This is a never-before-seen scene in Umayyad Square in central Damascus. In Syria, more than ten days after the fall of the capital into the hands of a coalition led by radical Islamists, several hundred people demonstrated on Thursday, December 19 to ask the new regime to respect the rights of women and minorities.
Like the others, Rita brandished her fist towards the sky. She is 21 years old, with big brown eyes that sparkle, it's the first manifestation of her life. “I told my friends that I was afraid. I didn't want to come! We're not used to this kind of gathering. But one group must not govern.”
“We have to show our presence so that there is a future for us.”
Rita, protester at Damasat franceinfo
Rita the Christian fears the Islamist orientations of the future government. And it’s the same for Youssef, 24 years old. He is originally from Qamishli, on Kurdish land. He wants his people to have a full place in the new Syria. “Half of the Kurds are not recognized as Syrian citizens, they were considered second-class citizens. Besides we say 'the Syrian Arab Republic', it should be 'the Syrian Republic', which includes everyone. If the Islamists dominate, they could deprive us of our rights. Impose the wearing of the hijab, for example. However, among the Kurds, 90% of women are not veiled. !”
The rebels may assure that they will respect ethnic and religious minorities, but the demonstrators want to see it written in black and white. “We want something lasting, argues Lama Hassaniye, professor at the University of Damascus and journalist. I don't have much confidence, I'm afraid. Religion is for God. But here, the land is for everyone, for all Syrians. We don't want a democracy tomorrow, that's not it. We know that even if there are elections now or in six months, it is the Islamists who will be there. But we are Syrians, we have the same rights, period.”
“We want a Syria unified by rights, by the Constitution, not by words.”
Lama Hassaniyeat franceinfo
Other demonstrations are already planned in the capital and in the provinces to put pressure on the new masters of the country.
A demonstration in Damascus for respect for the rights of women and minorities: report by Isabelle Labeyrie and Fabien Gosset
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