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An Analysis of Commonalities and Divergences of Syrian Constitutional Papers Since 2011

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An Analysis of Commonalities and Divergences of Syrian Constitutional Papers Since 2011 Commonalities and Divergences of Syrian Constitutional Papers Conflict Research Programme An Analysis of Commonalities and Divergences of Syrian Constitutional Papers Since 2011 Hamed Mohammad Saffour, Dr. Rim Turkmani and Mazen Gharibah 26 October 2019 Commonalities and Divergences of Syrian Constitutional Papers About the Conflict Research Programme at LSE The Conflict Research Programme aims to understand why contemporary violence is so difficult to end and to analyse the underlying political economy of violence with a view to informing policy. Our research sites are Iraq, Syria, South Sudan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Syria conflict research programme focuses on five interrelated research topics. The function and legitimacy of public authority, identity politics, economic drivers of the conflict, civicness and reconstruction. The programme uses a mixed methodology using primary and secondary sources. The programme collaborates with the Middle East based Governance and Development Research Centre. About the Authors Hamed Saffour is a Syrian lawyer and civil rights activist. He is based in Lebanon and is a recipient of the CRP small research grants. Dr Rim Turkmani is Senior Research Fellow at LSE and is the research director of Syria programme at the CRP. Mazen Gharibah is Associate Researcher at LSE working with the Syria programme at the CRP. He is the Director of the Governance and Development Research Centre. Cover picture: in a demonstration in Aleppo, protesters hold a sign that reads ‘It is the Syrian people who determine the shape of its state and its future ’ Commonalities and Divergences of Syrian Constitutional Papers Table of Contents: 1. Introduction: The Mechanism of Analysis .................................................................................... 4 2. The Nature of the State ................................................................................................................. 8 2.1 State Identity: Civil, Secular, Religious ............................................................................... 8 2.2 The Form of Governance .................................................................................................... 10 2.3 Constitutional Principles .................................................................................................... 11 3. Issues Related to Transitional Justice .......................................................................................... 15 4. General Rights, Freedoms and Duties ......................................................................................... 18 4.1 Principles Related to Women’s Rights ............................................................................... 20 4.2 Matters Related to the Kurdish Issue .................................................................................. 21 5. Constitutional Issues Related to the Security and Military Establishment .................................. 23 6. Decentralisation and Systems of Governance ............................................................................. 24 7. The Economy and Development ................................................................................................. 26 8. Proposed Social, Legal and Rights-Based Bodies and Committees ............................................ 27 9. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 29 Commonalities and Divergences of Syrian Constitutional Papers 1. Introduction: The Mechanism of Analysis A few months into the popular movement in Syria, Which began in March 2011, groups of Syrians began organising conferences and workshops which gave rise to papers laying out different visions for the country’s constitution. Several civil and political movements emerged, moreover, Which posited the fundamental principles which they believed should govern any new constitution of Syria. In a previous paper, entitled Syrian Visions: Mapping Syrian Constitutional Papers Since 2011,1 we presented these different constitutional documents, numbering 44 in total, a summary of Which can be found in Table 1. This paper shall attempt to analyse the commonalities, consensuses and divergences among this collection of documents, and identify the main gaps and constraints therein. The make-up of these different documents differs, however, as does the extent to Which they examine the legal and technical details related to the Writing of a constitution; While some concentrate on the general constitutional principles Which should be taken into consideration for a future constitution, others present thorough, comprehensive