Amed (Diyarbakır)- The Free Women’s Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) held a rally at Istasyon Square of Amed on Saturday with the motto, “We Rise against Femicide, We March towards Freedom”. Women of Amed gathered at the square, chanting, “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî (English: Women, Life, Freedom)” slogan.

Women wearing their Kurdish traditional dresses danced halay, ululated and often chanted slogans such as “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî”, “Bê Serok Jiyan nabe (English: No life without the leader)” and “Biji Serok Apo (English: Long Live Leader Apo)” while celebrating their day at the square.

‘We will defend an honorable peace’

Serra Bucak, Co-mayor of the Amed Metropolitan Municipality, made a speech at the rally, recalling the call of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan on February 27. “It was a call saying that we are very close to peace. We are here in Amed, in Batman and Mardin to turn this call into peace. We will chant this call for peace all together. We will never give up on our lives and our rights. We will defend an honorable peace.”

‘Are you ready to build a bridge of peace?’

Kurdish politician Gültan Kışanak also made a speech at the celebration. She drew attention to the call for peace by Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and said, “In Imrali, Mr. Öcalan made a call against the imposed war. Are you ready to build a bridge of peace from here to Imrali and Ankara? This call is a call to all of us, to the state, to the government, to democratic politics, to society, to the Kurds, to the Turks and to the people of the Middle East. It is a call to us, women. We all must do our part for peace. We call on Ankara to lift the isolation imposed in Imrali. Mr. Öcalan will lead us to the future as the architect of peace under free conditions. We must struggle to win together, to lift the Imrali isolation system and to open the door of peace for the Middle East.”

After her speech, Gültan Kışanak read the message sent by Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan from the prison island of Imrali.