Stream readers are privileged. They’re among the few Americans who know about the best hope for freedom in the Middle East. That means religious freedom, rights for women, and a grass-roots, ground-up form of decentralized democracy. It already exists, in the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria.

Christians there aren’t subject to Bashir Assad’s police state, as in the government-held regions of Syria. They don’t face crucifixion, like the Christians who were conquered by the “rebel” jihadists trying to overthrow Assad. Instead, the Christians of the Federation are part of the government. They have their own militias. They’re free to preach the Gospel, and Syrians are free to accept it. The Stream featured footage from a church of Kurdish converts to Christ — who’d face the death penalty in Iran or Saudi Arabia for “apostasy.”

While their Christian brothers in Iraq are disarmed and helpless, these Syrian Christians fought as part of the Syrian Democratic Forces that humbled ISIS. They recently fought against the invasion of Syria by Turkey and its al Qaeda-linked jihadists.

As part of our ongoing coverage of the plight of persecuted Christians, The Stream interviewed a Syrian Christian leader. Sanharib Barsom is Co-President of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria (the Federation). He visited the EU Parliament in Brussels as the guest of Stream columnist Johannes de Jong. Johannes arranged this interview and helped translate it into English.

The Real Situation in Syria

Right now, the West seems focused on the claim that Assad used poison gas in his war against jihadists. By comparison, few look at the well-documented ethnic cleansing by Turkey in Afrin just a few weeks before. Why is that?

Obviously what is happening in Syria today reaches far beyond its borders. Both regional and international interests are involved. Russia aligns with Iran and various Shi’ite groups. The U.S. aligns with Turkey and other Sunni nations.

Throughout our bitter seven-year civil war, many groups in Syria have done their utmost to assert their right to live in peace. The Syrian regime wouldn’t listen. It wouldn’t make concessions. The Democratic Federation of Northern Syria now controls a third of Syria. It offers the best solution for such a divided country. That is, a decentralized federation. Power starts and stays with local governments. Most of the other opposition groups just want to keep Syria centralized, but gain power and impose their views on minorities. They want Sunnis in power instead of Ba’athists or Shi’ites.

The peoples of Syria must coexist. We must respect each other. All groups must have equal rights to freedom of religion. Women can’t be excluded from government. The three major ethnic groups in Syria are Arabs, Syriacs and Kurds. Each of them has found itself face to face with ISIS. We’ve learned the hard way that we can only survive and defeat the terrorists together.

What Syria needs isn’t another bombing campaign, or any military solution. We need a political answer. And we believe that the Federation has the best one. The UN needs to listen to us as Syrians, not take direction from outsiders and foreign governments. The Federation has the right to attend the UN negotiations in Geneva. It’s time they invited us.

Will the U.S. Turn Syria into Another Iraq?

The U.S. sought to plant a tolerant democracy in the Middle East in its invasion of Iraq. That seems to have failed. Is the Federation of Northern Syria an organic version of what America sought?

Turkey doesn’t deserve to be a NATO member.

Indeed it is. We of the (Christian) Syriac Union party had this idea a long time ago. The peoples of Syria must coexist. We must respect each other. All groups must have equal rights to freedom of religion. Women can’t be excluded from government. The three major ethnic groups in Syria are Arabs, Syriacs and Kurds. Each of them has found itself face to face with ISIS. We’ve learned the hard way that we can only survive and defeat the terrorists together.   

Clearly, things didn’t go as America wished or planned in Iraq. Christian groups and the Yezidis suffered most. We certainly hope that the solution for Syria turns out better for everyone. 

Is it realistic to expect religious and political freedom in centralized Middle Eastern states? Or is decentralized, Swiss-style federalism the answer?

You won’t have religious freedom in a centralized democracy. Not in Syria. Look to Switzerland, or Belgium, or other European countries with strong local and weak central governments. That’s the model we need.

Western Christians, Wake Up!

Why do you Western Christians pay so little attention to the suffering of those in the Middle East?

This must be answered by Western Christians. Some Western Christians do pay attention. But maybe they don’t know how to make changes in the Middle East that would protect Christians and other minorities. Some offer humanitarian aid. We’re grateful for that. But if they would support us more politically and militarily, we would have more influence and would suffer less. We could stop asking for help, and take care of ourselves. Maybe each Christian group that plans to send money to the region should first demand a plan. They should ask: How does this empower religious minorities? Put them on the road to self-defense and self-sufficiency?

Is Turkey growing into a threat to Western interests, and the security of Europe?  Does it deserve to be a member of NATO? Of the EU?

Turkey has more or less always been a threat to Europe. Even today, Europe essentially has to pay Turkey not to get too violent. Right now the EU is paying Turkey not to send it still more migrants.

No, Turkey doesn’t deserve to be a NATO member. It is not democratic and doesn’t follow NATO’s principles. The same is true for the European Union. Turkey may have spoiled its chances to join the EU with its support of violent terror groups. There is plenty of proof of that from the recent invasion of Afrin. The Turkish regime has violated international law at least as badly as Assad’s regime did in its use of chemical weapons. And Erdogan’s regime is a threat to peace and stability all across the region.

A Real Peace Plan for Syria

What do you think of the idea of getting Sunni nations to send troops to Syria?

Sunni troops are not a greater or lesser threat to Christian than Shi’ite troops. Syria needs political solutions, not new military incursions. The only outside troops who should enter are UN peacekeepers, but only a real peace agreement that offers a political solution for Syria.

Is it realistic to imagine that Syria can be reconstituted on a federal basis, using the Federation as a model? How could the U.S. realistically promote that?

Yes it is. Nobody believes that Syria will go back to the status quo before the civil war. No one will accept a centralized oppressive regime again. Both the U.S. and Russia are claiming that they don’t want to dictate a political solution in Syria. Each says that the solution must come from within. Well, both Russia and the U.S. are federative systems, like our Federation of Northern Syria. They ought to support our model. 

Donald Trump wants to pull US troops out of Syria. What would the Federation need to defend itself if that happens?

We believe that USA and Russia are likely to stay for long time. They must leave eventually, however. When that happens we need a political solution. One accepted by the majority of the ethnic, religious, and political groups. Our Federation needs good friends in the region. The different minorities of the region must come along and protect each other. The Middle East has for too long been an area where the empowered oppress the weak. This must not continue. 

Of course if Trump withdraws U.S. troops before a political solution is in place, we face great danger from many sides. The Assad regime, Iran, Turkey and the jihadist groups are waiting for their chance. They want to destroy our model for peace. Why? Because we are upsetting the status quo in the region. Our model of government relies not on dominating minorities, but teaching them to work together.