RİHA - Amara marchers commemorated '33 dream travellers' who were massacred in Pirsûs in 2015 in a suicide bomb attack by ISIS. Then they set off for Xelfetî where the 4 April Festival was organised.

 

The march organised by the Youth Assembly of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party with the slogan "We are walking to freedom with a democratic society" continues in Pirsûs (Suruç) district of Riha (Urfa). The youth gathered in front of DEM Party Pirsûs District Organisation and marched towards Amara Cultural Centre with the slogans "Bijî Serok Apo (Long live Leader Apo)", "Bê Serok jiyan nabe (Without Leader there is no life)". While the slogans, cheers and applause did not stop along the way, the tradesmen of the district supported the youth with victory signs, applause and slogans. Vehicles honked their horns and greeted the marchers.

 

The march ended at the Amara Cultural Centre where 33 young people were killed in an ISIS bomb attack on 20 July 2015. A statement was made in front of the centre.

 

MASS MARCH

 

Entering the cultural centre with the slogan "Şehid namirin (Martyrs won't die)", the youth stood in silence and recited the anthem "Çerxa şoreşê". Speaking afterwards, Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) Youth Assembly member Özgür Garipsaz said that socialist and international youth coming to Pirsûs were targeted by paramilitary groups.

 

Garipsaz said, "Young people came here in 2014 to embrace the system built in Kobani with Abdullah Öcalan's paradigm. They came here with the call of the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF). Attacks on SGDF are still continuing today. Our friends are on hunger strike in prisons against these attacks."

 

Youth Communes member Doğukan Mağol stated that Turkey was trying to provoke both international solidarity and the solution process with the Pirsûs massacre and said, "The state continues its provocation in Tishreen today. We call out to the state from here, give up this provocation. As in 2014, the struggle continues today in Zap and Tishreen."

 

'THE PROCESS MUST BE APPROACHED SERIOUSLY'

 

Aynur Yılmaz, a member of the Peace Mothers Assembly, reminded that young people who wanted peace were massacred by ISIS and said that peace processes should be approached seriously.

 

After the speeches, the names of the massacred people were read and "here" was said. The march ended with the placing of carnations at the place where the massacre took place.

 

After the demonstration, the young people set off for Xelfetî, where the 4 April Festival was organised.