Prominent Kurdish politician Ahmet Türk said that massive participation in this year’s Newroz demonstrations would be the people’s response to high prices that the Kurdish political movement was forced to pay in recent years by the oppressive policies of the Turkish government.
Speaking to Mezopotamya News Agency on the occasion of Newroz celebrations, Türk, a former MP for the pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), and the dismissed mayor of Mardin (Mêrdin) stated that higher participation in demonstrations would boost the morales of both all the Kurds and of thousands of jailed Kurdish political activists.
“Newroz is the day of freedom for us. It’s the day of defending our identity. It’s the day of determining tomorrow. It’s the day of struggle for all these,” he said.
“Considering all the the things we’ve lived through, what our friends had to suffer, how tens of thousands of political activists are in jail today, strong, lively Newroz demonstrations will serve as a great morale booster for all of us. It will be a morale booster both for our friends in prison, and for those who are not.”
He also noted that a high participation in the demonstrations would mean a lot for Aysel Tuğluk, suffering from dementia in prison and denied release despite her condition. He said:
“I’m sure that, despite her illness, Aysel Tuğluk will be delighted when she sees the great enthusiasm in Newroz demonstrations on TV.”
He added:
“If our people would fail to respond to all the prices we were forced to pay through massive Newroz demonstrations, it will signify a political shortage in the face of all the prices that were paid. Therefore we invite our people to join in the Newroz demonstration so that the demonstrations this year will be even more massive and more vibrant than all the past ones.”