The Yazidi Young Women's Union and the Yazidi Youth Union staged a march with torches in the evening hours of Wednesday in Shengal's Borik commune to celebrate the Newroz festival.

During the march from the Borik Community Council to the municipality building, the Yazidi activists carried posters of Mazlum Doğan, a prominent cadre of the PKK, and Rehşan Demirel, who set her body on fire during a Newroz celebration in İzmir province, and a banner that read "We will stoke the Newroz fire up in the spirit of youth".

The young activists also carried posters of Kurdish leader Öcalan, chanting slogans the resistance of Öcalan, prisoners and Shengal people.

In a speech here, Free Yazidi Women’s Movement (Tevgera Azadiya Jinên Êzidî, TAJÊ) member Tewrê Şengalî, female activists Nahîde Borik and Xezal Reşo wished all a happy Newroz. They stated that the Newroz festival is a reason for their struggle to defy the oppressors, and that this year’s Newroz will lead to the physical freedom of Öcalan. The activists called for participation in the Newroz celebrations to take place on March 21.

Ezîz Cemîl, a member of the Yazidi Youth Union, read out the statement. He stressed that Newroz is a symbol of resistance and freedom for the Kurdish people, and dozens of freedom fighters set their bodies on fire for this cause.  “We will stoke up the flames of the Newroz fire started by Mazlum Doğan and Rehşan all over the world to secure the physical freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, and that of Êzidxan and Kurdistan,” Cemîl said.

After the statement, the young activists started a fire around which they performed the traditional dance govend.