CounterVortex

Hundreds demonstrated Aug. 16 in the southern Syrian city of Suwayda, pressing for the “self-determination” of the Druze people. Protesters demanded full independence from Syria, dismissing ideas of federalism or autonomy as inadequate. Speakers asserted that statehood is needed to guarantee their security, citing last month’s episode of violence as evidence that inter-ethnic coexistence under one state is no longer a viable solution.

The protest, the largest since the outbreak of fighting in Suwayda last month, came as Syria faces a difficult transition from the Assad regime, with rising ethnic tensions and continued instability nearly across the country. In the July fighting in Suwayda, hundreds of people were killed in clashes between Druze militias, Bedouin tribes, and Syrian government forces. There were also widespread support of summary executions of civilians.

Under Article 1(2) of the UN Charter, the self-determination of peoples is a foundational principle. This right, however, has long been perceived as at odds with the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. Article 2(4) of the charter, for example, stipulates that members shall “refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity” of any other state.

The 2010 International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on Kosovo further added to the debate, with the court holding that Kosovo’s “unilateral declaration of independence did not violate international law,” given that such declarations are not explicitly prohibited. Yet, the ICJ left the question of the right of secession unresolved, finding that such a right ought to be assessed based on the specific circumstances.

The Druze are an Arabic-speaking minority numbering around one million people, half of whom are in Syria, and most of the remainder in Lebanon and Israel. Complicating the situation is that Israel is posing itself as the protector of the Syrian Druze. Amid the July fighting, Israel launched air-strikes on Syria, saying that the Druze were threatened by government-affiliated forces.

From JURIST, Aug. 17. Used with permission. Internal links added.