Follow up on the implementation of the Previous Agreement in al-Waer, Homs

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Country/entity: Syria
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Follow up on the implementation of the Previous Agreement in al-Waer, Homs
Date: 31 Aug 2016
Agreement status: Unilateral document
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/local conflict
Syrian Conflicts (1948 - ) (1976 - 2005) (2011 - )
The agreements relate to three different conflict contexts. Israel-Syria and Syria-Lebanon. The Syrian-Israeli conflict was a key factor for the Syrian intervention during the Lebanese Civil War, with Syrian-backed Palestinian Liberation Army units intervened in 1976 against the Palestinian/Leftist militias. Following a massacre at Tel al-Zaatar that year, Syria was forced to accept a ceasefire at a meeting of the Arab League. However, the Arab League also mandated an Arab Deterrence Force, consisting of mostly Syrian soldiers with token contributions from other Arab League states, thus further legitimizing the Syrian presence in Lebanon. During a second bout of fighting that began in 1989, caused by the formation of rival Lebanese regimes in East and West Beirut, the Syrian-backed regime won and in 1991 the ‘Treaty of Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination’ was signed to legalize the Syrian occupation as a means to ensure the security of Syria. Syrian forces were forced to withdraw in 2005 following possible involvement in the assassination of Lebanon’s President Hariri.

Syria-internal. In 2011, domestic upheaval following a wave of protests across the Arab World soon led to violent repression of protestors by Syrian government troops. The violence progressed steadily and by July 2011 the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was formed consisting of defected military units and new recruits. The FSA and rebel umbrella group known as the Syrian National Council represented the first attempt at coordinating rebel factions in late 2011. However, a steady influx of foreign fighters and increased sectarianism radicalised opposition groups, which relied on foreign funding. The nature of the conflict changed drastically in late 2013 as infighting among the opposition groups increased. One of the more significant developments was the split between the al-Qaeda outfits the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS), and Jabhat al-Nusra in early 2014 in addition to the intensified targeting of other rebel factions by ISIS fighters in particular, including the Kurdish Peshmerga, the FSA and other jihadist outfits. Since the summer of 2014, the conflict was further internationalized when ISIS announced the formation of an Islamic state eroding the state line between Iraq and Syria and also in mid-2015 when Russian forces intervened on behalf of the Bashar al-Assad government in Damascus.
Stage: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Intra-Syrian Process (state/non-state)
Parties: Syrian government
Third parties: -
Description: Ceasefire agreement in return for the withdrawal of opposition fighters from al-Waer, Damascus. Agreement calls for goods to enter into the neighbourhood; prisoner release; the entrance of police and Syrian regime security into the neighbourhood to re-open the office of population record and environment; allow civilians to return home; and the withdrawal of opposition fighters with their families and light weapons in four rounds.

Agreement document: SY_160831_Follow up on the implementation of the Previous Agr. in al-Waer_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): SY_160831_Follow up on the implementation of the Previous Agr. in al-Waer_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: Groups→Refugees/displaced persons→Substantive
Page 1, 8-The fighters will withdraw from the seventh Jazeera and eighth Jazeera, and representatives from State Security and the police will enter in order to receive the two neighbourhoods in order to oversee the restoration of operations at the Justice Palace. Later, they will restore operations to the offices of population records and the environment, located near the palace. Civilians may return to their homes after all fighters have left.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: Page 1, 2-The first group of fighters with at least 300 fighters who do not want amnesty and who do not want to stay will leave from the neighbourhood of al-Wa’er with their light weaponry and families.

Page 1, 4-The second group of at least 500 fighters who do not want to stay will be released with their light weaponry and families.

Page 1, 6-The third group at least 300 fighters who do not want to stay will be released with their light weaponry and families.

Page 1, 9-The last group of fighters who do not want to stay will leave with their light weaponry and families.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: Page 1, 8-The fighters will withdraw from the seventh Jazeera and eighth Jazeera, and representatives from State Security and the police will enter in order to receive the two neighbourhoods in order to oversee the restoration of operations at the Justice Palace. Later, they will restore operations to the offices of population records and the environment, located near the palace. Civilians may return to their homes after all fighters have left.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: Page 1, 1-The road will be allowed to open in order for the materials (vegetables, fruit, water, electricity, bread) to enter through the Technical Department (Shu’un al-Faniyya) Checkpoint. The entrance point to the al-Wa’er neighbourhood from the Muhadiseen Roundabout will be opened. According to the previous agreement those who desire, will be granted amnesty.

