Newroz celebration was held in Sêwereg (Siverek) district of Riha (Urfa) with the slogans "Rêbertiya Azad Civaka Demokratîk (Free Leader, Demokratik Society)" and "Democratic Society Newroz for Freedom". The area where the celebration was held with the participation of thousands of people was decorated with red, yellow and green flags of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party. Citizens who entered the area in their traditional costumes danced halay for a long time to the music played.

 

Participants called for embracing the call made by Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan on 27 February. During the celebration, slogans such as "Bijî Serok Apo (Long live Leader Apo)", "Search in the mountains, Apoists everywhere" and "PKK is the people, the people are here" were frequently chanted.

 

Adalet Çay, a member of the Peace Mothers Assembly, congratulated Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan on Newroz and said, "Today is our holiday. We will be the winners. We, peace mothers, want this war to end. From here we send greetings to Imrali and Leader Apo."

 

DEM Party Dêrsim (Tunceli) MP Ayten Kordu congratulated the Newroz in Kirmanckî (Zazaki) dialect of Kurdish and said, "We will celebrate our Newroz in our mother tongue. A policy of denial was implemented for a hundred years. Peoples were denied. But we have come to these days with struggle."

 

Ayten Kordu reminded that a family was massacred in Barkh Botan village of Kobani with Turkey's drone attack. "A family was massacred in Kobanê yesterday. We condemn the massacre," she said. 

 

Reminding Abdullah Öcalan's historic call on 27 February, Ayden Kordu said, "We will embrace this call until the end. We, as women, will embrace Mr Öcalan's call. It is our responsibility to build peace and a democratic society."

 

DEM Party Amed (Diyarbakır) MP Serhat Eren also reminded the call of Abdullah Öcalan. He said, "We will embrace this call. The government must respond to this historic call and utilise this opportunity well. The conditions for the peoples to live together must be provided as soon as possible. Mr Öcalan must be provided with free working conditions to play his role."

 

After the speeches, the Newroz fire was lit with the slogans "Bijî Serok Apo" led by the Peace Mothers. Young people jumped over the fire and made wishes for a long time.

 

The celebration ended with a halay accompanied by Kurdish songs sung by Koma Perwer and Bekir Altay.