A group of Syrian political and human rights figures from inside and outside Syria announced the establishment of a new political entity called the “National Bloc.” The bloc aims to promote political participation and build a pluralistic, democratic Syria based on equal citizenship. The bloc is scheduled to be officially announced today, Wednesday, in a video statement outlining its objectives and a “code of honor.”
One of the founders, who requested anonymity, told Al-Nahar newspaper: “The National Bloc will be transcending sects, regions, religions, and ethnicities, and will represent Syria in all its diversity.” He added that “the establishment came after a long process of deliberations spanning months.”
The human rights bloc is expected to be headed by Dr. Haitham Manna, known for his opposition to the former and current Assad regimes, along with other prominent figures such as Tariq al-Ahmad, Ramia Ibrahim, Nasser al-Ghazali, and Francis Tannous, as well as tribal leaders from northern and eastern Syria.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the bloc adopts the principles of modern decentralization as an option to overcome “fragmentation” and build a state capable of managing diversity.
Sources within the bloc confirmed that its activities will be purely political, far from any military approach, in light of the challenges of current developments, including the attempts of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to consolidate a centralized system of government.
Sources explained that the name “National Bloc” is inspired by a similar political experience during the French Mandate period, where a bloc of the same name played a prominent role in the national struggle. The announcement is expected to be followed by media coverage explaining the bloc’s composition, its orientations toward the Syrian crisis, and the paths to exit from it.
This announcement comes two weeks after the establishment of the “Political Council for Central and Western Syria,” which raised the slogan of federalism and refused to recognize the current government, reflecting ongoing efforts to form new political initiatives in the Syrian arena.
شخصيات سورية تطلق “الكتلة الوطنية” لتعزيز الديمقراطية والتعددية واللامركزية الحديثة