The Syrian Future Movement issues this statement as a considered response to the Human Rights Watch report of January 15, 2026, entitled “Syria: Impunity for Suwaida Violations,” which documents grave violations committed by Syrian government forces and local Bedouin and Druze armed groups during clashes in Suwaida Governorate in July 2025.
The report includes 86 cases of unlawful killings (67 Druze civilians and 19 Bedouin civilians), kidnappings and arbitrary detentions, looting and burning of homes, prevention of burials, mutilation of corpses, and the firing on civilian vehicles, which resulted in the deaths of 13 people, including children. These events led to the displacement of up to 187,000 people and severe humanitarian suffering.
The Syrian Future Movement strongly condemns all these violations by all parties, considering them potential crimes against humanity and a direct threat to civil peace and stability during the transitional phase. The Syrian Future Movement appreciates the organization’s documentation efforts and its explicit call for holding those responsible at the highest levels accountable, including the military leadership. It emphasizes that the lack of full accountability thus far—despite the Syrian government’s condemnation of the violations on July 16, 2025—deepens the wounds and hinders the building of trust among the various Syrian communities.
The Syrian Future Movement strongly condemns attempts to exploit the historical grievances and humanitarian suffering of the people of Suwaida to unilaterally demand Druze secession or autonomy. It considers such calls—as expressed in Hikmat al-Hijri’s recent statements—not representative of the will of the entire Syrian people. Rather, they transform legitimate grievances into a tool for fragmenting national unity and opening the door to foreign interventions that exacerbate divisions.
The Syrian Future Movement bases this condemnation on its official position published in an article titled “Rejecting Hikmat al-Hijri’s Calls for Secession in Suwaida,” dated January 13, 2026. This article explicitly rejects any demand for Suwaida’s complete independence or for Israel to act as its guarantor, warning that such calls threaten the unity of Syrian territory, obstruct the political transition process, and exploit the humanitarian suffering resulting from the clashes and siege for narrow political purposes, instead of seeking comprehensive national solutions that protect the rights of the Druze and all other communities within the framework of a unified Syrian state.
The Syrian Future Movement warns that such calls, if not met with firm national resolve, could lead to regional escalation and a repetition of the tragedies of ethnic conflicts since 2011. It also calls for learning from the experiences of successful transitional states, such as South Africa, where the Truth and Reconciliation Commission documented violations by all parties and promoted reconciliation through balanced accountability and reparations, leading to sustainable growth and reduced tensions.
Similarly, in Chile, holding those responsible for the Pinochet regime’s violations accountable strengthened trust in the state.
Conversely, we warn against repeating failed experiences such as those in Mozambique, where ignoring accountability perpetuated corruption and divisions, or Sierra Leone, where incomplete reparations failed to prevent a resurgence of social and political tensions.
The Syrian Future Movement calls for immediate and transparent measures, including:
- The formation of an independent commission of inquiry, comprising representatives from civil society, international human rights organizations such as the United Nations and Human Rights Watch, and independent legal experts, to complete investigations and publish its reports.
- The impartial prosecution of those responsible for violations on all sides, including leadership positions.
- A comprehensive reform of the security sector, including the integration of armed groups into state authority or their disarmament, and guarantees for the protection of all communities without discrimination.
- The allocation of urgent resources to compensate victims and support displaced persons, while facilitating their safe return and the reconstruction of affected areas.
- The rejection of any calls for secession or sectarian autonomy, a return to inclusive national dialogue, and the guarantee of the Druze community’s cultural and administrative rights within a unified state.
The Syrian Future Movement concludes its statement by calling on the Syrian government and all parties to demonstrate their commitment to protecting all Syrians through concrete steps that prevent the recurrence of such events. It emphasizes that comprehensive accountability, security sector reform, and adherence to national unity are the only way to overcome historical grievances without allowing them to become tools of division.
The Syrian Future Movement also pledges its support for efforts toward genuine justice and reconciliation, so that all Syrians can become partners in building a just, unified, secure, and equitable state.
