. Perhaps this protest movement today is the most intense since the assassinations campaign that aimed to eliminate the movement of Sheikhs of dignity. As well as the “we reject the forced recruitment of the sons of As Suwayda” movement. For nine years, they provided support to all the displaced persons from other cities, especially from the countryside of Damascus, Daraa and Homs.

The regime used various and usual methods of intimidation to keep people under the authority of repression, by facilitating the transfer of ISIS fighters from the Yarmouk camp to the Suwayda desert, which was followed by massacres and kidnappings of the people, a policy the regime always used in the dualism of terrorism.

The regime continued to encourage, support and provide cover and tools for local elements who practice violations against the people, intimidating them, blackmailing and assaulting them to discourage them from protesting and expressing their anger and demand for their legitimate rights.

The current demonstrations announce the return of the peaceful civil movement that has resurrected our Syrian revolution after the failure of the military solution and its catastrophic results on the Syrian people wherever they are.

The Syrian Women’s Political Movement expresses its grave concern at the policy adopted in As Suwayda”  and its peaceful demonstrations, especially with the encouragement of marches organized by the regime and its elements in the governorate, and the arrests and violence against the demonstrators.

The Syrian Women’s Political Movement also stress on the importance of supporting the demands of the demonstrators, communicating their voices, and not leaving them alone in the face of the machine of repression and killing that has not been spared a city in Syria.

While the SWPM affirms the unity of Syria, people and land. it stresses to the international community and the United Nations that there is no solution except a comprehensive political solution, and there is no hope for the Syrian people except to stop the ongoing war for nine years now, and to resume negotiations on the ground of the Geneva Declaration and Resolution 2254 in pursuit of a real political transition that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people.

Long live Syrian people and land

The General Secretariat of the Syrian Women’s Political Movement 

15 June 2020

• Syria