Syrian Democratic People's Party
Encyclopedia
The Syrian Democratic People's Party (until 2005 the Syrian Communist Party (Political Bureau), also known as the Syrian Communist Party (Riyad al-Turk)) is a left-wing, democratic opposition party in Syria
that is banned by the Syrian government.
, beginning in the late 1960s with disagreements over Arab nationalism
and the authoritarian leadership of Khaled Bakdash. Radicals around Riyad al-Turk
criticized Bakdash and asked for internal party democracy, as well as a more favorable view towards Arab nationalism and pan-Arabism. They later objected to the Bakdash leadership's decision to join the pro-government National Progressive Front
(NPF) in 1972. Essentially the choice facing the Communists then was to submit to the leadership of the Ba'th Party in the NPF, which brought a variety of restrictions, or attempt to function outside the law. The old leadership of the party under Bakdash chose the former option; the more left-wing elements followed Riad al-Turk into opposition, finalizing the split in the party. Turk's faction took the name SCP (Political Bureau), but was also known by the name of its leader, as SCP (Turk).
and Palestinian
rebels, caused a firm break in relations. The SCP (Political Bureau) publicly and strongly condemned the intervention, provoking a crackdown from the government of Hafez al-Assad
. The party then engaged in active opposition to the regime, and in 1979 participated in the creation of the National Democratic Grouping (NDG), with four other leftist and nationalist opposition parties; it also, while itself renouncing violence, advocated dialogue with the Muslim Brotherhood
and other Sunni Islamists, who were then engaged in an armed uprising against the government. This led to a harsh campaign of political repression, culminating in 1980 with the arrest of al-Turk and numerous other party members. Turk was not released until 1998, and became known as one of Syria's most prominent prisoners-of-conscience.
, a brief period of intense political and social debate that flourished in the second half of 2000 and in 2001. Riyad al-Turk was arrested as the government stamped out most of this activity in the autumn of 2001, when he outraged the regime's sensibilities by remarking on television that "the dictator has died", in reference to Hafiz al-Asad. He was imprisoned, but later released following international pressure.
In 2005, the party held a clandestine conference at which it adopted new rules and changed its name to the Syrian Democratic People's Party, signalling its adoption of democratic socialism as its ideology, rather than its previous Soviet-style marxism-leninism; since the early 1980s, it had been highly focused on democracy issues, and the 2005 conference essentially formalized a development long in being.
Today, the SDPP is one Syria's largest in-country opposition factions, but these are all believed to be very small. However, the SDPP benefits from the considerable prestige of Riyad al-Turk, who, despite resigning as party leader in 2005, remains its most well-known face. The party has remained a member in the NDG, and it has also been very prominent in the Damascus Declaration
, a more broadly based oppositional manifesto-turned-coalition begun in 2005.
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
that is banned by the Syrian government.
Origins and split from the SCP
The party was formed from a split in the Syrian Communist PartySyrian Communist Party
The Syrian Communist Party was a political party in Syria, founded in 1944. It became a member of the National Progressive Front in 1972...
, beginning in the late 1960s with disagreements over Arab nationalism
Arab nationalism
Arab nationalism is a nationalist ideology celebrating the glories of Arab civilization, the language and literature of the Arabs, calling for rejuvenation and political union in the Arab world...
and the authoritarian leadership of Khaled Bakdash. Radicals around Riyad al-Turk
Riyad al-Turk
Riyad al-Turk is a prominent Syrian opposition leader, former political prisoner for about 20 years in Syria, and supporter of democracy, who has been called "the Old Man of Syrian opposition." He was secretary general of the Syrian Communist Party since its foundation in 1973 until 2005...
criticized Bakdash and asked for internal party democracy, as well as a more favorable view towards Arab nationalism and pan-Arabism. They later objected to the Bakdash leadership's decision to join the pro-government National Progressive Front
National Progressive Front
The National Progressive Front , established in 1972, is a coalition of political parties in Syria that support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept the "leading role in society" of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party, .The Front was established by Syrian...
(NPF) in 1972. Essentially the choice facing the Communists then was to submit to the leadership of the Ba'th Party in the NPF, which brought a variety of restrictions, or attempt to function outside the law. The old leadership of the party under Bakdash chose the former option; the more left-wing elements followed Riad al-Turk into opposition, finalizing the split in the party. Turk's faction took the name SCP (Political Bureau), but was also known by the name of its leader, as SCP (Turk).
In opposition
The party was able to operate reasonably effectively at first, although it was never very large, and for some time it negotiated over conditions of joining the NPF. However, Syria's intervention on the side of the Maronite militias and the Lebanese government against Arab nationalist and leftist LebaneseLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
rebels, caused a firm break in relations. The SCP (Political Bureau) publicly and strongly condemned the intervention, provoking a crackdown from the government of Hafez al-Assad
Hafez al-Assad
Hafez ibn 'Ali ibn Sulayman al-Assad or more commonly Hafez al-Assad was the President of Syria for three decades. Assad's rule consolidated the power of the central government after decades of coups and counter-coups, such as Operation Wappen in 1957 conducted by the Eisenhower administration and...
. The party then engaged in active opposition to the regime, and in 1979 participated in the creation of the National Democratic Grouping (NDG), with four other leftist and nationalist opposition parties; it also, while itself renouncing violence, advocated dialogue with the Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
and other Sunni Islamists, who were then engaged in an armed uprising against the government. This led to a harsh campaign of political repression, culminating in 1980 with the arrest of al-Turk and numerous other party members. Turk was not released until 1998, and became known as one of Syria's most prominent prisoners-of-conscience.
After the death of Hafiz al-Asad
The party benefitted from the decreased political repression of the last two years of Hafiz al-Asad's rule and after his death, its members were very active in the Damascus SpringDamascus Spring
The Damascus Spring was a period of intense political and social debate in Syria which started after the death of President Hafiz al-Asad in June 2000 and continued to some degree until autumn 2001, when most of the activities associated with it were suppressed by the government.- Background...
, a brief period of intense political and social debate that flourished in the second half of 2000 and in 2001. Riyad al-Turk was arrested as the government stamped out most of this activity in the autumn of 2001, when he outraged the regime's sensibilities by remarking on television that "the dictator has died", in reference to Hafiz al-Asad. He was imprisoned, but later released following international pressure.
In 2005, the party held a clandestine conference at which it adopted new rules and changed its name to the Syrian Democratic People's Party, signalling its adoption of democratic socialism as its ideology, rather than its previous Soviet-style marxism-leninism; since the early 1980s, it had been highly focused on democracy issues, and the 2005 conference essentially formalized a development long in being.
Today, the SDPP is one Syria's largest in-country opposition factions, but these are all believed to be very small. However, the SDPP benefits from the considerable prestige of Riyad al-Turk, who, despite resigning as party leader in 2005, remains its most well-known face. The party has remained a member in the NDG, and it has also been very prominent in the Damascus Declaration
Damascus Declaration
The Damascus Declaration was a statement of unity by Syrian opposition figures issued in October 2005. It criticized the Syrian government regime as `authoritarian, totalitarian and cliquish,` and called for `peaceful, gradual,` reform `founded on accord, and based on dialogue and recognition of...
, a more broadly based oppositional manifesto-turned-coalition begun in 2005.