Extremist organizations are not part of the Syrian Revolution

A statement of the Political Bureau of the Syrian Democratic Forum

August 3, 2013

Throughout Modern History, several radical extremist organizations have emerged, taking advantage of the lack of development and the loss of hope for better future in a number of countries. These organizations have been used for a variety of purposes by different countries, including the Syrian authorities. Several countries have played roles in supporting, in secret or in public, these organizations and arming them, in addition to creating other extremist groups with opposing doctrines.

The Syrian regime has mobilized some of these organizations to serve its own interest, sometimes in Lebanon and others in Iraq. Then, it has proceeded to divert the Syrian Revolution toward violence and sectarianism and forced it to beg foreign powers for support, as a reaction to the regime’s brutality and its insistence on its military and intrusive security approach. This resulted in the deviation of the revolution from its original peaceful and civic goals, making the final choice appears to be between maintaining the existing regime and the take over by the extremist organizations.

These organizations have grown in Syria because of the loss of hope in any political solution, as well as a result of the support that they received from certain foreign countries that have intended, specifically, to settle scores with the Syrian authorities. Thus, foreign fighters have come to Syria, and a number of Syrians have joined the ranks of these organizations as a reaction to living in humiliation and indignity. The regime, in its turn, has relied on fighters from other sects. This situation has contributed to dragging the country into civil war, fueled by the presence of Syrian and foreign fighters on both sides.

These extremist organizations have taken control of some of the country's resources and imposed on Syrians certain ways of life that are divergent from their social norms and tolerant Islam.  Furthermore, they turned against the free Syrian army and assassinated some its leaders to maintain their gains. Plus, pushed by foreign countries, they attacked Syrian Kurds causing further fragmentation within the Syrian people ranks.

We, in the Syrian Democratic Forum, facing this situation that threatens the future of Syria, call on all political and military forces of the opposition to take a clear position toward these extremist groups, whatever the price; otherwise, the revolution, even the country, will go into utter destructiveness. We, also, call for an immediate cease-fire by all parties to save the country and its unity.  Plus, we call upon all the foreign forces that have come to fight in Syria to withdraw from the country immediately.

The Syrian Revolution has started to bring about freedom, equality and democracy, not to impose any specific-group views by the force of arms.

Long live the revolution of freedom and dignity; long live Syria as a country of equality for all its citizens.

The Political Bureau of the Syrian Democratic Forum