MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Amed (Diyarbakır)- 2024’s Newroz will be celebrated in 57 cities and hundreds of places. Newroz celebration will kick off in Elazığ’s Dep (Karakoçan) district, the hometown of Mazlum Doğan, a founding member of the PKK, on March 15 with the motto, “Rabe dema azadî û serkeftinê ye (English: Rise up, it is the time of freedom and victory)”. The final Newroz celebration will take place in Amed on March 21, 2024.

Isolation, hunger strikes, attack policies

After the Newroz declaration was announced yesterday, the first Newroz fire was lit in Amed’s Bismil district. Dancing around the fire, the people chanted the “Long live the resistance in prisons’ slogan. People of Amed wait excitedly for celebrating Newroz on March 21. Amed Newroz, which is attended and followed with great interest by thousands of guests from many countries every year, has been making history for years with its enthusiasm. In an interview with NuJINHA, the members of the Free Women’s Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) said that the people of Amed would celebrate Newroz with the same enthusiasm this year.

‘We will respond to both the trustee and the attacks’

Newroz is very important for the Kurdish people, underlined Dilan Güvenç, a member of the Newroz Preparatory Committee. “The Kurdish people have been flocking to the streets with the same enthusiasm for years. Newroz means the arrival of spring. The arrival of spring grows the existing resistance and struggle even more. This year’s Newroz is very important because of the current process and the upcoming local elections. On March 21, we will respond to both the trustee and the attacks on us.”

‘We will celebrate Newroz with the same enthusiasm’

This year, people will celebrate Newroz and raise their voices against the isolation to support the hunger strikes in prisons. “We always demand a democratic resolution to the Kurdish question. This year, we will demand it again. For eight years, we have faced more oppression and attacks for demanding a democratic resolution to the Kurdish question. Everyone sees and witnesses the oppression in the region today. We want to put an end to all kinds of oppression and intimidation policies against both women and young people. On March 21, we will show that these policies have failed. As women, we will celebrate Newroz with the same enthusiasm. We will show our stance against the increasing attacks.”

‘The fire of Newroz will be lit everywhere’

Nesibe Uygun, another member of the Newroz Preparatory Committee, told us that the fire of Newroz would be lit everywhere until March 21. Calling on all people to participate in the Newroz celebration, she said, “This year, the fire of Newroz will be lit everywhere, in villages, districts and cities. Recently, the Kurdish people have faced more attacks and intimidation policies. We will respond to these policies during Newroz celebrations. We will raise our voices against the attacks on women’s gains, social problems and demand peace. On March 21, we will celebrate Newroz with our enthusiasm, colors and voices.”