Newroz celebrations in Diyarbakır

Photos: MA

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The final Newroz fire was lit and celebration held in Diyarbakır today (March 21) with slogans chanted; "Her der Newroz, her dem azadî" (everywhere Newroz, always freedom) and "Towards freedom with the Newroz fire".

This year's Newroz was dedicated to those who lost their lives in the February 6 earthquakes. The stage was therefore decorated in black. 

In the morning hours, the people of Diyarbakır started to walk towards the Newroz square from all parts of the city, wearing traditional Kurdish clothes for the final 2023 Newroz celebrations in the country. 

The Newroz celebration in İstanbul was held on Sunday (March 19). 

There were flags in yellow, red, and green color, and also the flags of the People's Democratic Party (HDP), the Green and Left Party, the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF), and the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) in the Newroz square.  

Nenias was played on the stage and "Jin, jiyan, azadî" (women, life, freedom) was chanted by the crowd. 

More than 200 journalists were present in the Diyarbakır Newroz, 20 of whom were from foreign countries. 

The celebrations started with a moment of silence. 

HDP Diyarbakır co-chairperson Gülistan Atasoy greeted the people in two different dialects of Kurdish. 

Türk: "What a shame on us if we can't call them to account"

Ahmet Türk, the elected Mayor of Mardin Metropolitan Municipality, who was replaced by the Ministry of Interior appointing a trustee, addressed the Diyarbakır Newroz. 

"We are celebrating Newroz in a period when a change, a transformation is inevitable," said Türk. 

He said, "No Kurd has the right to support or to vote for this government," arguing that the current government is always hostile to the Kurdish people. 

Naming Selahattin Demirtaş, Figen Yüksekdağ, and others and saying that many of their precious friends are in prison today, Türk said, "What a shame on us if we are not able to call them to account for all of this."

The Green and Left Party Co-Spokesperson Çiğdem Kılıçgün said that the people here were the dynamics of the Labor and Freedom Alliance.

HDP has set up the Labor and Freedom Alliance with five other political parties and movements with socialist tendencies. 

"Let our Newroz bring a new century when we send the single-man regime away," Kılıçgün said. 

Sancar: "This is a disastrous government"

HDP Co-Chairperson Mithat Sancar also addressed the Newroz celebration: 

"The AKP-MHP government is responsible for this big earthquake to turn into a big disaster," he said. 

Sancar said, "the Labor and Freedom Alliance, the alliances we make with the Kurdish political parties, the alliances with all the oppressed and exploited of this country, and the struggle waged by women and youth will inevitably succeed." 

The Co-Chairperson addressed the crowd saying that they will be sending this government, and changing the order, and they should have no doubt about it. (AÖ/PE)