Al-Sharaa: Kurdish Syrian citizens are an essential and intrinsic part of the people

SadaNews - President of Syria, Ahmad al-Sharaa, issued a decree stating that "the state is committed to protecting cultural and linguistic diversity and guarantees the right of Kurdish citizens to revive their heritage and arts."

He added: "Kurdish Syrian citizens are an essential and intrinsic part of the people and an inseparable part of the national identity."

The decree grants "citizenship to all citizens of Kurdish descent residing in Syria" and equalizes their rights and duties. It establishes Nowruz as an official holiday with paid leave across the country.

The new presidential decree affirms that the Kurdish language is a national language, and it is allowed to be taught in public and private schools in areas where Kurds constitute a significant portion of the population, as part of optional curricula or as a cultural educational activity. It annuls all laws and exceptional measures resulting from the 1962 census in Hasakah governorate.

The presidential decree stipulates that "state media and educational institutions must adopt a comprehensive national discourse, and any discrimination or exclusion based on ethnicity or language is legally prohibited. Anyone who incites national sedition will be punished according to existing laws, while ministries and relevant authorities will issue the necessary executive instructions to implement the provisions of this decree." The Syrian president addressed the Kurds before signing the decree, saying: "Do not believe the narrative that we wish harm upon our Kurdish citizens... I urge every Kurd who has been forced to leave their land to return without condition or restriction except to lay down their arms."

Al-Sharaa said in a speech reported by Syrian media: "O our Kurdish people, descendants of Salah al-Din, be cautious not to believe the narrative that we wish harm upon our Kurdish citizens, for by God, whoever harms you is our adversary until the Day of Judgment. Your life is dear to us, and we desire nothing but the welfare of the country and its people, development, reconstruction, and the unity of the country."