RIHA - Adressing the government from Xelfetî, Abdullah Öcalan's hometown, DEM Party Co-chair Tuncer Bakırhan said, "When will you create the conditions for negotiation and living conditions where Mr. Öcalan will work freely? What are you waiting for?" 

 

Newroz was celebrated in Xelfetî (Halfeti) district of Riha (Urfa), the hometown of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. Speaking at the celebration where a poster of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan was unveiled, Tuncer Bakırhan, Co-Chair of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, congratulated the Newroz of Kurds and the peoples of the Middle East.   

 

 

'MR. OCALAN SENDS HIS GREETINGS TO YOU'

 

Stating that Xelfetî is an important place for Kurds' identity and struggle, Tuncer Bakırhan said, "Xelfetî is a very important center for us to live in these lands equally. Kurds existed in Halfeti, they stood up in Halfeti. Kurds are regaining their identity, honor and peace with the struggle initiated by Mr Abdullah Öcalan from Halfeti. We met with Mr Abdullah Öcalan on İmralı Island. Mr Öcalan had many greetings for you. He was congratulation you on Newroz. Mr Öcalan was in good health and in good spirits."

 

Stating that Newroz 2025 will be a year when Kurds will gain their freedom, Tuncer Bakırhan pointed to the call of Kurdish People's Leader Öcalan and said that this call is an invitation to peace and a call for equal coexistence of rights. Bakırhan emphasized that for this reason the call must be embraced. Stating that Abdullah Öcalan's struggle is also the struggle of women, Bakırhan said that women should carry out this struggle like all peoples. Stating that the call will affect all the peoples of the Middle East, Bakırhan said, "After Mr Öcalan's call, an agreement was signed between the Syrian interim administration and the General Commander of the SDF, and this agreement, as Mr. Öcalan said, is the struggle of the Kurds to be a partner in the government." 

 

Bakırhan said that a monist nation-state understanding was imposed on the Middle East in the last century and emphasized that this understanding did not contribute to the Middle East. Bakırhan said, "When Selahaddin Ayyubi established a government in these lands centuries ago, he did not distinguish between Kurds, Alevis, Turks and Sunnis. In Ayyubi's system of governance, there was no other, no marginalized. In this understanding that Selahaddin Ayyubi started centuries ago and that Mr Öcalan continues today, there is brotherhood, there is peace. There is life together."

 

Noting that Abdullah Öcalan's call is an example to the whole world, Bakırhan emphasized that his call is not an end but a beginning and that the struggle must be carried out more strongly. "Nothing ends with this call. With this call everything starts again. Young people, you have a responsibility to organize this call with the spirit of youth again. You have a responsibility to embrace this call. Today we are here with thousands of people, but from now on, together with Turks, Turkmens and Kurds, we will embrace, defend and organize for the most realistic, correct, equitable and just paradigm of the 21st century."

 

CALL TO PARLIAMENT 

 

Emphasizing that the government has not yet taken any steps following Öcalan's call, Bakırhan continued: "When will you create the conditions for negotiation and living conditions where Mr. Öcalan will work freely? What are you waiting for? First, Mr. Öcalan's negotiation and living conditions must be improved. Then the infrastructure must be prepared for Selahattin, Figen, Leyla, Ayşe and thousands of other imprisoned comrades to fight with us here. Again, how will we test the sincerity of the state in the face of this call? We call out to the government that appointed trustees to the Halfeti municipality just yesterday; If you are sincere, reinstate our Kurdish and Turkmen co-chairs who represent the will of Halfeti. First, make the legal arrangements that will allow Kurds and other peoples living in Turkey to live together equally. I am also making a call to the Parliament; Öcalan's call is a historic call. The parliament must play its role in the face of this historic call and convene as soon as possible to make legal arrangements and fulfill the requirements of the call. I greet you all with respect. Our path is long, we have paid a great price, we have fought hard, and now we are in a period that will enable Kurds to have equal rights in a democratic Turkey. I believe we will achieve this."

 

After the speeches, the Newroz fire was lit. The celebration ended with the songs performed by artist Arhat and the halay dance.