The Kurdish New Year, Newroz on 21 March, is celebrated today in 23 cities across Turkey and North Kurdistan under the motto “Her der Newroz, her dem azadî” (Everywhere Newroz, Every Moment Freedom) and “To Freedom with Newroz Fire”.

Newroz this year pays tribute to the tens of thousands of people who lost their lives in the two earthquakes that hit Kurdistan, Turkey and Syria on 6 February while at the same time reiterating the demand for freedom of Abdullah Öcalan.

The Newroz celebrations this year are organised by the DTK (Democratic Society Congress), HDK (Peoples’ Democratic Congress), TJA (Free Women’s Movement), DBP (Democratic Regions Party), HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) and the Green Left Party.

The Newroz event in Istanbul was held in Yenikapı Square with the participation of thousands of people who had left different boroughs of Istanbul since the early hours of the morning despite the torrential rain. The Newroz fire was lit by members of the Peace Mothers Council.

ENCÜ: THE PEOPLES WILL OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT

Taking the stage and speaking in Kurdish, HDP Istanbul provincial branch co-chair Ferhat Encü wished a happy Newroz to “the children of Kawa”, saying: “I salute you all for your stance. We, in millions, will call those who seek to close the HDP to account. You cannot stop this struggle through arrests, arbitrary measures and closures of parties. The people of Istanbul are ready for elections. The Kurds and other peoples will overthrow the AKP-MHP government.”

The Newroz Declaration of the Labour, Peace and Democracy Forces in Istanbul was read afterwards, saying: “Newroz is the new day, the new life. It is the day of struggle and rebellion against the one-man regime and the capitalist and rent-seeking order. We want to live in this country as honorable citizens. We want to live equally, freely and together. We will fight together with determination against the system that puts our people and freedom under restraint and seeks to suppress us through investigations, prisons, torture and massacres. We will never take a step back. We will fight together to achieve a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish question, to ensure the freedom of peoples, to build a democratic country, to achieve social justice, and to stop unemployment and exploitation. We will build a new life on a new day together.”

BULDAN: WE WILL WIN THE ELECTIONS AND BUILD OUR OWN FUTURE

HDP Co-chair Pervin Buldan said this year’s Newroz is not marked by enthusiasm but anger and pain over those who died in the earthquake and remained under the rubble.

Referring to the upcoming elections on 14 May, Buldan stated: “Everyone should know that the AKP and its junior ally, MHP, are ruling this country for the last time. There is little time left. 14 May is a significant opportunity for us. At the same time, it will be a milestone. The AKP and MHP will see how great the peoples of Turkey are, how strong-willed the Kurds are, and how women and youth have the power to change the course of the country. Democracy is written in squares, as is peace. We will declare justice and freedom at the ballot box on 14 May.”

Speaking about the government’s threats against the Kurds and other peoples in the country, Buldan pointed out that they would not allow an election campaign marked by threats and insults. “Kurds, Turks, Armenians, Syriacs and all beliefs, identities and colours will go to the ballot box hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder on 14 May to change the country and build a new life. We will win the elections and build our own future.”

Buldan continued: “This war does not need a war, but social peace. Kurds need education in their mother tongue. While this could be achieved by a rationalist domestic and foreign policy, our resources are spent on war. We reject this. The peoples of Turkey reject war and isolation. They demand the immediate lifting of the isolation imposed on Mr. Öcalan, which is actually directed against the entire country rather than Imrali alone.”

Buldan appealed to women, saying: “We promise you that we will put all laws that concern women into force after 14 May. We will reenact the Istanbul Convention and build an order where women are not murdered anymore.”

Appealing to the young people, the HDP co-chair said: “The future is yours. We will build it together. On 14 May, we entrust the ballot boxes to the youths who should allow no cheats to take place. We will win, together with women, the youth and the peoples of Turkey.”

Buldan sent her greetings to her fellow party members in prisons, including Selahattin Demirtaş, Selçuk Mızraklı, Figen Yüksekdağ, Gültan Kışanak and Sebahat Tuncel. We will celebrate Newroz with them next year. Nobody should doubt it. The future is ours.”

Speaking after, the Green Left Party co-chair İbrahim Akın said that they were mourning on one hand, and trying to build a new life with the resistance of Newroz on the other. “In the world, in Turkey and in the Middle East, the cruel rulers try to suppress our search for freedom, resistance and struggle. But they are wrong. The traditions of Kawa the Blacksmith are continued today. We appeal to them; you will never succeed. You will never defeat us. The seed in these lands will be revived and we will prevail against you.”

Referring to the earthquake disaster and its bitter consequences, Akın said: “As we have seen for ourselves in the aftermath of the earthquake, none of the problems in the country will be resolved as long as this regime is maintained. They promise nothing other than lies, profit and pillaging. Our people asking ‘Where is the state?’ are confronted by the security forces of the state. Rest assured, we will send this government away on 14 May.”

Remarking that attacks against the HDP continue, Akın continued: “They have appointed trustees to our municipalities in an attempt to destroy our will. They have taken our friends prisoners. We salute all of them and promise them that they will obtain their freedom after 14 May. We will drive this government away and build a new democratic and ecological republic. HDP is not alone. Should it be closed, the Green Left Party will undertake its historic mission. We will triumph together.”