Joint Statement

Syrian Civil Society Call for Credible Syrian-Led Political Process for

169 Syrian Civil Society Organisations Urge for Political Transition to Remain focus of Geneva Talks

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

1 snhr [email protected] www.sn4hr.org The Syrian Network for Human Rights, founded in June 2011, is a non-governmental, non-profit independent organization that is a primary source for the United Nations on all death toll-related statistics in Syria

Mr. Staffan de Mistura United Nations Special Envoy for Syria ​ CC: UN Secretary General Members of the UN Security Council Envoys of the International Syria Support Group EU Ambassadors to the Political and Security Committee

Your Excellency, Following the seventh round of peace negotiations, we write to you on behalf of the un- d ersigned Syrian civil society organisations who work every day under unbearable cir- cumstances to improve the living conditions of millions of Syrians. We represent the voices from the ground and our work across the country in the fields of medical and humanitarian assistance, education, freedom of expression, youth and women empowerment, and ac- countability and justice proves again the fundamental role Syrian civil society plays as a champion for a democratic and inclusive Syria.

As a vital resource for the Syrian population trapped between a tyrannical regime and the brutality of extremism, Syrian civil society organisations strongly support any efforts to bring an end to the Syria conflict. This is why many of our representatives have participated in the intra-Syrian peace talks within the framework of the Civil Society Support Room and have been active in supporting the Geneva peace talks between the Syrian opposition and the Syrian regime.

1 snhr [email protected] www.sn4hr.org Sadly, the Geneva process has delivered neither peace nor protection to the Syrian people who are increasingly disillusioned with a process that continues to fail them. We are keen to reverse this trend as without the support of Syrian civil society no political deal will be either sustainable or legitimate, and right now the current process is losing our support. Syrian civil society’s priority is to achieve an inclusive transition to a free and democratic Syria. We are all united around this outcome which defines the basis of the Geneva peace process as set out by UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and as reiterated in your mandate as UN Special Envoy for Syria.

We expect all parties in Geneva – including you – to work for this purpose and engage in se- rious negotiations. The time consumed on discussions around process and representation, at the expense of a credible and realistic political deal for transition towards democracy, is not only wasting precious time but it is also undermining the international community’s ef- forts to fight terrorism in Syria. Syrian civil society activities are essential in the fight against extremism. Moderate voices – as we represent – have the power to push back against the extremist forces and fill the vacuum on the ground. But to be able to do so, we need the international community to protect our ability to assist and serve our people. This is why we need the Geneva process to prioritise the protection of civilians and deliver meaningful negotiations that lead to peace for Syria.

From the onset of the Geneva talks we have pressed for an active role in shaping the pro- cess given our links to the ground. As a result we continue to welcome efforts by the Syrian opposition to broaden its membership as long as it shares our purpose of achieving a po- litical transition that is in compliance with international humanitarian law. But many members of civil society are troubled by some international actors’ attempts to dictate who sits around the negotiation table. For the Geneva process to be truly inclusive and Syrian-led it must serve the Syrian people’s aspirations first and foremost for a transition towards a democratic and free Syria. Allowing the priorities and direction of the process to be shaped by international actors has only weakened the process and diverted it from its central function.

2 snhr [email protected] www.sn4hr.org As Syrian civil society representatives, we therefore call on you to: 1. Ensure that the Geneva process serves the interests of Syrians, first and foremost, and is not driven entirely by international actors. This requires a re-focus of the Geneva talks onto transition, as per UNSCR 2254. The international community, including the Permanent Five members of the Security Council, have confirmed the principal aim of the Geneva process is transition. To achieve this aim we call on you to use your authority to effectively hold to ac- count any party at the negotiations that continues to stall and undermine the Geneva process.

2. Draw from the legitimacy and unique contribution of Syrian civil society to ensure a sustain- able political agreement for Syria. This includes using civil society’s expertise on the four bas- kets to unlock progress in the talks and move to concrete discussions towards transition. Only Syrian civil society can create the broad buy-in from the ground for any political agreement.

