On the occasion of the upcoming Newroz Resistance Festival, a video message was released by Sozdar Avesta from the KCK (Community of Kurdistan Societies). At the beginning of her message, the representative of the Kurdish freedom movement recalled the martyrs of March, in particular Mazlum Doğan, Mahsum Korkmaz (Egîd), Zekiye Alkan, Rahşan Demirel, Ronahî and Bêrîvan, Sema Yüce and Fikri Baygeldi.

Avesta said: “The massacres in Halabja, Qamishlo, Gazi and the occupation of Afrin in March 2018 were committed by fascist regimes hostile to Kurdistan. I condemn these massacres and honor their victims. We have passed 8 March and are now approaching the Newroz festival. Women all over the world and especially in Bakurê Kurdistanê [Northern Kurdistan] could not celebrate 8 March in the same way as in previous years because of the earthquake.”

"With the slogan Jin-Jiyan-Azadî to the women's revolution"

Avesta said: “With great anger and a spirit of defiance, the women demanded accountability from the patriarchal, fascist government responsible for the catastrophic consequences of the earthquake. I salute the women around the world, in Kurdistan and the Middle East who have participated in these great actions. We will mark Newroz with the colors of freedom and the voices of women calling for freedom. We are marching towards the women's revolution under the slogan 'Jin, Jiyan, Azadî' and will celebrate Newroz with the demands for women's liberation.

This 8 March showed once again that women are the core and the most important force for the liberation of society. Despite all the attacks, their insistence on freedom has shown their determination to fight together and their will. This is very important and significant. Women have shown that no force can stop them on their way to freedom. They combine their democratic and conscious attitude with the philosophy of 'Jin, Jiyan, Azadî'. This is how we will light the fire of Newroz. This Newroz is also the 50th Newroz year of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan's] freedom march. It has been 2,635 years since the first Newroz festival.”

"Newroz is the birth of a new life"

Avesta continued: “With the emergence of Rêber Apo and the freedom movement, the Newroz fire now burns even higher and stronger. Newroz is the holiday of the resistant people. Newroz is resurrection. Newroz is new life. Newroz is the glad tidings of the arrival of spring. Newroz is an uprising against the oppressors. It is the day of the great reckoning. This reckoning began 50 years ago with the words of Rêber Apo: 'Kurdistan is a colony for the liberation of which a constant struggle and revolutionary people's war must be waged.' It began with these words, and the fire that was ignited by this spark, has evolved into a torch of freedom burning throughout Kurdistan and abroad over the past 50 years. This great holiday is the expression of Rêber Apo's struggle for revival. On this occasion I greet Rêber Apo with all my heart and I want to express my respect and gratitude to him.”

“Thousands of people are still under the rubble”

Avesta added: “We, the freedom movement, the Kurdish people as a whole and the resistant women, welcome the Newroz Festival 2023 with great determination. We will celebrate Newroz this year differently than in previous years. Because today thousands of our people are still lying under the rubble caused by the earthquake. The number of people who lost their lives is still not fully known. The number of victims is much higher than previously claimed. I would like to take this opportunity to express that I share the pain of all families. Our people are resistant people. In particular, Maraş, Semsûr (Adiyaman), Meletî (Malatya) and Dîlok (Antep) are resistance areas of the freedom movement. People like Kemal Pir in Maraş and Haki Karer in Dîlok made great achievements there. These comrades were pioneers of the freedom struggle and spread the idea of freedom for Kurdistan and Turkey. The enemy wants to change the demographics of these regions by driving people out. On this occasion, I call on our people not to leave their country. No matter how harsh the living conditions, stay on your land and resist.

“The enemy is attacking more than ever”

As a freedom movement in Kurdistan, in the spirit of our humanitarian, ethical and moral responsibility, we decided in the first few days after the earthquake to stop our actions and not to become active in the metropolises. However, the fascist enemy, dictator Erdoğan and Bahçeli continue their attacks uninterruptedly. More than ever, they are attacking the freedom guerrillas as well as northern and eastern Syria, southern Kurdistan and Shengal. The Freedom Guerrillas are in a defense position. Murders are committed daily by the Turkish state. Most recently, two commanders of the YBŞ and a leading representative of the Asayîş were killed in attacks on Shengal in early March. Our condolences go to the families of these fallen, the YBŞ and all our people. Our people should understand clearly that these attacks are intended to break their will.

