Thousands have embarked in a difficult (because of the police control and check points) journey to Amara, birthplace of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan where tomorrow (4 April) his birthday will be celebrated with a rally. The rally was banned by the authorities but Kurdish politicians have assured that the march will take place.

And the massive response of people who hired minibuses and cars to reach Amara shows that Kurds are not ready to bow to yet another ban.

Amara is in the province of Urfa. TUHAD-FED (Solidarity with prisoners association) has taken a lead in organizing transport from many cities. Minibuses and cars have been leaving Þýrnak, Van, Muþ as well as Diyarbakýr and Mardin.

At the BDP building in Diyarbakýr among the crowd ready to leave were DTK co-chair Aysel Tuðluk, BDP deputies Emine Ayna, Nursel Aydoðan, Özdal Üçer.