The Assyrian Democratic Organization is a Christian ethnic nationalist party. It calls for the safeguard of the existence of the Assyrian people and the realization of legitimate nationalistic aspirations.

Major Figures

Gabriel Moushe Gawrieh: president
Abdelahad Steifo: member of the Syrian National Council’s Executive Committee

Background

The Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO) was established in Syria in 1957 and is the largest Assyrian political organization in the country. It was among the organizing members of the Damascus Declaration in 2005, a joint statement by a group of opposition forces and political figures calling for democracy and pluralism. The ADO was marginalized by the Syrian Democratic People’s Party, led by Riad al-Turk, and the London-based Sunni Islamist group the Movement for Justice and Development during the competition that took place over leadership of the Damascus Declaration coalition in the 2007–2009 period. It was among the founders of the Syrian National Council in October 2011 and at that time had six members of out of a total of 273. The ADO also has a representative on the council’s Executive Committee.

Platform

Policy Toward the Crisis

• Calls for external military intervention
• Calls for arming the opposition
• Rejects dialogue with the regime
• Supports the Annan peace plan

Political Objectives

• The creation of a constitution that is based on the values of democracy, secularism, equal citizenship, and the recognition of national and religious diversity in the context of national unity
• The formation of free political parties and the establishment of an election law that allows free participation and representation of minorities
• Discontinuation of the emergency laws and the abrogation of exceptional laws and courts
• Constitutional recognition of the Assyrian Chaldean Syriac people as a national community
• Establishment of productive services and the boosting of all levels of development in the Hasaka governorate

Foreign Policy Issues

• Aims to create stronger links between diasporas and the “Syrian motherland” by encouraging diaspora communities to engage in the development and defense of their national issues