Thousands of people have attended a celebration of the 66th birthday of Abdullah Öcalan in Kandil.

In speeches at the celebration attention was drawn to the major role of Öcalan in the gains of the Kurds and women.

The celebration was organised by RJAK (Free Women's Organisation of Kurdistan) and attended by people from all four parts of Kurdistan.

The celebration began with a minute's silence for those who have fallen in the struggle, following which Xelat Agirî spoke on behalf of the organising committee, saying: "We celebrate 4 April, our day of rebirth, the birthday of leader Apo, the architect of democracy and freedom. The birth of leader Apo marks the emergence of free Kurds."

'He showed the way to women'

A written message from RJAK was read out, saying that the leader had shown women the way forward, and that society could not be free without the liberation of women. "If today Kurdish women can determine their own destiny it is due to the great struggle created by Leader Apo," the message concluded."

Speeches were followed by performances by musical groups, including the Koma Sonya Qendil Children's Group, Zübeyir Biradostî, Zikrî Zirek, Rizgar Mistafa, Koma Penaber a Maxmur, Dilo Doğan, Hamit Diyana and Mistafa Serdeştî. People shouted slogans such as "Long live President Apo" and "North, South and East, Apo is the President of the country."

Öcalan's books on sale

Books of Abdullah Öcalan attracted great interest at the celebration and hundreds of signatures were collected for Zeynep Jalalyan, who is being held in an Iranian prison and has serious health problems, by KJAR (Komalên Jinên Azadê Rojhilet).