Syrian National Council
Encyclopedia
The Syrian National Council (al-Majlis al-Waṭani al-Suri) or SNC is a Syrian opposition coalition created during the 2011 Syrian uprising
against the government of Bashar al-Assad
.
broke out, Syrian protesters began consolidating numerous opposition councils.
The SNC's formation was announced in the city of Istanbul, Turkey on 23 August 2011 and its intended purpose is to "represent the concerns and demands of the Syrian people". Yaser Tabbara
, a spokesman for the council, said the membership of the council would include 115 to 120 members from all Syrian opposition groups, including the now defunct National Council of Syria. It has so far unveiled the names of 71 members, mostly in exile. On 2 October 2011, the council formally declared its organizational affiliations and structure, to include a General Assembly, a General Secretariat and an Executive Board of 6-7 people, not yet named.
has served as its most prominent spokesperson and was named in September 2011 as chair of the council.
The SNC is supported by the exiled Syrian wing of the Muslim Brotherhood
, the Damascus Declaration
's exile wing, the Assyrian Democratic Organization
, some Kurd
ish dissidents, as well as by several independent Syrian dissidents and the Local Coordination Committees, a group involved in advertising and coordinating demonstrations. Most members are based in exile, although the council seeks to attract support from inside the country, and says it wants to preserve the anonymity of supporters in Syria. The SNC itself claims to represent approximately 60 percent of the Syrian opposition. The SNC's formation has met with mixed reactions and some criticism from the other main Syrian opposition coalition, the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change
, which comprises mostly secular leftist and nationalist groups, independent dissidents, and some Kurdish parties, all of them largely based inside Syria. The only Kurdish party from inside Syria to have declared itself an affiliate of the SNC is the Kurdish Future Movement Party
under the leadership of Mashaal Tammo
, who was assassinated shortly after the announcement in the northeastern city of Qamishli
.
, Spain
, and Libya
have stated that they recognize the Syrian National Council, though several others have welcomed its formation. The Egypt
ian opposition group National Democratic Alliance for Egypt
has also recognized the council as Syria's legitimate representative. The council itself has asked for international recognition, but denies that it seeks to play the role of a government-in-exile.
2011 Syrian uprising
The 2011 Syrian uprising is an ongoing internal conflict occurring in Syria. Protests started on 26 January 2011, and escalated into an uprising by 15 March 2011...
against the government of Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
.
Background
The National Council of Syria was originally formed in 2005 to protest against the Assad regime. When the Arab SpringArab Spring
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
broke out, Syrian protesters began consolidating numerous opposition councils.
The SNC's formation was announced in the city of Istanbul, Turkey on 23 August 2011 and its intended purpose is to "represent the concerns and demands of the Syrian people". Yaser Tabbara
Yaser Tabbara
Yaser Tabbara is Executive Director of the Syrian American Council, and is an international human rights attorney, and an advocate of Arab and Muslim American rights. He has long played a role in Syrian politics and has been working to bring educational reforms to Syria...
, a spokesman for the council, said the membership of the council would include 115 to 120 members from all Syrian opposition groups, including the now defunct National Council of Syria. It has so far unveiled the names of 71 members, mostly in exile. On 2 October 2011, the council formally declared its organizational affiliations and structure, to include a General Assembly, a General Secretariat and an Executive Board of 6-7 people, not yet named.
Membership
Paris-based Syrian academic Burhan GhaliounBurhan Ghalioun
Dr. Burhan Ghalioun , is a Syrian-French political scientist and a professor of political sociology at the Université de Paris III Sorbonne University in Paris., and the chairman of the Syrian opposition Transitional National Council...
has served as its most prominent spokesperson and was named in September 2011 as chair of the council.
The SNC is supported by the exiled Syrian wing of 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...
, 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...
's exile wing, the Assyrian Democratic Organization
Assyrian Democratic Organization
Assyrian Democratic Organization , also known as Mtakasto, founded in Syria in 1957, is the largest Assyrian political organization in Syria and Europe...
