Unifying a Nation: The Syrian National Coordination Body – A Beacon of Internal Opposition
The National Coordination Body: A Syrian Opposition Coalition
The National Coordination Body is an opposition political coalition that emerged in response to the Syrian revolution in March 2011. It has played a significant role in the country’s political landscape, participating in various conferences and negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict.
History of the National Coordinating Organization
Efforts to form a national coordination body began on March 25, 2011, with the aim of finding a political consensus among opposition parties and establishing a common framework for action. Non-partisan opposition figures took the initiative, liaising with opposition parties to develop the initiative and create a reliable opposition political formation.
A committee was formed, which laid down five main foundations for the future coordinating body:
- Creating a political compass for popular movements.
- Blocking the regime and preventing opposition parties from exploiting their differences.
- Mitigating unilateral practices of independent initiatives and opposition.
- Reassuring the Syrian street about the possibility of forming a political bloc capable of managing a transitional phase.
- Sending a message to the regional and international community that there is an interim, temporary, and credible alternative to the Syrian regime.
The National Coordination Body was formed on June 25, 2011, and its formation was announced at a press conference in the Syrian capital on June 30, 2011.
Purpose
According to the commission’s website, its primary objectives are:
- Release of political prisoners and prisoners.
- Allowing peaceful protests.
- Withdrawal of the army from cities.
- Lifting the emergency.
- Prosecution of those responsible for violence.
The founding declaration also called for a national conference to form an interim government and institute reforms, including:
- A new constitution and equal civil rights.
- Freedom of Association and Union Action.
- Rights of National Minorities.
- Popular reconciliation and compensation for victims.
- Reconstruction and rehabilitation of state institutions.
Body Material
The organization includes the following groups and organizations:
- Arab Democratic Socialist Union Party.
- Arab Socialist Movement.
- Democratic Bath Party.
- Communist Labor Party.
- Syrian Communist Party-Political Bureau (Coordination Committee).
- Social Democratic Party.
- National Anti-Zionist Society.
- Syrian Current for Construction and Renovation.
- Independent statistics (Syrian Memory website).
Logo
The logo of the National Coordination Committee is a diamond-shaped geometric shape, colored red and black, with two green stars in the middle, similar to the colors of the Syrian flag.
Administrative Structure
The administrative structure of the authority consists of different levels that start the decision-making process, which is the highest authority in the authority, and it is composed of the members of the branch leaders of the governorate, as well as representatives of political parties and organizations and representatives of popular movements.
The task of the National Council is to elect a Central Council which, between two sessions of the Council, elects an Executive Office which is the public spokesperson of the Office’s main authority and its official representative in all forums.
Office of the National Coordination Organization outside Syria
The authority established an office outside Syria in September 2011 and called it the “National Coordination Authority of the Diaspora”, and its administrative structure was similar to that of the main branch.
High Negotiating Committee
One of the outcomes of the Riyadh 1 conference was the formation of the High Negotiations Committee from among the opposition parties, which aims to oversee direct negotiations with the Syrian government under the auspices of the United Nations.
National Coordination Body-Movement for Democratic Change
After the Riyadh 1 conference, the results of the conference and the performance of the High Negotiations Commission during negotiations with the regime led to disagreements among the members of the National Coordinating Body and resulted in the resignation of one of its members, Munthar Khaddam.