Muslim Sheikh Hassan – Kobani
When peoples are deprived of their most basic human rights for long decades, the effects of tyranny do not stop at the borders of politics; they extend to culture, identity, language, and human dignity. This is what Syria has endured for more than five decades under the Ba’ath regime and the Assad family, who ruled the country with a closed security mindset and built their governance on repression, exclusion, and fear. All Syrians have paid the price for these policies, particularly the Kurdish people, who suffered from marginalization, deprivation, and attempts to obliterate their identity, culture, and language.
The racist and chauvinistic policies implemented against the Kurdish people formed one of the most painful chapters in modern Syrian history. Kurds were prevented from practicing their natural cultural rights, and their language was suppressed in schools, institutions, and public spaces to impose a single identity on a multi-national and multi-cultural country. Nevertheless, historical experience has proven that excluding others does not create a stable homeland, and that diversity is not a threat to states, but rather a source of strength and richness if managed with justice and cooperation.
Today, as Syria enters a new phase, a historical responsibility falls upon the transitional government to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. It must work diligently to build a state based on true citizenship, far removed from the mentality of exclusion, repression, and sectarianism that destroyed the country and drowned it in conflict and division. The post-war phase requires an inclusive national discourse that believes all Syrians are partners in the homeland, and that their rights do not conflict with the unity of the state but rather strengthen it.
From this perspective, the use of the Kurdish language in the public sphere and its presence alongside the Arabic language in official institutions and on signage within Kurdish regions does not weaken or diminish the status of the Arabic language. Instead, it demonstrates the state’s respect for its cultural and national diversity. Languages are not tools of conflict, but bridges of communication and understanding between peoples. Recognizing linguistic and cultural diversity is a civilized step that indicates the state’s maturity and self-confidence.
Furthermore, accepting both languages fosters a culture of cooperation and openness. It rebuilds trust among the various Syrian components that were torn apart by long years of Ba’athist policies based on denial and discrimination. Developed nations are measured by their respect for internal diversity, not by their ability to impose a single ideology or identity on everyone.
Syria has paid a heavy price in blood and destruction for the sake of freedom, dignity, and justice. After everything that has happened, it has become clear that no party can exclude the other or monopolize the homeland. The future of Syria can only be built through dialogue, cooperation, and joint action among all its children to end the legacy of repression, corruption, and backwardness, and to open a new chapter based on mutual respect and equality in rights and duties.
Syria—with its history, civilization, and diversity—was and will remain beautiful in all its colors and spectrums. It will not be well until all its citizens feel they are equals in the homeland and partners in its future, and that their dignity and their human and cultural identities are protected.
May 7, 2026
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