Policy Paper: Basic Principles of a Syria Peacebuilding Mechanism Based on DwP
“Peace in Syria will not be born from a conference, but from the ability of society to transform memory into institutions”
Executive Summary:
This paper provides a practical framework for establishing a Syrian peacebuilding mechanism based on the concept of “dealing with the past” as a strategic approach to managing the transition and addressing the structural roots of the conflict. The vision is based on broad consultations in seven Syrian regions, which have shown a national consensus on the need to move from conflict management to sustainable peace building based on truth, justice, reparation, and ensuring non-recurrence.
The paper proposes the establishment of an independent national reconciliation commission to lead non-judicial restorative justice pathways, in parallel and complementarity with national judicial mechanisms, as well as the establishment of a national reconciliation and recovery fund to ensure financial sustainability and compensation for victims and survivors. The mechanism includes Syrian cases and victims that complement the mandate and competence of the Transitional Justice Commission and the National Commission for Missing Persons, and adopts an asymmetric approach that takes into account local specificities within an inclusive national framework.
The mechanism is based on the principles of inclusiveness, victim-centricity, perpetrator accountability, transparency, community ownership, independence and others. These principles are translated into operational recommendations at the local, national and international levels, ensuring gradual applicability in a complex transition environment, where the success of these pathways requires the following Mediators and practitioners must adhere to the principles of impartiality, impartiality, and professional independence, thereby enhancing the credibility of the process and ensuring that reconciliation and justice efforts are managed in a fair and balanced manner that enjoys the trust of victims and communities affected by the conflict.
The paper emphasizes that dealing with the past is not a symbolic choice, but rather a necessity to build a new social contract that restores trust between the state and society on the one hand and between Syrian societies themselves on the other hand, to form a common ground for building a comprehensive national identity guaranteed by a permanent constitution that prevents the recurrence of violations.
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