Women and minorities attend Syrian National Dialogue Conference
By Linda Bordoni
Women and members of religious minorities were among some 600 people from across Syria who were invited to the gathering in Damascus, hosted by the new authorities led by the Islamist former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS - the group that led the offensive that ousted Assad in December.
The interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, opened the conference by saying, "Just as Syria has liberated itself by itself, it is appropriate for it to build itself by itself,”..”
He said Syrians today have an exceptional and rare historical opportunity to serve the interests of the people and promised to promote an inclusive political transition.
We will closely be watched – he said - by Syrians and the international community, including countries weighing whether to lift sanctions imposed during Assad’s rule.
Syria faces major challenges, from rebuilding an economy and war-wrecked infrastructure to setting up a new constitution and justice mechanisms for those accused of war crimes.
Although incidents of revenge and collective punishment have reportedly been far less widespread than expected, many in Syria's minority communities — including Kurds, Christians, Druze and members of Assad's Alawite sect — are concerned for their future and not convinced by promises of inclusive governance.
HTS was formerly affiliated with al-Qaida, although it broke ties, and al-Sharaa has since preached coexistence. The organizers of the Damascus conference said that all of Syria's communities were invited and that women and members of minority religious communities were among the attendees.
The gathering is meant to come up with nonbinding recommendations on the country's interim rules before drafting a new constitution and forming a new government.
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