According to one article of the 29 January agreement, Kurds, who had been left without identity and deprived of basic rights for a century on the grounds that they were “not Syrians”, would be registered as citizens and their rights restored. For this purpose, offices have been opened in Rojava Kurdistan and registration procedures had begun. However, the attempt by the Syrian Interim Government to define Kurds as “Syrian Arabs” caused strong reactions among Kurdish politicians and the public.
As a result of the reactions from Kurdish officials and the public, the Syrian Interim Government, dominant in the occupied regions such as Afrin, Serêkaniyê, and Girê Spî, was forced to change the population registration decision. Previously, the government had recorded Kurds in civil registries as “Syrian Arabs,” but this decision was canceled after the backlash.
According to the newly adopted official decision, Kurdish citizens will now be registered in civil records not as “Arabs” but simply as “Syrians.” It was stated that this new definition was adopted in order to reduce tensions in the region and respond to Kurdish demands.
Kurdish officials say that attempts at “Arabization” in official records have caused great discomfort within Kurdish society. The retreat of the Syrian Interim Government is said to be the result of political pressure and public reactions.
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