proposals. As such, the research team has relied on a group of fundamental constitutional determinants which are usually examined in the drafting of a constitution in a post- conflict country, taking into consideration the uniqueness of Syria’s context, and the various dynamics brought about by its conflict. These determinants are: 1. The nature of the state (the identity of the state, the form of governance, and the constitutional principles governing the three branches of power: the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary); 2. Issues related to transitional justice, and the constitutional measures to restrict violence and achieve justice for the victims of the war; 3. General rights, freedoms and duties, with a focus on women’s rights within the constitution; 4. Constitutional principles, checks and controls for the security and military establishment; 5. The systems of governance in all their administrative levels; 6. The economy and development; 7. Proposed social, legal and rights-based bodies and committees. 1 Turkmani, R. Saffour, H. (2019). Syrian Visions: Mapping Syrian Constitutional Papers Since 2011. LSE – Conflict Research Programme. Available at: https://bit.ly/32QFB5N Commonalities and Divergences of Syrian Constitutional Papers Paper Date of Source Publication The Vision of the Local 1 Coordination Committees for the 2011/6/11 Local Coordination Committees Political Future of Syria The Concluding Statement of the The first Consultative Congress of 2 First Consultative Congress of 2011/6/27 independent opposition figures, held in Independent Opposition Figures Semiramis Hotel in Damascus The Concluding Statement of the The Consultative Congress called by the 3 Consultative Congress called by the 2011/7/12 National Dialogue Committee in the National Dialogue Committee Sahara Complex in Damascus 4 Charter for Dignity and Rights 2011/9/17 The National Coordination Body The Kurdish National Congress’ 5 2011/10/26 Conference held in Qamishli Paper 6 National Covenant for a New Syria 2011/11/5 The Syrian National Council The Vision of the General The General Commission for the 7 2012/1/22 Commission for the Revolution Revolution 8 Document of Covenant and Charter 2012/3/25 The Muslim Brotherhood in Syria The Political Vision and Founding Principles of the National Coalition The National Coalition for Syrian 9 2012/11/8 for Syrian Revolutionary and Revolutionary and Opposition Forces Opposition Forces Coalition of Syrian Women for “Looking for a Democratic 10 April 2013 Democracy Constitution” Document The Syrian Center for Legal Studies & 11 Interim Constitutional Declaration 2013/5/17 Researches The National Compact (The Cairo Opposition conference held under the 12 2013/7/3 Documents) auspices of the Arab League Syrian Center for Political and Strategic 13 Syria Transition Roadmap 2013/8/30 Studies Commonalities and Divergences of Syrian Constitutional Papers Paper Date of Source Publication A proposal presented by a member of the Principles from the Draft 14 2013/12/8 executive body of the National Constitution Proposal Coordination Body, Dr. Munzir Khaddam The Vision of the Popular Front for The Popular Front for Liberation and 15 2013/12/24 Liberation and Change Change 16 The Social Contract Pact 2014/1/6 Democratic Self-Administration, Al-Jazire Constitutional Principles from the 17 Manifesto of the Syrian Republic 2014/4/1 The Syrian Republic Party Party Fundamental Constitutional 18 2014/6/14 The Center for Equal Citizenship Principles Syrian Women for Democracy, in The Process of Building a Gender- November 19 partnership With the EuroMed Feminist Sensitive Constitution in Syria 2014 Initiative Basic Principles of the National 20 2014/12/21 The National Bloc League in Syria Bloc League in Syria Principles of the Oslo Group for 21 2015/3/19 The Oslo Group for Dialogue in Syria Dialogue in Syria Constitutional Principles from the 22 2015/11/20 TAMAS Conference The Civil Syrian Coalition The Vision of a Group of Syrian 23 2015/12/3 A group of Syrian experts Experts 24 Declaration of Rights 2016 Kawakibi Organisation for Human Rights Outcomes of the Conference Syrian Women for Democracy, in “Building an Inclusive Gender- 25 2016/3/1 Partnership With the EuroMed Feminist Sensitive Constitution: A Syrian Initiative Path Towards Democracy” The Principles of the Citizenship The Citizenship and Affiliation Forum 26 2016/4/8 and Affiliation Forum Conference A Vision of Transitional 27 2016/4/10 The Nation Building Movement Constitutional Reforms Commonalities and Divergences of Syrian Constitutional Papers Paper Date of Source Publication A Declaration of Constitutional 28 Principles for the Transitional 2016/4/20 A Group of Civil Society Organisations Period Principles Issued by the Civil The Civil Society Support Room in 29 2016/4/27 Society Support
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