Women in As-Suwayda’s Dignity Square

By: Malena Zid, activist in the peaceful movement in Suwayda.

Full of determination, women entered the arena of activism, playing various roles, making their voices heard and earning recognition for their significant contributions. With a firm commitment to the peaceful continuation of their action, as peace is vital for continuity, and with a loud voice that is well heard, women declared their stance in the revolution or the uprising, call it whatever you wish. There is no turning back for us, we have started, and whoever wants to join, the demonstration squares are open to everyone.

This day, unlike the previous occasions, was the day that all waited for, August 17th, 2023. Every day, the number and diversity of women joining the action increased: workers, farmers, doctors, teachers, nurses, artists, journalists, homemakers, religious leaders, students, poets, writers, leaders, and organisers for this action. They all actively participated in every detail of this movement, and their opinions were respected by everyone.

The participation of women was not restricted to their presence in the squares of Al-Karamah, an Arabic word meaning dignity, but they took an essential part in the discussions held with the international missions. These sessions focused on the demands of the movement, which we declared from the first day of the movement: our demand is freedom, the implementation of Resolution 2254, a peaceful transition of power, and the overthrow of the authoritarian oppressive system.

The uprising was not only against the tyrannical dictator but also against the whole system of oppression. Women’s initiatives have never been absent from the scene. We started with an initiative called "Who represents our movement?" It was agreed that a woman would carry a mirror on the top of which there was a piece of paper which read "Representative of the Movement". She walked among the protesters, so that everyone saw themselves as the representative of the movement.

Then came the initiative "Our wheat is from our fields, and our bread is from our bakeries." It was a response and a pre-emptive measure against the regime’s old trick of discrediting the movement by accusing activists of working for external organisations and receiving external funding. In this initiative, male and female protesters shared loaves of bread. At the same time another initiative of “traditional dresses for women in As-Suwayda” was also introduced.

One of the initiatives that had a significant political, social, and humanitarian impact was the initiative for the release of the detainees and the forcibly disappeared. It was held on 10 November 2023, coinciding with the International Court of Justice’s session held to prosecute the regime in The Hague. In this initiative, 700 pictures of those detained and disappeared were displayed in Al-Karamah Square in As-Swuayda, as well as in the surrounding villages of Salkhad and Shahba. Women played a crucial role in preparing the photos, printing and obtaining data about these people’s names and information.

Women were present in dialogue sessions held in As-Suwayda guest houses and countryside alongside men. They also took part in meetings held by religious leaders (sheikhs).

They also had a share in writing, designing, and formulating the slogans that are used in the square. They kept an eye on the banners and removed those that did not serve the movement and its national goal. They were also behind some remarkable revolutionary songs taken from folklore of southern Syria. The women wrote the lyrics for the movement’s songs and sang them. Women were the writers and the singers, and their voices resonated with the songs proudly. 

When asked about her participation in the movement, one courageous woman said that from the very first day, she immersed herself in the movement when participants in general were timid and anxious, especially women. However, deep within her, she had a different feeling. “It’s a strange uprising, have you ever seen in the history of nations an uprising similar to this?” she said. When asked what was unusual about the uprising, she responded: “In this uprising, men whom we used to fear approaching or walking past, are now our companions on the path to freedom. They are raising the social status of women with every move they make." Then, she whispered, “I know their views about women are stereotypical, but I am certain they are willing to die for the dignity of our women.”

She then went silent, like she was recalling something, took a deep breath, and continued, “This revolution has taught us a lot, and our people have high moral values. We may make some mistakes, but we learn, progress, and keep taking leaps in the right direction.”

About the role of women in this movement she said, “Women! Women had the major role. ” She asserted that, hypothetically, if women withdrew from this movement, the movement would turn into chaos or civil war. This was a fact both men and women agreed on.

Certain women are key players in the movement as their moral compass for love and peace is sensitive and accurate. They considered themselves like safety valves for everyone and appointed themselves as protectors of the movement, and their actions proved them right.

They were springs of love and were loved by everyone. They worked at all levels and in a balanced manner. They were the ones who took initiative and tried to get engaged in political work as a link between all sides.

This movement presented Syrians in their most positive light as humane, honest, civilised and peaceful. It showcased their ability to be creative with unlimited horizons when they were given the opportunity. This appeared clear through the initiatives that the world saw and the role that everyone played to unite our message, despite all the attempts of the illegal regime to divide the demonstrators by all means apart from actual violence.

When women were asked whether they were worried that violence could be used against protesters in As-Suwayda, they laughed in disapproval and said, how would this criminal regime pretend to protect minorities if it used violence against them?

Despite all its brutality, this failed regime would not do this in As-Suwayda. Although I have a strong feeling that it wished to do so.

One barrel bomb would have been enough to annihilate the movement and even the whole city of As-Suwayda. The regime’s history says that it could do so. But if violence was used against Suwayda, the regime would expose itself and its historical lie that it was the protector of minorities. Therefore, we are not afraid. However, there is something more dangerous and more deadly, which is the sowing of dissent and spreading poisonous messages by inciting people of the same country against each other to divide the society. This is what we fear, and this is what we fight against. Our revolution is complex. On our side we are working horizontally to thwart voices with agendas that threaten the peacefulness and patriotism of the movement.

By: Malena Zid, activist in the peaceful movement in Suwayda.