, some Kurd
Kürd
Kürd or Kyurd or Kyurt may refer to:*Kürd Eldarbəyli, Azerbaijan*Kürd Mahrızlı, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Goychay, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Jalilabad, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Qabala, Azerbaijan*Qurdbayram, Azerbaijan...
ish dissidents, as well as by several independent Syrian dissidents and the Local Coordination Committees, a group involved in advertising and coordinating demonstrations. Most members are based in exile, although the council seeks to attract support from inside the country, and says it wants to preserve the anonymity of supporters in Syria. The SNC itself claims to represent approximately 60 percent of the Syrian opposition. The SNC's formation has met with mixed reactions and some criticism from the other main Syrian opposition coalition, the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change
National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change
National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change is a Syrian opposition bloc chaired by Hussein Abdel Azim consisting of 13 left-leaning political parties and independent political activists including 3 Kurdish political parties and youth activists operating within Syria and abroad...
, which comprises mostly secular leftist and nationalist groups, independent dissidents, and some Kurdish parties, all of them largely based inside Syria. The only Kurdish party from inside Syria to have declared itself an affiliate of the SNC is the Kurdish Future Movement Party
Kurds in Syria
Kurds are the largest ethnic minority in Syria making up 10% of the country's population. Most of them are Sunni Muslims; there are also Yazidi and Yarsan Kurds in Syria and small numbers of Christians and Alawis. They face routine discrimination and harassment by the Syrian...
under the leadership of Mashaal Tammo
Mashaal Tammo
Mashaal Tammo, also Mash'al Tammo was a Syrian politician and activist who championed the interests of the Kurdish minority....
, who was assassinated shortly after the announcement in the northeastern city of Qamishli
Qamishli
Qamishli is a city in north eastern Syria on the border with Turkey, adjoining the Turkish city of Nusaybin, and close to Iraq. It is part of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, and is the administrative capital of the Al Qamishli District within the governorate....
.
Support and recognition
Only three UN member states, FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
have stated that they recognize the Syrian National Council, though several others have welcomed its formation. The Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian opposition group National Democratic Alliance for Egypt
National Democratic Alliance for Egypt
National Democratic Alliance for Egypt, or Democratic Alliance is a coalition of political parties in Egypt formed in the wake of the 2011 Revolution...
has also recognized the council as Syria's legitimate representative. The council itself has asked for international recognition, but denies that it seeks to play the role of a government-in-exile.
| Rank | Entity | Date/Status of recognition Diplomatic recognition Diplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government in control of a state... |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Libya |
Recognised on 19 October 2011 (as legitimate authority) |
"The National Transitional Council has decided after a meeting today to recognise the Syrian National Council as the sole legitimate government in Syria," NTC member Mussa al-Koni said on 10 October. Koni also announced the closure of the Syrian Embassy in Tripoli. On 19 October, the NTC formally announced its recognition of the SNC as Syria's "legitimate authority". The NTC promised the representatives of SNC to hand them over the embassy of Syria in Tripoli Tripoli Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three... . The Libyan NTC also announced that it had been in talks with the Syrian National Council and was considering supplying weapons and volunteer fighters of the National Liberation Army to the Free Syrian Army Free Syrian Army The Free Syrian Army is the main opposition army group in Syria. It is composed of defected Syrian Armed Forces personnel, who have been active during the 2011 Syrian uprising... . |
| 2 |  Early Modern France |
Recognised on 21 November 2011 (as partner for dialogue) |
"The Syrian National Council is the legitimate interlocutor with which we will continue to work," French foreign minister Alain Juppe Alain Juppé Alain Marie Juppé is a French politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He also served as Prime Minister of France from 1995 to 1997 under President Jacques Chirac and the Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs from 2010 to 2011... stated on November 21, 2011. |
| 3 |  Spain |
Recognised on 23 November 2011 (as partner for dialogue) |
Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jiménez Trinidad Jiménez Trinidad Jiménez García-Herrera is a Spanish Socialist Workers' Party politician and is currently Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister.... confirmed that the Spanish government will look to SNC to discuss issues concerning Syria, and that the channels of dialogue with the Syrian regime have been closed. Jiménez said "Spain support for the SNC as the main interlocutor of the Syrian people, who are seeking freedom and democracy". |
See also
- Arab SpringArab SpringThe Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
- National Council for the Forces of the Peaceful Revolution (Yemen)
- National Transitional CouncilNational Transitional CouncilThe National Transitional Council of Libya , sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, the Interim National Council, or the Libyan National Council,...
(Libya)