3. Demand the enforcement of UNSCRs that call for the protection of civilians to make the Ge- neva process viable. To do so, we urge you to press the parties to the conflict and especially the backers of the Syrian regime to enforce a sustainable nationwide ceasefire with a UN-led monitoring mechanism and credible enforcement. This is clearly illustrated by the regime’s and Russia’s ongoing violations of previous commitments, including from Astana, as well as by the unlawful killing of civilians due to counter-terrorism operations of the anti-ISIS coalition. Civil society organisations active on the ground are ready to cooperate with a credible and impartial monitoring system but we need you, the UN, to assert your role and ensure the im- partiality of the ceasefire monitoring.

4. Ensure that concrete progress on humanitarian access, the detainee file and forced dis- placement is at the heart of the Geneva negotiations. In particular, we call on you to fulfil your mandate and ensure progress on the detainee file including by securing (i) a com- prehensive plan for the release of detainees beyond small-scale prisoner exchanges; (ii) information about the fates of all Syrians forcibly disappeared; (iii) access by international monitors to all detention facilities; and (iv) a halt to execution orders, particularly in regime security and military facilities, as well as in those run by armed groups.

As UN Special Envoy for Syria you can rescue the current failing Geneva process and compel serious negotiations that serve the needs and demands of the Syrian people. The undersigned Syrian civil society organisations stand ready to assist you in this effort, but we need you and the international community to implement a credible process that will enable us to build a democratic, free and just Syria for all Syrians.

3 snhr [email protected] www.sn4hr.org Signed,

1. Syrian American Medical Society 2. Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression 3. Shaml CSOs Coalition 4. Kesh Malek Organisation 5. Women Now for Development 6. The Syrian Network for Human Rights 7. Violations Documentation Center 8. Baytna Syria 9. The Day After 10. Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations 11. Syrian Legal Development Programme 12. Syrian Nonviolence Movement 13. Watanili 14. Jasmine Dream 15. Start Point 16. Sawa Foundation 17. Sawa for Development and Aid 18. Basamat for Development 19. The Working Group for Syria 20. The Working Group for Syrian Detainees 21. Rethink Rebuild Society 22. Albab Coordination 23. Local Development & Small Project Support 24. Foundation of Syrian Civil Society Organisations 25. Syrian American Council 26. Zaytoon 27. Zaad 28. Mohamed Khalili 29. Free Syrian Lawyers Association 30. Badael Foundation 31. Sonbola Group for Education and Development 32. Najda Now International 33. Noha Alkamcha 34. Alaa Basatneh

4 snhr [email protected] www.sn4hr.org 35. Sana Mustafa 36. Peace and Justice for Syria 37. Syrian Association of Yorkshire 38. Syria Solidarity UK 39. Scotland4Syria 40. Doctors Under Fire 41. Guernica 37 International Justice Chambers 42. Ministry of Local Administration 43. Council of Free District 44. Council of Free District 45. Union of Free Economists in Daraa 46. Directorate General of Civil Status in Daraa and Quneitra 47. The Free Directorate of Real Estate in Daraa 48. The Free Directorate of Transportation in Daraa 49. Directorate of Family Affairs in the Southern Province 50. The Free Directorate General of Irrigation in Daraa and Quneitra 51. Union of Free Engineers in Quneitra 52. The Free Lawyers Union in Daraa 53. Syrian Women Association for Development in Quneitra 54. Office of Documentation and Civil Status in 55. Union of Agricultural Engineers in Quneitra 56. The Free Lawyers Union in Quneitra 57. Office of Documentation and Civil Status in Swisah 58. Office of Documentation and Civil Status in Hieran 59. Directorate of Enkhel 60. The Revolutionary Council in Enkhel 61. The Enkhel Judiciary 62. Office of Documentation and Civil Status in Nawa 63. Office of Documentation and Civil Status in 64. Association of Enkhel Ajyal Schools 65. Office of Documentation and Civil Status in Hirak 66. Office of Documentation and Civil Status in Al-Jiza 67. Local Council of Enkhel City 68. The Public Institute for Grains – Free Daraa Branch 69. Syrian Women Dawn Association – Hawa’ 70. Voice of Women Association

