Syria answers those awaiting partition by integrating even more

The stir that began after the attacks and massacres launched by the remnants of the Assad regime against government forces in and around Latakia on 6-7 March came like a dark cloud over the positive atmosphere Syria had been living through for three months. Suddenly a ton of conspiracy theories about partition plans for Syria began to be thrown around. Just as the TV pundits were about to convince the public, in an almost categorical tone, that Syria's territorial integrity could not be preserved from now on, news that came one after another yesterday showed how prone Syrian lands are to giving everyone big surprises. In Syria not a day, even hours, can be very long. The news that arrived said that a memorandum of understanding had been signed between Mazloum Abdi, representing the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, emphasizing Syria's territorial integrity and rejecting partition. The memorandum provides for the integration of the SDF into the Syrian state institutions and secures the position of Kurdish society in the country's future. At the meeting where the understanding was reached, agreement was achieved on the following critical articles:

1- National representation and political participation. It was accepted that all Syrians, regardless of their ethnic or religious identity, would be represented in state institutions on the basis of merit and that their rights to participate in the political process would be guaranteed.

2- Status and rights of the Kurds. It was emphasized that the Kurdish people are one of the essential components of Syrian society. It was pledged that the citizenship and constitutional rights of the Kurds would be placed under state guarantee.

3 - Nationwide ceasefire. It was decided to declare a ceasefire across all Syrian territory. This is seen as a critical step that will pave the way for stability by stopping clashes across the country.

4- Integration of eastern and northeastern Syria into central administration: Agreement was reached on unifying under the administration of the Syrian state all civil and military institutions in SDF-controlled areas, including border crossings, airports and energy fields such as oil and natural gas.

5- Safe return of migrants: It was decided to ensure the safe return of millions of Syrians who left the country because of the years-long war and to guarantee their protection by the state.

6- Combating terror and insurgent elements: The Syrian state will be supported in combating all elements that threaten the country's security and unity, including the remnants of the Assad regime.

7- A common stance against partition and hate speech: Calls aiming at the partition of Syria, hate speech and attempts to incite strife among the different components of society were firmly rejected.

8- Implementation of the agreement: It was agreed that implementation committees would begin work immediately for this agreement to enter into force and that the process would be completed by the end of the year at the latest.

Before we could even assess the effects and likely consequences of this development, which nullified everything said about Syria over the past few days and sent what had been written to the trash, this time another piece of news came from the south. As is known, Suwayda is a region in southern Syria densely inhabited by Druze. Israel was making provocative moves to create turmoil and chaos in the region through some Druze elements it had recruited there. This was seen as the second major threat to Syria's territorial integrity. According to the news that came yesterday, an integration understanding was reached between the Syrian Government and the people of Suwayda. The Syrian government reached an agreement with the notables of the region in order to ensure the full integration of the province of Suwayda into state institutions.

Within the scope of the agreement: it was decided that the security units in Suwayda would be attached to the Syrian Ministry of Interior. A condition was set that the personnel serving in the local police organization would be selected from among the people of Suwayda. It was stipulated that a governor and a police chief, not required to be from Suwayda, would be appointed for the provincial administration. With this step, the strengthening of state authority in the region and the alignment of the security structure with official institutions will be ensured.

There is no doubt that this understanding is an important step that will spoil the games Israel planned through separatist Druze elements.

The third issue that could threaten Syria's territorial integrity was the moves the remnants of Assad could make, especially from Latakia and Tartus. Although in reality they have no chance as a force, the aim was to create an international demand-perception, through a sectarian conflict they might create or through an agenda of "pressure on Alawites, oppression, massacre," with the propaganda that the central government in Syria could not govern the Nusayris.

They attempted a rebellion with the aim of a fire that would engulf all of Syria, and after first massacring dozens, even hundreds, of government soldiers and police, they themselves deliberately provoked an anger toward the Nusayris. Unfortunately, despite all the pain experienced for 60 years since the first days of the revolution, and despite all the sensitivity of the government, which chose to bury its feelings of revenge for that pain in the ground, civilians were also killed in the chaos that was created. There is no possibility that these events were a policy of the government, but some people invested excessively in this possibility. Had the leaders who carried out the revolution in Syria pursued revenge, blood would be flowing in torrents in Syria right now. But they deliberately avoided this. They chose not to hold the Nusayris as a whole responsible for the massacres Assad committed over 60 years, even though he did so by using the Nusayris (thereby in fact also oppressing the Nusayris), and they did very well.

However, despite the sensitivity they showed, it appears that this vein is very functional for some. They tried to get in through this vein, they kept scratching and scratching this vein, and they will try even more. The greatest danger is reviving the feelings of revenge formed within the oppression suffered for 60 years. Ahmed al-Sharaa, for his part, reminds at every opportunity that he is no longer on the stage with an organizational logic or as an uprising people.

Following these events, both in a statement to Reuters and in his addresses to the public, after expressing his sorrow over the violence directed unjustly at the civilian population, he said the following: "Until today we fought to defend the oppressed. Anyone who sheds blood unjustly, even if they are one of our closest, will certainly be held accountable. An attack on people's lives, property or honor is a red line in Syria," saying that from this hour on no one could engage in extrajudicial executions and that those who do so will answer before the law.

This is a stance to be rubbed into the eyes of those who, saying "Assad is gone, Sharaa has come," rush to whitewash and glorify Assad's massacres and crimes. On top of that, Sharaa also announced that a reconciliation committee had been established to secure social peace: "Blood brings more blood. God willing, we will try to repair the situation as best we can."