Today, 4 April is Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's birthday and to prevent any event from taking place to mark this important day for Kurds, the Interior Ministery have blocked the entry to Amara (Ömerli), in the province of Urfa with police and soldiers that closed the roads. 

Soldiers closed three roads and carried out raids in many houses. 

HDP Urfa Deputy Ömer Öcalan who wanted to go to Amara was also blocked when he reached Erah neighborhood, which is 3 kilometers away from Amara.

The Minister’s fear

Öcalan was going to where his family lives, yet he was stooped some 3 kilometers before getting there by solderers. When he asked the reason for this, the soldiers said they were following the Interior Minister’s orders. They added that Öcalan’s name was on the list they were given and therefore did not allow him to get through. 

Entrance to Amara forbidden

Öcalan said that he then tried to reach the party building in the district center. “This time, - he said - a civilian vehicle at the entrance of the district cut us off claiming an emergency. There were two people who introduced themselves as policemen. They stated that the Police Chief was in the district and would not allow us to enter. I told them that they had to obey the law, that they could not stop me as a citizen and a deputy. They said they would not allow me in so I had to reach the building in another way.”

We will celebrate Öcalan’s birthday

Ömer Öcalan stated that 4 April is an important date for Kurds and added that “we will celebrate this day. Because we are stronger than ever before. Mr. Öcalan's influence in the Kurdish people, his power is known to all the international community. We are calling on our people to reclaim their right to celebrate this day.”