THE TURKMEN REALITY in SYRIA Abdurrahman Mustafa

ORSAM REVIEW OFORSAM REVIEW OF REGIONAL AFFAIRS REGIONAL AFFAIRS NO.27, JUNE 2015 No.27, JUNE 2015 THE TURKMEN REALITY IN SYRIA Abdurrahman MUSTAFA Abdurrahman Mustafa, born in Turkmens constitute an important part of the social Aleppo in 1964, graduated from the life in Syria. They carry on a “struggle for honor and Aleppo University. He had to move abroad for years between 1988 and freedom” against the regime, within the ranks of both 2010 due to political oppression. military and political opposition. It is unknown as to During his time abroad, he worked what kind of expectations the Turkmens, who have as manager in private sector in been largely ignored by the international society for Libya and Saudi Arabia. With the onset of the Syrian crisis in 2011, various reasons, have for the post-Assad Syria. The Syr- he ended his professional career ian Turkmen Assembly, the only legitimate representa- and returned to Syria. He has tive body of Turkmens, seeks to fill this gap by explain- played an active role in Turkmen ing Syrian Turkmens’ demands and goals in a strategic organizations in Syria between 2011 and 2012. He was elected framework. This article should be considered as part of as president at the second general the same goal. In this paper, the Syrian Turkmen As- meeting of the Syrian Turkmen sembly’s founding process, vision and mission will be Assembly. He still serves as the discussed. In addition, short, medium and long term President of the Syrian Turkmen Assembly, which is the one and the expectations of Turkmens regarding the Syrian crisis only legitimate representative body will be explained. This article seeks to contribute to the of Syrian Turkmens. efforts for political solution in Syria. THE TURKMEN REALITY IN SYRIA hile the civil war military and political oppo- is raging in Sy- sition, should be evaluated Wria, the efforts in this context. for finding a political solu- There has been little un- tion are continuing as well. derstanding of the expec- The biggest difficulty about tations the Turkmens, who reaching a political solution have been largely ignored is the presence of domestic by the international society and foreign social and po- for various reasons, have litical actors with different regarding to the post-Assad expectations, which directly Syria. For years, they were intervene in the Syrian crisis. A possible political solu- deprived of any opportunity tion has to rely on a formula, for organization under the which excludes none of the Assad regime. They have actors and brings together started to make up for this many different expectations loss after the popular upon a common ground. The rising that started in Mar- Syrian Turkmens, who carry ch 2011. Initial efforts for on a “struggle for honor and organization started in this freedom” against the regi- period. Syrian Turkmens, me, within the ranks of both similar to other opposition 2 ORSAM REVIEW OF REGIONAL AFFAIRS NO.27, JUNE 2015 groups, have built their or- both among the Syrian op- ganizations in Turkey, with position and in the interna- which they have historical tional arena. and kinship relations. Sin- Above all, this paper se- ce they lack any experience eks to fill the knowledge gap in organization due to the about the Syrian Turkmens. Baath regime’s oppression, The Syrian Turkmen As- their first attempts were not sembly’s founding process, successful. After these un- vision and mission will be successful attempts, Syrian discussed. In addition, short, The Syrian Turkmens living in Turkey medium and long term expe- Turkmen Assembly launched an initiative to ctations of Turkmens regar- was established establish Syrian Turkmens ding the Syrian crisis will be on 29 March 2013, Platform in 2012. The Plat- explained. The paper seeks in the general form aimed at forming a to contribute to the efforts Syrian Turkmen Assembly, congress which for political solution in Sy- was convened by electing delegates from ria. among Syrian Turkmens, as in Ankara, and a legitimate representative attended by the of Turkmens that will carry Introduction Turkish Prime out any kind of negotiations. Syrian Turkmens have been Minister and the As a result of this initiati- living in their homeland in Minister of Foreign ve, at the end of 2013, the Syria since the 11th century. Affairs. Syrian Turkmen Assembly With their size of 1,5 mil- was founded, which today lion Turkish speaking and brings together all Turkmen some other 2 million who organizations under one have lost their language, roof. Since 2013, the Syrian the Syrian Turkmens have Turkmen Assembly has put a considerable population together Syrian Turkmens’ in the country. The Syrian demands and goals in a stra- Turkmens speak a Turkish tegic framework and has dialect very close to the con- acted as the sole legitimate temporary standard Turkish representative of Turkmens of Turkey. 