At this important time, we must stand up to Newroz on the 50th anniversary of the start of the freedom march led by Rêber Apo, take revenge and hold accountable for those whose hands are stained with the blood of our guerrilla fighters. This also applies if this Newroz festival is not characterized by music and celebrations as much as in previous years. Newroz means uprising and it is the day to take revenge on those responsible for the many massacres in history.

On this basis, those who continue the total isolation of Rêber Apo and commit genocide against our people must be held accountable. This year was to be the year of victory over fascism and destruction of the oppressor's palace in Bakurê Kurdistanê and Turkey. The implementation of democratic autonomy in Bakur and Rojhilatê Kurdistanê and the establishment of a democratic nation means, by resolving the existing contradictions, guaranteeing the freedom revolution. In Southern Kurdistan, Newroz should be celebrated in the spirit of national unity and resistance to colonialist attacks; Southern Kurdistan must free itself from the colonialists. For six months, a social revolution has been taking place in Rojhilatê Kurdistanê under the leadership of women with the slogan 'Jin, Jiyan, Azadî'. This year's Newroz should be crowned by a democratic struggle waged by women in a spirit of revenge for those who have fallen over the past six months. The centenary of Lausanne also falls in this strategic period. The massacres against the people of Kurdistan must stop and Kurdistan must be given a status. The Kurdish people can no longer live without status, identity and home. Rêber Apo's fight for 50 years has turned into a breathless marathon.

"The end of Lausanne is no longer a dream"

The will that produced people like Mazlum, Egîd, Bêrîtan and Zîlan and the great women's revolution must be crowned with this conclusion. This year's Newroz is therefore important and has many special features. It is the task of all of us to increase this fight. We, the Kurdistan Freedom Movement, are determined to do so. Our agenda is clear. It is no longer a dream to achieve Rêber Apo's physical freedom and overthrow the centuries-old system, the Lausanne Treaty and fascism. The past 25 years of struggle, particularly the uninterrupted resistance of Rêber Apo on Imrali, the eight years of attacks, the increased isolation and the level that the struggle that has been going on for 50 years has reached, show us clearly what we must do now. We are convinced that with this awareness, attitude and determination, with the great hope of Newroz, our people at home and abroad will continue to fight uninterruptedly and unprecedentedly. It's time to thwart all kinds of attacks. It's time to support Rêber Apo and the freedom guerrillas. It is time to realize national unity based on the development of a democratic nation, the rights of the Kurdish people and women's freedom. It is time to guarantee a social revolution led by women.

"The time of democratic world confederalism begins"

The KCK and KJK (Kurdistan Women's Union) have built their system of ecological and democratic confederalism on the basis of women's freedom. KCK and KJK have now celebrated 18 years of construction and their system has become the hope for freedom of peoples, societies and women during this time. The democratic nation and Democratic Confederalism are now organizing themselves as democratic world confederalism. Conferences from Kurdistan to South Africa and the corresponding working meetings have clearly expressed this reality.

"Women's freedom is the basis of all freedoms"

The struggle against capitalist modernity is only possible through the development of democratic modernity and the democratic nation under the leadership of women. In this way, women's freedom forms the basis of all freedoms. The stubborn refusal of the rulers to prevent the solution of the question of women's freedom is the main problem today. Fighting against it can lead to a great victory. Today, the women's freedom movement and the peoples of Kurdistan have the ideas, the philosophy and the system to build their freedom. Led by Rêber Apo and the martyrs, the PKK and PAJK are developing the democratic-confederalist system.

With this democratic system we want to welcome the arrival of Newroz, the spring of women's freedom, Rêber Apo and humanity. With this in mind, I wish our people, all peoples and women, all the best on the 18th anniversary of the founding of the KCK and KJK. I salute again Rêber Apo, the mastermind of the democratic-confederal system, who created this idea and philosophy and gave it to humanity. I pay tribute to Rêber Apo, all women, those resisting in prisons, the freedom guerrillas, the HPG and YJA Star on the Newroz festival. We will certainly succeed on the line of Newroz, the line of Mazlum and Zekîye. On this basis: 'Bijî Serok Apo', 'Jin, Jiyan, azadî', 'Bijî Newroz'.”