Page 1, 2-The first group of fighters with at least 300 fighters who do not want amnesty and who do not want to stay will leave from the neighbourhood of al-Wa’er with their light weaponry and families.

Page 1, 4-The second group of at least 500 fighters who do not want to stay will be released with their light weaponry and families.

Page 1, 6-The third group at least 300 fighters who do not want to stay will be released with their light weaponry and families.

Page 1, 9-The last group of fighters who do not want to stay will leave with their light weaponry and families.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→General commitments
Page 1, Preamble

The final response to the proposal must be provided by both sides in the 24 hours up to 3pm on Wednesday on the date corresponding to 21/8/2016 to a complete ceasefire with continuation should the proposal is approved.
Police: Page 1, 8-The fighters will withdraw from the seventh Jazeera and eighth Jazeera, and representatives from State Security and the police will enter in order to receive the two neighbourhoods in order to oversee the restoration of operations at the Justice Palace. Later, they will restore operations to the offices of population records and the environment, located near the palace. Civilians may return to their homes after all fighters have left.

Page 1, 10-Security [forces], the police and engineering units will enter the neighbourhood of al-Wa’er in order to take necessary steps and measures at entry and exit points.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: Page 1, 2-The first group of fighters with at least 300 fighters who do not want amnesty and who do not want to stay will leave from the neighbourhood of al-Wa’er with their light weaponry and families.

Page 1, 4-The second group of at least 500 fighters who do not want to stay will be released with their light weaponry and families.

Page 1, 6-The third group at least 300 fighters who do not want to stay will be released with their light weaponry and families.

Page 1, 8-The fighters will withdraw from the seventh Jazeera and eighth Jazeera, and representatives from State Security and the police will enter in order to receive the two neighbourhoods in order to oversee the restoration of operations at the Justice Palace. Later, they will restore operations to the offices of population records and the environment, located near the palace. Civilians may return to their homes after all fighters have left.

Page 1, 9-The last group of fighters who do not want to stay will leave with their light weaponry and families.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: Transitional justice→Amnesty/pardon→Amnesty/pardon proper
Page 1, 1-The road will be allowed to open in order for the materials (vegetables, fruit, water, electricity, bread) to enter through the Technical Department (Shu’un al-Faniyya) Checkpoint. The entrance point to the al-Wa’er neighbourhood from the Muhadiseen Roundabout will be opened. According to the previous agreement those who desire, will be granted amnesty.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: Page 1, 3-The 140-200 detainees of the General Security Directorate will be released. This was agreed upon previously.

Page 1, 5-The status of half the detainees and missing persons will be clarified according to the previous agreement.

Page 1, 7-The of detainees mentioned in Point 5 will be released after meeting with the Director of the General Intelligence Department.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: Page 1, 5-The status of half the detainees and missing persons will be clarified according to the previous agreement.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Orient News, ‘Orient Reveals the points of the agreement between the community of al- Waer and the regime’, August 31, 2016, http://bit.ly/2C0o5lI

Follow up on the implementation of the Previous Agreement on the Neighbourhood of al-Waer

The final response to the proposal must be provided by both sides in the 24 hours up to 3pm on Wednesday on the date corresponding to 21/8/2016 to a complete ceasefire with continuation should the proposal is approved.

The proposal:

1-The road will be allowed to open in order for the materials (vegetables, fruit, water, electricity, bread) to enter through the Technical Department (Shu’un al-Faniyya) Checkpoint.

The entrance point to the al-Wa’er neighbourhood from the Muhadiseen Roundabout will be opened.

According to the previous agreement those who desire, will be granted amnesty.

2-The first group of fighters with at least 300 fighters who do not want amnesty and who do not want to stay will leave from the neighbourhood of al-Wa’er with their light weaponry and families.

3-The 140-200 detainees of the General Security Directorate will be released.

This was agreed upon previously.

4-The second group of at least 500 fighters who do not want to stay will be released with their light weaponry and families.

5-The status of half the detainees and missing persons will be clarified according to the previous agreement.

6-The third group at least 300 fighters who do not want to stay will be released with their light weaponry and families.

7-The of detainees mentioned in Point 5 will be released after meeting with the Director of the General Intelligence Department.

8-The fighters will withdraw from the seventh Jazeera and eighth Jazeera, and representatives from State Security and the police will enter in order to receive the two neighbourhoods in order to oversee the restoration of operations at the Justice Palace.

Later, they will restore operations to the offices of population records and the environment, located near the palace.

Civilians may return to their homes after all fighters have left.

9-The last group of fighters who do not want to stay will leave with their light weaponry and families.