3 THE TURKMEN REALITY IN SYRIA The Syrian Turkmens Establishment of have considered themsel- Syrian Turkmen ves not as a minority in the Assembly country which they are li- The Syrian Turkmens, like ving in, but as a part of the all other groups in Syria, society they have been li- had no organizational expe- ving in, and the real owners rience until 2011. The first of the land they cultivated. efforts of their politicizati- Today the majority of Sy- on took place abroad, just rian Turkmens are living in as other groups. Starting the provinces of Aleppo, La- in 2012, the Syria Turkmen takia (Bayır-Bujak), Homs, Bloc and the Syrian Democ- Hama and Damascus. There ratic Turkmen Movement are small numbers of Turk- mens, also, who live in the began engaging in political provinces of Tartous, Raqqa, activities on behalf of Syri- Idlib, Golan and Daraa. an Turkmen. However, these two parties could not be or- There is no doubt that the ganized well. Shortly after, Syrian Turkmens are one of in 2012, the Syrian Turkmen the most suffered groups in Platform was established Syria, due to the war. Turk- through the initiative of the men villages in Hama and Syrian Turkmens that were Homs were destroyed by the living in Turkey. The objec- regime. Turkmen villages in tive of the Platform was to Aleppo are entirely control- establish a Syrian Turkmen led by ISIS. Turkmen villa- Assembly through delegates ges in Latakia are constantly elected from Syria, which bombarded by the regime. would make it a legitimate Hundreds of thousands of representative of the Syrian Syrian Turkmen were for- ced to emigrate during the Turkmens. war and thousands of Syrian As a result of this well-or- Turkmen were killed, since ganized initiative, The Syri- 2011. an Turkmen Assembly was 4 ORSAM REVIEW OF REGIONAL AFFAIRS NO.27, JUNE 2015 established on 29 March the first time, with their free 2013, in the general cong- will, the members of their ress which was convened in own Assembly through the Ankara, and attended by the ballot boxes. The Syrian then Turkish Prime Minister Turkmen Assembly held its Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and 2nd General Congress on then Minister of Foreign Af- 9-10 May 2014, in Ankara. fairs Ahmet Davutoğlu. The As a result of the Congress participation of opposition of the Assembly, 42 people Syrian Turkmens parties at high levels in this were elected to the Legisla- respect individual historical meeting, along tive Committee, and 13 pe- rights and with the participation of the ople to the Executive Com- freedoms, Syrian opposition, and Na- tional Coalition for Syrian mittee. reject all kinds Revolutionary and Opposi- of privilege or immunity for tion Forces, and the interest Vision of Syrian any section of shown by the representati- Turkmen Assembly ves of the foreign countries, the society and made the meeting a turning - Syrian Turkmen As- embrace a new point in the history of the sembly is the one and only system based Syrian Turkmens. legitimate representative on the principle Syrian Turkmen Bloc of the Syrian Turkmens. of democracy, and the Syrian Democra- - Syrian Turkmen As- pluralism and tic Turkmen Movement sembly is the first and only equality. also joined the Assembly. organization that elects its Consequently, all political own executive committee groups of Syrian Turkmens and delegates with democ- unified under the umbrella ratic, fair and transparent of the Syrian Turkmen As- elections within the Syrian sembly. The meeting was Opposition. held with the participation of 400 representatives, who- - Syrian Turkmen As- se majority was from Syria. sembly defends Syria’s The Turkmens elected, for territorial integrity. 5 THE TURKMEN REALITY IN SYRIA - Syrian Turkmen As- - To ensure the Syrian sembly adopts a new Turkmen as a constituent constitutional order based element in the New Syrian upon “peaceful co-exis- Constitution. tence principle” in Syria. - To carry out political - Syrian Turkmen Assemb- activities within the fra- ly rejects racial separation mework of the territori- and any kind of religious, al integrity and national sectarian and ideological unity of Syria. discrimination. - To play an active and - Syrian Turkmen As- constructive role at the sembly rejects a constitu- creation of a multicultural tional order dominated by society, based on respect any religious and/or secta- for human rights and uni- rian identity. versal values of democracy and state of law as the Mission of Syrian basic principle of a new Turkmen Assembly Syria. 6 ORSAM REVIEW OF REGIONAL AFFAIRS NO.27, JUNE 2015 - To contribute to social of a thousand years and to state of law, adopting the stand strong against the glo- principle of equal citizens- bal war and the well-known hip and fair and democra- schemes against us, we go tic representation.

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