Please wait while we prepare your experience
n the first anniversary of the March massacres against Alawites, the Western Syria Alliance (WSA) addresses the Alawite Diaspora Conference in Frankfurt, calling for unity, accountability, and international action to protect vulnerable communities in Syria.
Date
March 28, 2026
Location
Frankfurt, Germany
Ladies and gentlemen,
Friends and colleagues, distinguished attendees,
Today we gather on the first anniversary of the March massacres carried out by the jihadist extremist de facto authority in Syria, an anniversary I had hoped would have remained only a memory of the past.
Unfortunately, it remains an ongoing reality. These massacres did not begin on March 7; they began the moment the previous regime collapsed. They reached their bloody peak on March 7, 8, and 9, and they continue to this day. While they may no longer occur at the same intensity, they persist under different labels, including what are often described as "isolated incidents."
Today we meet while the lives of our people on the coast remain exposed to killing at any moment, and while their freedoms and movements continue to be systematically violated.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Friends and colleagues, distinguished attendees,
Today we gather on the first anniversary of the March massacres carried out by the jihadist extremist de facto authority in Syria, an anniversary I had hoped would have remained only a memory of the past.
Unfortunately, it remains an ongoing reality. These massacres did not begin on March 7; they began the moment the previous regime collapsed. They reached their bloody peak on March 7, 8, and 9, and they continue to this day. While they may no longer occur at the same intensity, they persist under different labels, including what are often described as "isolated incidents."
Today we meet while the lives of our people on the coast remain exposed to killing at any moment, and while their freedoms and movements continue to be systematically violated.
Our gathering today is not merely a commemoration of a human tragedy. It is a moment of conscience, an opportunity to unite our voice, strengthen our ranks, set aside all secondary disputes, and consolidate our efforts.
Only one year ago, the villages of the Syrian coast witnessed tragic events that shook the conscience of all who followed them with honesty. Within just a few days, dozens of villages were subjected to organized attacks that led to the killing of large numbers of civilians, the disappearance of others, and the displacement of thousands of families from their homes.
Independent international human rights organizations have documented these events and confirmed that a significant portion of the victims were killed because of their religious identity. Such acts rise to the level of crimes against humanity.
The Alawite community in Syria is not a recent phenomenon in the region''s history. It is a deeply rooted community in the Levant with centuries of cultural, social, and religious contributions.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The protection of minorities is not a matter concerning one community alone. It is a true measure of the international community''s commitment to the values it claims to defend.
