NCF Meeting with Abdulrazzak Tammo

On the evening of the 5th March, the Next Century Foundation

hosted a working group with Abdulrazzaq Tammo. Abdelrazzak Tammo (like his late brother), is a prominent member of the Syrian political group known as the Kurdish Future Movement. Note that Mr Meshaal Tammo was the prominent Kurdish leader assassinated on 7th October 2011 in Qamishli, Syria.

The Kurdish Future Movement is the only opposition political group of significance representing any of the many Syrian minorities that comprise of 40% of Syria's population to join the controversial Syrian National Council. They have been with the SNC from the outset.

The Kurdish future movement see themselves as representing the Kurdish political current in Syria. From their establishment they have called for regime change in Syria and view themselves as part of the revolution from its outset.

The Kurdish Future Movement call for the protection of civilians in Syria and also for the support of the Free Syrian Army. They also want the formation of an interim committee to ensure a regime change. This committee should compromise of all factions of Syrian society. This is to pave the way for democratic elections in Syria.

The Kurdish Future Movement also calls for the dissolution of the security services. Their view is that the security services power should be brought under the umbrella of the Interior Ministry while also guaranteeing that no Syrian should be above the law. The Syrian Army should also be isolated from politics and should serve the Syrian people and not those in power.

They view the Kurdish Syrian Council as more an amalgamation of political parties than actually representing the Syrian people. They see themselves as part of the Kurdish movement for "all people." They aspire for a unified national party and see the establishment of a Kurdish council ineffective. They also see themselves as politically different from other groups that are represented in the council. The Kurdish Future Movement have consistently called regime change whereas other Kurdish groups have only made their position on this issue clear recently.