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Turkey: Diyarbakir celebrates historic
Newroz
21.3.2011 |
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March
21, 2011
DIYARBAKIR, Kurdish
southeastern
region of Turkey, — It was in the air: Newroz in
Diyarbakir this year would surely be historical. But
then again, every year expectations are higher and
higher and every years these expectations are met.
This year is no different. An incredible, coloured,
noisy mass of women, men, children, youngsters took
to the street once again. Emotionally strong to see
this huge crowd chanting slogans and singing songs.
The slogans are for peace, justice and rights. Ahmet
Turk, co chair of DTK (Democratic Society Congress)
at around 11 (Diyarbakir time) took the stage for a
passionate speech interrupted many times by loud
cheers, clapping and slogans.
Tens of thousands of people with different colors
and |
Hundreds of thousands of people met in Diyarbakir to
celebrate Kurdish new year "Newroz" in
Diyarbakir, the Kurdish region of Turkey. March 20,
2011. ANF Photo. |
voices began to flock to
the Newroz Area by early morning hours in Diyarbakir
where all eyes were turned because of the Newroz
Festival. Moving from neighborhoods decorated with
yellow, red, green, ten thousands are gathering in
the celebration area.
The mass, gathering in merkez Bağlar, Kayapınar, Sur
and Yenişehir districts by the dayspring in the
cloudy weather, started to move to the Newroz Area
in groups with vehicles decorated with green,
yellow, red and carrying banners "Newroz pîroz be”
(Happy Newroz in Kurdish). Young and old alike
turned the streets of Diyarbakir into a color
festivity with local dresses they were wearing.
Groups are trying to reach the celebration area of
Diyarbakir where fires are lighted in some places.
City Center Emptied
Walking with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s posters
and KCK flags, the mass often chanted slogans "Newroza
te pîroz be ey Serok Apo", "Bijî Serok Apo", “The
PKK is the people, the people is here”. While the
road to the Newroz Park was closed to traffic
because of intensive mass flow, people left their
cars in the city and gathered at Yenihal crossroad.
The city has fallen into silence as thousands of
people moved to the area. The closure of the Urfa
way to traffic due to the meeting made vehicles wait
in the traffic for a long time. Traffic also got
stuck at Airport Street and Kantar crossroads.
'Newroz' is the traditional Kurdish new year, The
year 2011 corresponds to the Kurdish year 2711. All Kurds around the world are celebrating
the new year 'Newroz'.
The Kurdish calendar starts at 612 BC. This is the
year that Cyaxares, the grandson of Deioces (Díyako),
the first king of the Medes' empire, occupied
Nineveh and put the end to the brutality of the
Assyrian empire in the lands under its occupation.
Throughout Kurdish history, Newroz is not only
considered as their New Years, but has been also
considered as a symbol of freedom, struggle for
justices, and peaceful coexistence with those
nations who have conquered Kurds lands-Kurdistan.
Although Newroz has for over 2700 years been
celebrated and considered as the Kurdish New Years
and National Holidays, for political reasons,
Persians consider it as "Iranian" and "their" new
years. And the funniest political scenario is that,
Turkey, which until recent years didn't allow it's
20 million+ Kurds to freely celebrate Newroz,www.ekurd.netnow
considers Newroz as "the beginning of spring
festivals" and tries to connect the only happy
Kurdish event, to a different and unrelated event.
Kurdish Calendar changes on March 21st.
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