(Zaman al-Wasl)- Syrian NGOs announced the birth of Syrian Civil Society Platform aiming at enhancing freedom, justice, equality, tolerance and pluralism.
The platform which was founded in Istanbul in Turkey consists of 11 local platforms in 11 Syrian provinces; 3 in neighboring countries representing 191 NGOs and 145 community leaders.
The foundation of the platform came as a result of frustration during the past 5 years of the inability of the International Community to implement international resolutions and support any efforts aiming to stop bombing, protecting civilians, ceasefire, releasing detainees and clarifying the status of missed persons as activist Amal, the member of the national committee in the platform says. She added that the platform was founded by networking between a group of NGOs in most of the Syrian provinces and neighboring countries to include voices of people in what is happening on the Syrian soil.
She indicated that the ruling principles for the work of the platform include consultation, participation, transparency, diversity, and independence.
The activists of the platform were able by their presence in Syrian regions and provinces to define the most important issues by work groups. They proposed questions to people in relation to each dossier in addition they conducted surveys.
Later, the issues are discussed in the meetings held by the members in the platform.
Amal pointed out that the Syrian Civil Society Platform does not consider itself neutral towards the oppressive acts of the power and rest of forces. The platform considers itself independent.
This independency is represented as she says in , “consideration of freedom, diginity, justice and equality higher values which rule the work of the platform and commitment of the common interest of the Syrian society in addition to standing in one distance from all the social groups in the Syrian society and the adoption of the principle of accountability and reparations.”
Also, the platform independency is represtned according to Amal in “taking decisions away from political affiliations in what serve the intrests of the Syrian people.”
The platform works on the local level and the national level. The local platforms can search for solutions for local problems in the regions and can help in these solutions by the NGOs in each region or province and also on the national level as Amal says.
"The platform sometimes can take the role of observer and document violations when a truce is announced in majority of Syrian regions, Amal added.
Like similar platforms and human rights centers, the platform has many obstacles like being present in the regime-controlled areas and the security risks that may face any civil activist and the possibility of being tracked down, Amal says. She indicated that, “some of the branches of the platform work in the places where some extremist factions which reject democracy. The foundation of the work of the platform.”
The most important conditions to join the platform, the NGO or individuals should not be affiliated with any political or military parties. That does not mean that those in charge of the platform cannot consult everyone in forms of surveys to know what is happening on the ground and extract recommendations in proposed issues, Amal added.
In the coming stage, the platform aims to establish specialized committees in the proposed issues like breaking the siege committee, detainees’ committee, refugees’ committee and 3 committees specialized in stopping the bombing and documenting violations as well as committee of special recommendations for each committee in a more professional way.
Regarding the mechanism of influence in respect to those committees, Amal indicated that, “the work of these committees will be through mobilizing and advocacy for each issue or dossier which the platform is studying on the local and national level.”
Those in charge of the platform search for solutions in the way they perceive their society as Amal confirms. She pointed out the platform cannot decide in any Syrian issue, but it can look for possibility of solution for any problem and propose the solution. The possibility of implementing the solution proposed by the platform can be taken or not taken by the actors in the Syrian case.
The platform activists are funded by DRL office which was founded by a resolution from Congress since two decades. The DRL office funds democracy trends, human rights and labor rights around the world according to Amal who confirmed that the funds of the platform will be diverse in the coming stage disclaiming any conditions put by funders to lead certain trends in exchange for funding.
The platform which was founded in Istanbul in Turkey consists of 11 local platforms in 11 Syrian provinces; 3 in neighboring countries representing 191 NGOs and 145 community leaders.
The foundation of the platform came as a result of frustration during the past 5 years of the inability of the International Community to implement international resolutions and support any efforts aiming to stop bombing, protecting civilians, ceasefire, releasing detainees and clarifying the status of missed persons as activist Amal, the member of the national committee in the platform says. She added that the platform was founded by networking between a group of NGOs in most of the Syrian provinces and neighboring countries to include voices of people in what is happening on the Syrian soil.
She indicated that the ruling principles for the work of the platform include consultation, participation, transparency, diversity, and independence.
The activists of the platform were able by their presence in Syrian regions and provinces to define the most important issues by work groups. They proposed questions to people in relation to each dossier in addition they conducted surveys.
Later, the issues are discussed in the meetings held by the members in the platform.
Amal pointed out that the Syrian Civil Society Platform does not consider itself neutral towards the oppressive acts of the power and rest of forces. The platform considers itself independent.
This independency is represented as she says in , “consideration of freedom, diginity, justice and equality higher values which rule the work of the platform and commitment of the common interest of the Syrian society in addition to standing in one distance from all the social groups in the Syrian society and the adoption of the principle of accountability and reparations.”
Also, the platform independency is represtned according to Amal in “taking decisions away from political affiliations in what serve the intrests of the Syrian people.”
The platform works on the local level and the national level. The local platforms can search for solutions for local problems in the regions and can help in these solutions by the NGOs in each region or province and also on the national level as Amal says.
"The platform sometimes can take the role of observer and document violations when a truce is announced in majority of Syrian regions, Amal added.
Like similar platforms and human rights centers, the platform has many obstacles like being present in the regime-controlled areas and the security risks that may face any civil activist and the possibility of being tracked down, Amal says. She indicated that, “some of the branches of the platform work in the places where some extremist factions which reject democracy. The foundation of the work of the platform.”
The most important conditions to join the platform, the NGO or individuals should not be affiliated with any political or military parties. That does not mean that those in charge of the platform cannot consult everyone in forms of surveys to know what is happening on the ground and extract recommendations in proposed issues, Amal added.
In the coming stage, the platform aims to establish specialized committees in the proposed issues like breaking the siege committee, detainees’ committee, refugees’ committee and 3 committees specialized in stopping the bombing and documenting violations as well as committee of special recommendations for each committee in a more professional way.
Regarding the mechanism of influence in respect to those committees, Amal indicated that, “the work of these committees will be through mobilizing and advocacy for each issue or dossier which the platform is studying on the local and national level.”
Those in charge of the platform search for solutions in the way they perceive their society as Amal confirms. She pointed out the platform cannot decide in any Syrian issue, but it can look for possibility of solution for any problem and propose the solution. The possibility of implementing the solution proposed by the platform can be taken or not taken by the actors in the Syrian case.
The platform activists are funded by DRL office which was founded by a resolution from Congress since two decades. The DRL office funds democracy trends, human rights and labor rights around the world according to Amal who confirmed that the funds of the platform will be diverse in the coming stage disclaiming any conditions put by funders to lead certain trends in exchange for funding.
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