5 snhr [email protected] www.sn4hr.org 71. Syrian Women Peace Association 72. Office of Documentation and Reparations (Destroyed Houses) 73. Free Doctors Union in Daraa 74. Ghadir Al-Bustan Council 75. Al-Rafid Council 76. Al- Bouweidah Council 77. Nab’ Al-Sakhr Council 78. Al-Qasibah Council 79. Swisah Council 80. Kudnah Council 81. Beer Ajam Council 82. Jabbatha Al-Khashab Council 83. Council of Displaced Persons of Quneitra from 84. West Daraa Council 85. Al-Kahtanya Council 86. Um Batneh Council 87. Masehara Council 88. Juba Council 89. Al-Coum Council 90. Khan Arnabeh Council 91. Haoud Al-Yarmouk Council 92. Moukhayam Daraa Council 93. Kanaker Council 94. Council of Sa’sa’ in Damascus Countryside 95. Al-Mal Council 96. Deir El-Adas Local Council 97. Local Council 98. Local Council of the Occupied City of Sheikh Maskin 99. Local Council of the Displaced from Haoud Al-Yarmouk 100. Saida Local Council 101. Deir Maker Council 102. Dourin Council 103. Ghassem Local Council 104. Msikah Local Council 105. Mahja Local Council 106. Da’el Local Council

6 snhr [email protected] www.sn4hr.org 107. Nassib Local Council 108. Akraba Local Council 109. Karak Al-Sharqi Local Council 110. Al-Boeer Local Council 111. Nimer Local Council 112. Ayb Local Council 113. Council of the Lajah and Houran tribes 114. Tafas Local Council 115. Al Faqi’ Local Council 116. Nawa Local Council 117. Local Council of Sharae’ Village 118. Jabal El-Arab Tribal Council 119. City of Azra’ Local Council 120. Town of Heit Local Council 121. Elemtaih Village Local Council 122. Al-Sahwah Local Council 123. Al-Na’imah Local Council 124. Deir Al-Bakht Local Council 125. Almah Town Local Council 126. Al-Jiza Local Council 127. Umm Al-Ausaj Village Local Council 128. Jebab Local Council 129. Al Sheikh Saad Local Council 130. Ibte’ Local Council 131. Kfar Nasig Village Local Council 132. Al-Ghariyya Al-Sharqiya Local Council 133. Zamrain Village Local Council 134. Melihah Al-Atash Village Local Council 135. Enkhel Local Council 136. ‘Odwan Local Council 137. Al-Bakar Local Council 138. Syria Relief Network 139. Civil Defense in Nawa City 140. Security Office in Nawa 141. Kahil Local Council 142. Local Council of the Northern Lajah Sector

7 snhr [email protected] www.sn4hr.org 143. Jassem Local Council 144. Namer Local Council 145. Al-Malyha Al-Gharbiah Local Council 146. Al-Aalya Local Council 147. Al-Taybah Local Council 148. Naheta Local Council 149. Busra Al-Harir Local Council 150. Revolution Command Council in Enkhel City 151. The Free Directorate of Religious Affairs in Daraa 152. Directorate of Family Affairs in Daraa 153. Union of Veterinarians 154. Syrian Center For Arbitration & Conflict Resolution in Nawa City 155. Al-Omariah Commission for Transitional Justice 156. El-Shaheed Khalaf El Kharsan Hospital 157. The Free Syrian Teachers Union 158. The Syrian Commission for Media 159. Al-Jebayya Center for Studies in Nawa 160. Agricultural Engineers Union in Daraa 161. The Free Engineers Union in Daraa 162. The Free Directorate of Health in Daraa 163. The Free Directorate of Education In Daraa 164. The Free Directorate of Statistics in Daraa 165. Nawa Media Institute 166. Bidhrat Nama’ Institute 167. Center for Legal Consultation in Daraa 168. Revolution Command Council in Daraa 169. Abna’ Al-Shuhadaa School in Nawa

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