Over 100 artists, intellectuals, politicians, journalists, writers, academics and representatives of institutions and political parties from four parts of Kurdistan started the Kurdish National Unity March from Lausanne to Geneva on Thursday.

The second stage of the march kicked off from the Place de Neuve in Geneva earlier today. The activists then started to march towards the United Nations office, chanting “Long live Kurdish unity” and “Defend Rojava against occupation” and giving the message “national unity must be formed urgently in order not to live under colony for another century”.

During the course of the march, the activists highlighted the Turkish state’s genocidal attacks against North-East Syria and called upon everyone to stand up against invasion.

Calling upon Kurdish parties in four parts of Kurdistan to do their part for the achievement of national unity, the marchers gave the message “Building Kurdish national unity is of historic importance against the colony and invasion of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria.”

The two-day march was concluded with a rally in front of the United Nations headquarters in Geneva.

ÇELİK: WE MUST UNITE AGAINST INVASION

Speaking at the rally, Songül Çelik of FEDA (European Democratic Alevi Federation) pointed out the policies of invasion and colonialism in Kurdistan and called for unity to counter this.

Indicating the Turkish state’s genocidal attacks against Rojava, Çelik said that four parts of Kurdistan should defend Rojava all together.

ŞAKİR: KURDISTAN IS MORE VALUABLE THAN ALL PARTIES

Speaking after Çelik, Cano Şakir in the name of Rojava said the following; “Kurdistan is more valuable than all political parties. In this sense, we must leave our political interests aside and defend Kurdistan. We love our parties but the values of Kurdistan and the Kurdish people are more valuable than anything else. Nobody should abstain from national unity.”

İĞREK: RESISTANCE IN KURDISTAN IS OUR RAISON D’ÊTRE

Speaking on behalf of Shengal Diaspora Assembly, Fikret İğrek mentioned the sacrifices of the Kurdish people in Rojava and Shengal, saying; “The invading Turkish state is committing massacres in Rojava today in an effort to occupy Kurdistan. Erdoğan wants to destroy the history and values of the Kurdish people together with his gangs. No Kurdish party can keep silent on this. We are in front of the UN now but we place our hope not in the UN but in our own struggle and our people. The resistance mounted in Kurdistan is our raison d'être. On this basis, we believe that our national unity must be established against invasion and colonialism. From Mahabad to Hewler, from Qamishlo to Amed, if we build national unity, we can eradicate occupation from Kurdistan.”

“KURDISTAN IS ABOVE ANY POLITICS”

Speakers on behalf of PJAK (Kurdistan Free Life Party), Kurdish Institute and Jinen Azaz also called on all Kurdish parties in four parts of Kurdistan to get together immediately for national unity. Stressing that Kurdistan is above any politics, speakers called on the United Nations and other international institutions to act against Turkish invasion.

“WE WILL CONTINUE TO DEFEND THE KURDISH PEOPLE”

On the other hand, Swiss Greens Party former Chairperson Ueli Leuenberger and Geneva City Council Member Alfonzo Gomez, who also joined the march for solidarity, said that they would continue to advocate the basic rights of the Kurdish people under all circumstances. Highlighting the importance of Kurdish national unity, they called for Western states to take action against Turkey’s attacks on Rojava.