“Civil Society Spotlight” is a series aiming at highlighting and contextualising the voices of Syrian civil society organizations, activists, journalists, and people who advocate for positive solutions, human rights, democratic values, and social justice.
Founded in 2023, Madaniya Platform includes more than 240 Syrian civil society organisations. It aims to protect and promote civil space and act as a bridge to decision-makers, including governments and the European Union. After the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on 8 December 2024, the platform opened its headquarters in Damascus, where it organises civil and journalistic activities and events. On 27 November 2025, it issued a statement on developments in the Syrian Jazira region (Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Al-Hasakah), calling the transitional phase “a historic opportunity” to develop a comprehensive national project based on justice and citizenship, ending division, and rebuilding the state on democratic foundations. It affirmed that the 10 March Agreement signed between the transitional government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) constitutes the fundamental reference for unifying the country, and called for transparency with Syrian society regarding the progress of negotiations and the involvement of civil society as a mediator.
The Madaniya organisation also called on the SDF to implement the 10 March Agreement, to treat the Syrian issue as a domestic national issue rather than part of a cross-border conflict, and to disengage from any external forces. It called on the transitional government and the SDF to return the management of the energy sector to government institutions and to refrain from politicising education. In particular, it asked the SDF to immediately halt compulsory conscription and the recruitment of children, and to release prisoners of conscience, condemning the SDF's imposition of ideological educational curricula. Ultimately, it encourages both parties to facilitate the voluntary return of displaced persons and refugees: the statement’s conclusion emphasises the importance of combating hate speech and protecting civil society as an essential partner in building peace and restoring trust among Syrians.
The majority of civil society organizations and activists criticised or rejected the Madaniya statement; no welcoming or supportive responses were recorded, according to extensive research conducted by SyriaUntold on social media platforms and organizations’ websites.
The tone of the opinions opposing this statement varied, with some considering it to be selectively politically biased and reflecting a one-sided narrative: this exclusionary vision is far from true partnership and citizenship. Plus, it did not provide a balanced reading of the complexities in north-eastern Syria, accusing those who drafted the statement of being poorly informed about the reality of the region. Dozens of organisations, in a joint statement, called for the statement to be reviewed, withdrawn and an apology issued.
In response to these criticisms, the Madaniya platform responded in an interview with SyriaUntold that the statement was based on two fundamental principles, while at the same time welcoming the criticisms raised.
A common civil position on the statement
In the context of civil society reactions, the Ashna Development Organisation announced on 1 December 2025 that it was temporarily suspending its membership of the Madaniya platform, against the backdrop of the controversy sparked by the statement. They didn’t consult Ashna as a member of Madaniya working in the field in north-eastern Syria, so without its participation in discussing its content, reviewing its draft, or approving it. This mechanism violated the organisational principles stipulated in the platform's internal regulations, which hold the administrative body responsible for issuing statements and require clear procedures that were not followed.
Ashna criticised the timing: it came at a sensitive moment marked by security developments and social and economic tensions in the areas where it operates. The statement seemed detached from the reality on the ground and caused concern among a number of civil society actors there.
Any civil discourse, Ashna concluded, must be based on accurate information, prior coordination and awareness of the impact, rejecting any action that threatens the cohesion of civil society.
Similarly, on 3 December 2025, 47 Syrian organisations active in north-eastern Syria announced a joint position criticising what they described as ‘fundamental problems’ that affect the neutrality of civil discourse and its ethical and professional role at a sensitive stage in the Syrian scene. The organisations, including members of the Madaniya coalition, believed that the statement presented a biased and one-sided political interpretation that would undermine underrepresented communities and fuel dangerous dynamics of hate speech, particularly in areas outside the transitional government's control.
The signatories criticised the legal distinction between ‘displaced persons’ and ‘refugees’, arguing that it disregards international standards and reproduces political narratives that ignore the nature of violations in areas such as Afrin, Sere Kaniye/Ras al-Ayn, and Keri Sapi/Tal Abyad.
They also pointed out the statement's selectivity in describing violations, its focus on north-eastern Syria to the exclusion of other areas, its disregard for the political and international context of the 10 March Agreement, and its omission of existing threats, such as the attacks by ISIS, the crisis in the camps, the targeting of infrastructure and the water crisis caused by Turkey. They stressed the importance of civil platforms committing to neutrality, inclusivity and non-discrimination, and urge to prevent civil statements from being turned into tools for polarisation or political exploitation, as well as promoting dialogue between civil society actors and adopting a responsible human rights discourse.
Criticism from actors and activists
Critical voices and negative comments dominated the reactions of activists from north-eastern Syria. The wording and tone was considered to be ‘purely political’ and not serving the cause of civil action, but rather reinforcing the existing divisions within Syrian society, especially after the fall of the Assad regime, and thus not serving the common interest that Syrians need more than ever.
