NEWS CENTER - Freedom Marchers, who set out from Wan and reached Mêrdîn, visited the historical places that were the cradle of the people and raised the demand for freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, while the Qers branch reached Amed.
The "Great Freedom March" launched by Wan and Qers for the freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and for the democratic solution of the Kurdish issue, has been going on for 9 days. Freedom Marchers, who travel every inch of Kurdistan geography, raise the demand for "freedom" at every place they go.
The Wan branch passed from Nisêbîn district of Mêrdîn to Artuklu district. Freedom Marchers walking towards Mêrdîn, where many people live together, sang the song "Gula min (My rose)".
The Freedom Marchers were welcomed with great enthusiasm at their next stop, Mensurîye (Yalımköy) in Artuklu district. Freedom Marchers were welcomed with honors. A halays was performed with the slogan "Bijî Serok Apo (Long live Leader Apo)".
There was also intense interest in the march held with the slogan "Biji berxwedana zindanan (Long live resistance of dungeons)" in the streets of historical Mêrdîn, home to Arab, Assyrian, Kurdish and Turkish people. Many shopkeepers welcomed the Freedom Marchers with trays of coffee and candy. The most striking thing in the march was a woman who chanted the slogan "Bijî azadi, bimre koletî (Long live freedom, down with slavery)". While this slogan was chanted by many people throughout the march, young people also expressed their objection to the isolation with a banner they prepared saying "Li dijî tecrîdê rabe". The "Sun" symbol on the banner also attracted attention.
A citizen who saw the Freedom Marchers coming from a distance while visiting the shopkeepers asked, "What's going on?" Another citizen's response to the question "These are Freedom Marchers" was an indication that the march was closely followed by the public. After the march, Freedom Marchers gathered in front of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Mêrdîn Provincial Organization and made a statement with the slogans "Biji berxwedana zindanan" and "Be Serok jiyan nabe (Without Leader, there is no life)".
MARCHERS MET WITH SYRIANS AND ARABS
Freedom Marchers, who also visited the Justice Watch, were welcomed with applause and chants by the relatives of the prisoners, most of whom were mothers. Relatives of the prisoners, who stood guard with white scarves on their heads and yellow, red, green and purple bands tied around them, complained that their voices were not heard. Relatives of prisoners noted that the voices of prisoners on hunger strikes, which started demanding Abdullah Öcalan's freedom and a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, must be heard more.
The next stop of the Freedom Marchers was Dayrulzafaran Monastery. Metropolitan of the Assyrian Community, Saliba Özmen, showed us around the historical monastery, which was called the "Temple of the Sun" in BC and was used as a castle during the Roman period. Özmen also gave information about the construction and history of the monastery. The next stop of the marchers was the Arab people. Attention was drawn to the Freedom March and the isolation imposed on Imralı. Pointing out that Abdullah Öcalan's paradigm offers an alternative system for the coexistence of peoples, the directors of the Arab Association of Freedom Marchers stated that they are with them as Arab people. Today's stop of the Freedom Marchers will be Qoser and Dêrik districts.
MARCHERS REACHED THE HEART OF KURDISTAN
Freedom marchers, who have been on the road for 10 days for the physical freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, set foot in the lands of Amed, the heart of Kurdistan, from Qers. The enthusiasm of the marchers increases as they get one step closer to the final. While there was a significant intensity in public interest and welcome, the Qers branch's Çewlîg and Licê meetings yesterday were quite magnificent. The marchers, who crossed the 1500 kilometre path, were welcomed magnificently in Çewlîg. The marchers, who walked the main streets of Çewlîg, danced for minutes despite the rain. The marches held commemorations wherever they went and did not forget Ceylan Önkol, who was murdered by a mortar bullet while grazing her animals on September 28, 2009, in the Xanbaz (Hambaz) hamlet of Amed's Licê district. The commemoration held at the graveside in Dolek village of Çêwlig's Dara Hênê (Genç) district caused emotional moments.
The marchers, who set foot in the lands of Amed, the heart of Kurdistan, after a long journey, did not take a step back from their march despite all the obstacles. Support was given to the marchers who went to the district centre, from homes, workplaces and vehicles, amid the enthusiasm and love slogans of the people. After the march, the marchers arrived at the DEM Party district building, where young people and mothers welcomed them. While the entire district building was surrounded, young people managed to enter the garden of the building from the roofs of the houses around the district building. While the enthusiasm of the young people who entered the district building with slogans spread to the marchers, the halay dance was performed for minutes accompanied by the mercenaries who were suddenly brought. Colorful images were created as the deputies took the erbanes and kept rhythm. Marchers approaching the final completed the day by making short call videos for the welcome to be held in Amed on February 13.
MA / Adnan Bilen - Berivan Altan