Amman, 11 December 2024
Syria is currently undergoing a critical historical turning point following the fall of a regime that lasted over 50 years, during which the Syrian people endured total suppression of freedoms and a complete absence of democratic practices. This persisted until the outbreak of a popular uprising, for which thousands of civilians paid a heavy price — among them victims, injured, displaced persons, and detainees — culminating in the fall of the regime on the 8th of December.
The three days following the regime’s collapse have exposed the fragility of Syria’s political and security situation, opening the door to grim scenarios that threaten to escalate at any moment due to blatant foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs. Of particular concern is the Israeli occupation government’s evasion of its commitments under the 31 May 1974 Disengagement Agreement with Syria, as it has expanded its occupation, advancing deep into Syrian territory by several dozen kilometers, in blatant disregard of international calls to respect Syria’s territorial sovereignty.
The Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC), while condemning the occupation of Syrian land, calls upon all international civil society institutions — foremost among them the United Nations General Assembly — to uphold the provisions of Security Council Resolution No. 2254 of 2015 and to compel Israeli forces to immediately withdraw from Syrian territory. ATUC also warns that this violation aims to disrupt Syria’s political transition and exploit the current circumstances of the Syrian people to annex territory and destroy strategic infrastructure, particularly university-level educational institutions, through intensive airstrikes conducted outside the framework of international law — the sole legitimate framework for inspecting facilities and assessing their activities.
ATUC further calls for an end to the restrictions imposed on Syrian citizens at airports and border crossings and for the respect of individuals’ right to freedom of movement without subjecting them to collective punishment outside the scope of international justice.
ATUC places its hopes in Syria’s rich cultural heritage and the people’s deep-rooted commitment to peaceful coexistence among its diverse communities, as the foundation for securing a comprehensive democratic and developmental transition in the country — one that respects the economic, social, and civil rights of Syrian workers and their full right to freely elect their representatives. It also calls for the activation of Syria’s commitments to ILO Conventions No. 87 and 98, ratified respectively in 1957 and 1960.
The Arab Trade Union Confederation expresses its full support for Syrian workers in achieving their aspirations and reaffirms its readiness to provide all forms of support to help build a free, democratic, and independent trade union movement in Syria.
Executive Secretary
Hind Benammar
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