Syrian Democratic Council (MSD) Co-chair Ilham Ehmed stated that the commune elections are the validation of the system they are striving to implement and that they will work to spread it throughout Syria. Ehmed said they started working on a Democratic Syrian Constitution before the elections and added that they will be accelerating the process with the strength derived from the interest in the elections.

Ilham Ehmed spoke to ANF about the importance of the 70% participation to the commune co-chair elections held in September 22. Ehmed said the peoples went to the ballots with their free will to freely elect their own administrators for the first time in Syria and added: “The peoples who live in the Northern Syrian lands saw the project we proposed as a hope and a gateway to the path to a solution. In the first time in Syrian history, democratic elections have been held. The people determined everything, and they wanted to decide on their future.”

HIGH INTEREST FROM ARABS

Ehmed said people supporting the elections has been an important determining factor for the present and the future, and pointed out the high interest in the elections in the regions where the Arab people live. “This is a very happy occasion, it is a sign of how beautifully the fraternity among peoples and the relationships are being created. The regime had threatened the Arab people in these regions but despite that, the people showed great interest. The peoples can no longer be suppressed by any threats or fear.”

NOBODY HAS A PROJECT FOR A SOLUTION

Ehmed mentioned the continued deep chaos in Syria and remarked that none of the armed, diplomatic or political forces have a project to resolve this crisis still. She pointed to the lack of a project for a solution and foresight into the future of the Regime itself, and said the elections showed the right path to the peoples.

NO NEGATIVE APPROACH

Ehmed said the US, Russia or other international powers didn’t have any negative approach to the elections and that these forces are also expecting such efforts and results towards a solution. She shared the following message regarding the elections: “The elections were an important message to the pro status-quo forces. They were a serious message to the forces insisting on central system, denial and destruction of peoples. They were a good message to those who insist on a singular administration idea and non-democratic systems. They said, ‘The monist system based on force that you insist on is past its expiration date.’ The people went to the ballots and said, ‘Imposing yourself on us as administrators and governments is past its expiration date.’ The peoples want their demands to be accepted. Elections have shown that nothing will be the same way again.

THE UNITY OF SEVEN YEARS TRIUMPHED

Ilham Ehmed said the interest shown by other peoples than Kurds in the elections is a product of their insistence of seven years on equality and co-existence, and building of this insistence on the right basis. She continued; “For seven years now, everyone has lived with their own language, culture and identity. They have fought together, engaged in clashes in the same emplacements, and shared their bread. The experience of seven years has manifested that the understanding of moral society that bases on equality-freedom-justice has triumphed politically as well.

The cultures, ethnic communities and faith groups living in Northern Syria gave this strong message to both the regime and pro status-quo forces by going to the ballots. People declared that they will live in fraternity and with an administration they themselves will determine.

PREPARATIONS FOR CONSTITUTION TO BE ACCELERATED

MSD Co-chair emphasised that elections further consolidated the reliance that it is essential to insist on the system they are trying to build, adding the following;

“During the coming period we will be working to put this project into practice in other regions of Syria as well. Peoples have approved the project by going to the ballots. With the strength we have derived from the elections, we will accelerate the preparation efforts for the Democratic Syrian Constitution.