WCA Representative Asks UN-led Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva to Recognize Aramaic

Yesterday, on 1 November 2019, Ms. Hala Naoum Néhmé presented an oral statement in Geneva to the Syrian Constitutional Committee under auspieces of the United Nations. As recently announced, Ms. Néhmé is one of the five candidates proposed by WCA to the UN for a committee consisting of 150 eligible members who will be tasked with drafting a new constitution for Syria. Here we share the English translation of the speech given in Arabic, but both versions can be downloaded below.

UN Geneva | Syrian Constitutional Committee
Statement at the opening session
Friday, 1 November 2019 
Ms. Hala Naoum Néhmé

Thank you. 

I would like to begin by taking a minute to reflect on the meaning of the constitution from the legal, social, and even the literature perspective.

From the legal perspective, we can say that the constitution has three functions:

1. Representing the rule of law;
2. Establishing a governmental framework for its executive work;
3. Establishing legal methods to excercise state authority. 

At the same time, safeguarding all citizens from the state’s authority by various means, as such, this authority is neither unlimited nor indefinite.

From the social perspective: the constitution is considered a unifying charter among all spectrums and members of the society, it also determines the members of the society, and who is eligible to belong to the society and how. As such, everyone who is considered a citizen to the state would sense the ownership of the constitution, this document is not only for them but for me, you, and all of us.

From the literature perspective: the constitution is like a novel, a novel of a homeland, a novel that carries intense and vast meanings. And when we read it, we feel “we are at home,” as it is said colloquially, for the main characters in this novel are us. Therefore it is important that the national identity is inclusive to all members of the society and focuses on the commonality among all of them since the dawn of Syria, which of course dates back thousands of years and which has contributed to the rise of Syria that is rich in people, civilizations and languages that are considered the most prominent in this world.

Hala with Mr. Geir Pedersen (UN Special Envoy for Syria) and
his Deputy Ms. Khawla Mohammed Ali Matar at the UN Office in Geneva

Honored Chairmen, Distinguished UN Special Envoy Mr. Pedersen:

In order for all Syrians, men and women, to feel that the new constitution is theirs and recognizes their existence and rights, it is vital to focus on three essential points:

1. The notion of separating state from religion (secularism): a secular state is like a mother who embraces all her children without any discrimination and recognizes their existence individually, preserves their rights and takes pride of their ethnic, cultural and religious history, and tries to benefit by all means from the fact that it is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. That fact can be used to strengthen the society and state, for we are our past and our past is our present and future. So the religious diversity in the Syrian society has to be reflected in the constitution.  Therefore, specifying one religion as the source for national identity, legislation or identity of the president, cannot be considered inclusive for all Syrians. With that being said, specifying the religious identity of the president in the constitution,  excludes the talents and competencies from being the main factor of importance, making one religion as the primary factor for candidacy. 

2. The point of religious pluralism and ethnic and cultural diversity must be reflected in the new constitution. And I, as a representative of the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs), am proud to propose the idea of recognizing the Aramaic/Syriac language as an official language in the Republic of Syria. This is in order to confirm that its history is ancient and dates back thousands of years. Our language is even mentioned in the Bible when the Arameans/Syrians were among the first peoples to live in this land and they had a large part in the formation of Syria’s name as a derivative from Syrians.

3. Drafting and respecting the rule of law: whatever is our religion, sect and origin, the law is one and the same for all of us. Therefore it should be enforced equally in all circumstances, avoiding the existence of first and second class citizens.

Thank you for listening. 

Download this statement (PDF) in Arabic or English.

Translated by: Elias Hanna Mascoby from Jerusalem