Activist and journalist Zeina Abdi described it as a discourse of ‘political guardianship and superiority’ under the pretext of calling for dialogue and levelling selective accusations against the Autonomous Administration (AANES) and the SDF. She argued that the statement reproduces exclusionary centralism and falls short of a discourse of national reconciliation, calling for its revision and the adoption of language and terminology appropriate to civil society work.
Sirwan Berko, director of Arta FM radio, wrote that the statement reflects a worrying shift in ‘civility’ from a civil society framework to a political stance closer to the authorities in Damascus, lacking in objective and comprehensive follow-up. It is disappointing that it does not express the aspirations of Syrians for a state based on justice, freedom and equal citizenship, he adds. Berko questioned whether this position reflects a new direction within Madaniya or a limited effort by some of its members, and whether the statement was issued unanimously by its board of directors.
For her part, activist and civil society worker Naz Hami wrote a sharp commentary. She considered the timing of the statement inappropriate and lacking the necessary neutrality in light of the tense atmosphere, division and polarisation within Syria. She pointed out that the statement focused on violations in areas controlled by the SDF and ignored the ongoing violations in areas controlled by the transitional government. Hami called the negotiations an ‘internal issue’, despite international supervision and pressure. Moreover, she criticised the statement's selective use of terms such as “displaced” and ‘refugees’ to describe the population.
Among those opposing the statement were residents of the city of Sere Kaniye/Ras al-Ayn, taken over by Turkey in 2019, along with Syrian armed factions loyal to it, following a military operation against the SDF. Among them was Muhyedin Issou, executive director of the Dar Association for Victims of Forced Displacement, who said that ‘Madaniya’ did not address "the Turkish occupation of the cities of Afrin and Sere Kaniye/ Ras al-Ayn/Keri Sapi/Tal Abyad, nor to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of residents of these cities, as documented by the United Nations". It also ignored the suffering of more than 70,000 displaced persons living in camps that are not internationally recognised and who are denied the right to return to their cities.
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In turn, journalist Sardar Mlla Darwish considered that the statement harms civil society in north-eastern Syria: an attempt by Damascus to monopolise civil support, as it did under the Assad regime. He went on to say that it was courting the Syrian government, a threat to the interests of the region. Darwish finally called on civil society organisations active in north-eastern Syria to take a clear stance against it.
In parallel, Rajaa Al-Talli, one of the founders of the Centre for Civil Society and Democracy (CCSD) in Syria, responded to the statement, emphasising the need for a decentralised democratic system based on equality, human rights and the separation of religion and state, and that civil society participation must guarantee rights and freedoms. She clarified that the statement reflects only the opinion of the majority of Madaniya members, not all organisations or the board of directors.
Madaniya clarifies and welcomes criticism
In response, Madaniya, through its board member Jalal al-Hamad, explained to SyriaUntold that its statement was based on meetings with civil society organisations in the region and after reviewing relevant local and international reports, in an attempt to bring together various ideas.
According to Al-Hamad, the criticism was useful for enriching the debate and highlighting different areas in Syria, stressing that Madaniya welcomed constructive dialogue and encouraged further discussion: the statement did not aim to deny violations but rather to provide a comprehensive and objective reading of the situation, noting that division over the statement was natural, given the current reality in Syria.
He believed that the statement by the 47 organisations contained valid points, especially with regard to ‘displaced persons’ and ‘refugees’, but that its reference to ‘alleged violations’ in north-eastern Syria was inappropriate, emphasising that violations occur in various regions of Syria.
He pointed out that there has been communication and discussions with a number of organisations, both those that signed the statement of the 47 organisations and those that did not. These discussions reflected a convergence of views on the importance of dialogue and respect for differences and managing them constructively, overall a positive development that should be reinforced.
He called for understanding the first ‘Madaniya’ statement in the context of the position post it recently issued, with its comprehensive vision of the current situation and political analysis in the country. The accusations of political bias levelled against it today could be placed in the context of this latest positioning: they had delayed issuing, awaiting the response of the transitional government, to which they had delivered a copy in July.
Al-Hamad explained that any potential agreement between the SDF and the transitional government would form the basis for Syria's new future. They support the platforms for dialogue and negotiation between the two parties as an essential step to avoid a return to conflict, ensure the integration of these areas into the Syrian state, and protect the rights of all Syrians and their components.
List of civil society organisations and key activists mentioned in this article:
Ashna Development Organisation
Zeina Abdi (Activist and journalist)
Sirwan Berko (Director of Arta FM Radio)
Naz Hami (Activist)
Sardar Mlla Darwish (Journalist)
Muhyedin Issou (Executive Director of the Dar Association for Victims of Forced Displacement)
Dar Association for Victims of Forced Displacement
Rajaa Al-Talli (co-founder of the Centre for Civil Society and Democracy in Syria)
Civil Society and Democracy Centre (CCSD)
Jalal Al-Hamad (member of the board of directors of Madaniya)
