Thousands of people attended a Newroz celebration in Bonn yesterday to hear the message of Kurdish People’s Leader, Abdullah Öcalan. Kurds marched to the Newroz field carrying posters of Abdullah Öcalan, Mazlum Doğan and of those who have fallen in Rojava. They also held aloft many flags, including the PKK, PYD, YPJ, YPG, MLKP and Partizan flags and the Assyrian-Syriac flag.

The programme began at noon and the reading of Mr Öcalan’s message in Amed was shown simultaneously on big screens in Bonn. After the message was read, the crowd shouted: “Long live President Apo”, “Long live Newroz“ and “Long live the Kobanê resistance.“ After the message had been read out, KCK Co-president Cemil Bayık sent a Newroz message by cinevision.

Cemil Bayık recalled that until a few years ago Newroz was not recognised, as the Kurdish people’s existence and culture was not recognised by the colonialist forces. Bayık said that Abdullah Öcalan had launched the movement to combat this. He added that the Kurds were leading the democratic struggle in the Middle East and that the Kurdish movement was waging a struggle for all humanity in the Middle East. He added: “We are celebrating the victory in Kobanê at this Newroz. Our heroic guerrillas are fighting a freedom struggle for all religions and peoples in the Middle East.” Cemil Bayık said that it was their historic responsibility to defend humanity and historical values.

KCK Co-president Cemil Bayık said that at this year’s Newroz they were highlighting the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan and of the Kurdish people. He called on all peoples in Turkey to support the HDP at the June 7 elections.

'I salute Pirsus (Suruç)'

This was followed by a speech from the Foreign Minister of the Cezire (Jazireh) canton of Rojava, Abdulkerim Ömer. He said that the people of Rojava were engaged in a struggle against ISIS gangs that had been recognised all over the world. Ömer added that the centre of the defence of Kobanê was Pirsus (Suruç), and saluted the people of North Kurdistan. He was followed by KCD-E co-chair Dilşa Osman and by Emine Ayna. Following the speeches there were performances by Hozan Şahturna, Silbis û Tari, Şahturna, Simar, Hasan Şerif and the Bremen children’s choir.