
Syria: Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) – A statement for the public opinion (03.07.2021)






“BREAKING Ethiopia & Somalia sign a trade agreement that would see Mogadishu export fish to Addis . Ethiopia in return will import Khat. Somalia’s Minister of Fisheries Bidhan & Addis envoy Abdifatah Hassan signed the deal on Sunday” (Dalsan TV, 20.06.2021).
The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) have secured a deal to trade fish, which seems like a good deal. However, it falls flat when it gets Khat in return. If you don’t know what Khat is, I will take a paragraph from the U.S. Department of Justice – National Drug Intelligence Center, which describes it as:
“Khat (Catha edulis) is a flowering shrub native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The term khat refers to the leaves and young shoots of Catha edulis. The plant has been widely used since the thirteenth century as a recreational drug by the indigenous people of East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Middle East. Individuals chew khat leaves because of their stimulant and euphoric effects, which are similar to, but less intense than, those resulting from the abuse of cocaine or methamphetamine” (U.S. Department of Justice – Khat – Fast Fact, 01.01.2011).
Should we be worried? That this will ensure the continued usage and destroy people’s lives? That they get sedated and gets the side-effects of its usage. This shows the priorities of the state. As they value the ability to trade and buy khat. Than do other things the state should do.
They are importing a substance, which is harmful and dangerous. Yes, it has been used in the region historically. Still, the state is directly supporting it. They are letting the Ethiopian traders earn fortunes on fish in Ethiopia. While selling narcotic leaves. That says a lot. Both governments are legitimizing this trade.
This trade has been going on for years. There been informal trading between Somali merchants and Ethiopian and Kenyan counterparts. This is making it formal and legalizing it. They are trading fish for khat. Which in itself is a trade-off and an exchange of goods. However, that doesn’t make it look good for the administration in Mogadishu.
Mogadishu is accepting and is willing to buy khat for its public. They are willing to sell and contribute to the usage of it. That should worry people. Because, of the side-effects and the dangers of the usage. That’s what the Ministry of Health and the addiction of it.
We should worry about the youths and older generations who is chewing khat. They will be used and become damaged by this. The state is clearly wanting this effect and they are promoting it.
So, now the government is fishing for khat. That says it all about their priorities and what they are willing to do. They are no issues and does this for cheap popularity. Nevertheless, the state should worry about the long-term effects and how this can destroy livelihoods. As people will get addicted to it and hurt communities. That is clearly what this government will do.
They save the fishermen to make people addicted to khat. That is such a fairytale of doom. Peace.

At a time when all Syrians were awaiting with great interest and concern the summit meetings that were announced earlier between the presidents of the United States and Russia on the one hand, and the presidents of United States and Turkey on the other, especially since it was expected that the Syrian file would be strongly present in these important meetings, and the Syrians hoped that these meetings would resolve the crisis, calm the conflict, and set a path for a political solution with international guarantees to protect the Syrians, achieve their social security, protect their rights, and establish a democratic system, a modern constitution and a good political life. The leaders of the so-called “National Coalition” did not take the initiative to anticipate these important meetings with any action that contributes to achieve the hopes and aspirations of the Syrian people for peace, freedom and stability. Rather, they brazenly called on their operators to occupy more Syrian territories, and to displace more Syrians, within the framework of a project that became clear to all that It does not present any national agenda for Syria, and the role of the “coalition” in it plays the role of the criminal wage-earner used by the occupiers, and this role entrusted to a group of Syrians has become a real danger to the future of Syria.
The Turkish regime intends to maintain chaos in the Syrian areas which are under its control with the aim of holding the Syrian Democratic Forces responsibility, and obstructing their main mission of fighting terrorist organizations and their renewed cells, and Turkey aims to get permission to occupy more Syrian territories by Syrian mercenaries who don’t belong to the Syrian patriotism and don’t want the political solution and peace that we seek, and the one homeland for which we sacrifice.
The criminals of the “coalition” have worked at all levels of decadence until they have fallen to the bottom, and have brazenly expressed their severe bankruptcy with the approach of the meeting between “Biden – Erdogan” and they began to abuse the Syrian democratic project by tampering with the security of civilians, and their goal was to distort the heroism of the Syrian Democratic Forces, as their crime came by targeting a hospital in Afrin and perpetrating a massacre against innocent civilians, because their hateful media accelerated their accusation to the “SDF” in conjunction with the demands of the representatives of the “coalition” for their employers to occupy more Syrian territories, and the performance was ridiculous within a silly play and a bad plan that did not deceive anyone, especially since the whole people around the world know who are the killers of innocent civilians, and who are the olive thieves and stole the people’s property and those who settled the settlers in the homes of the displaced people, and who are the perpetrators of the daily crimes that are legitimized by those who claim the opposition including the spies of the regime and the agents of the Turks, who have no goal but to hinder the revolution of the Syrian people and stir up hatred and racism among the components of one people who lived a decade in a state obscurity. Now, the Syrian people are able to understand the reality of these people who are spies and realize their base goals.
While the Syrian Democratic Council has mercy on the souls of the martyrs and wishes a speedy recovery for the wounded, the members of the SDC work hard to activate dialogues with the various patriotic Syrians and do their best in serving the cause of the Syrian people and expelling the occupiers from their territories. The council follows up the file of crimes committed by the coalition factions in their various areas of presence, and works to end all their crimes that are carried out under a political cover that provides them with protection and support.
We are as members of the Syrian Democratic Council, strongly reject the crime of Afrin hospital to pass without accountability, and we refuse to turn the innocent blood of the Syrian people into a device in which it is used to strengthen the positions of the occupiers in their negotiations with the major countries, and while we condemn the shameful behavior of a group of what is known as “The coalition”, we demand the United Nations and the Security Council not to close the file of the terrorist crime committed by these criminals against innocents and to separate this file from the political discussions taking place among the parties, and also we demand the formation of a special and impartial international committee to investigate this crime, reveal the responsible parties, bring the perpetrators to justice and show the truth to become accessible to the Syrian people.
June 18, 2021
Syrian Democratic Council




