The Newroz 2024 festivities in Van (Wan), a city in eastern Turkey with a majority Kurdish population, attracted an enormous crowd on Sunday.
The celebration became a platform for voicing a significant demand: the liberation of Abdullah Öcalan, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) incarcerated leader. Historic messages by Öcalan, emphasising Newroz’s essence as a beacon of freedom, were shared with the attendees.
Speaking at the Van Newroz, Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Co-chair Keskin Bayındır underscored that “The Kurdish people stand for Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom. They demand the physical freedom of their leader against all forms of isolation and Kurdish hostility worldwide,” while the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları called for resolution to the Kurdish issue, saying, “Kurdish problem is a matter of status and must be resolved. Peace comes through struggle, and together, we’re fighting for it.”
The call for Öcalan’s physical freedom resonated deeply with the Kurdish community and its supporters during the event. Gülcan Kaçmaz Sayyiğit, a Member of Parliament from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party representing Van, delivered readings of Öcalan’s previous Newroz evaluations. These readings underlined Newroz’s symbolism in the struggle for liberty and equality, aligning with the Kurdish aspiration for peace and justice.