RIHA - During the vigil on the Pirsûs-Kobanê border, it was emphasised that the will of the people in North and East Syria to govern themselves must be respected.

 

The vigil that started yesterday in Pirsûs (Suruç) district of Riha (Urfa) on the border of Kobanê against the attacks on North and East Syria continued today. The vigil started under the leadership of Democratic Regions Party (DBP), Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and Free Women's Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) was attended by a large number of people as well as MPs and co-mayors of municipalities. The crowd continued the vigil despite the police barrier and kept dancing to Kurdish songs for a long time.

 

'PEOPLES MUST DETERMINE THEIR OWN DESTINY'

 

A statement was made during the vigil. Banners reading, "Rojava rûmeta me ye (Rojava is our honour)" and "We won together, we will defend together" were unfurled. The photographs of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were killed in Turkey's airstrikes, were also carried. DBP Riha Provincial Co-Chair Mahmut Manas emphasised that they will defend Kobanê under the threat of attack.

 

Sevda Çelik Özbingöl, Co-spokesperson of DEM Party's Legal Commission, reminded what happened in the civil war in Syria and said: "A new era started in Syria on 8 December. There are interventions against the will of rights to govern themselves. This intervention is not democratic. Peoples have the initiative to determine their own destiny. This must be respected. Securityist policies must end. Today, if we are keeping a vigil next to the border without saying cold weather, it is related to the importance we attach to the process."

 

DEM Party Riha MP Ferit Şenyaşar said: "Just as we defended Kobanê in 2014, we will defend it again. Thousands of people lost their lives for Kobanê. Those in Kobanê are our relatives. The world recognised Kobanê with its resistance. Turkey did not only see this epic and attempted to attack with its gangs. Journalists were killed with UCAVs. They walked on the path of truth and we will follow their path. We want peace. Our protest will continue until the attacks against Kobanê end."

 

The statement ended with the slogans "Bijî berxwedana Rojava (Long live resistance of Rojava)" and "Rojava rûmeta me ye".