Five central rallies were staged in North-East Syria to mark May 1, International Workers’ Day.

Thousands of people took to the streets in Qamishlo, Heseke, Manbij, Shehba and Deir ez-Zor.

QAMISHLO CANTON

The celebration in the Qamishlo Canton took place in the village of Mizgeft in Tirbespiye district. Demonstrators displayed banners of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, the Workers’ Union, TEV-DEM (Democratic Society Movement) and non-governmental organizations.

Wishing a happy May Day to all workers and peoples, Hêvî Silêman, a member of the women’s umbrella organization Kongra Star Administration, pointed to the work and labour of women in North-East Syria and called on women to unite their struggles.

Highlighting the importance of Abdullah Öcalan’s philosophy of freedom, Hêvî Silêman said: “It is time for freedom. It is time to destroy the capitalist policies that exploit the labour of workers.”

Cizre Region Workers’ Union official Şêro Mehemed Şero stated that workers are the backbone of the revolution of North-East Syria and can make society grow further.

Şero called for enhanced effort in the joint struggle for rights and freedoms.

HESEKÊ CANTON

Hundreds of residents, as well as representatives of political parties and NGOs, attended the May Day celebration organised by TEV-DEM in the village of Çolbistanê in Dirbêsiyê.

Addressing the crowd after a minute of silence, TEV-DEM Co-Chair Xerîb Hiso defined May Day as a day of struggle and sacrifice, and the struggle of workers, who are society itself.

Heyfa El Elî, Co-Chair of the Workers’ Union in Heseke, said that the working class is the resilient and self-sacrificing part of society, which is why they are subjected to repression by the capitalist system to be used for its interests. The celebration was accompanied by musical performances and dances.

SHEHBA

Thousands of people attended the May Day celebration in the Serdem Camp which houses IDPs. Following a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs, evaluations by Abdullah Öcalan were listened to.

Gulê Cehfer, Co-Chair of TEV-DEM in Shehba Canton, stated that workers, who guide society, proved to be the selfless segment of society in the revolution of Rojava.

Denouncing the embargo imposed on the region, Gulê Cehfer called on humanitarian and international organizations to take action to lift the embargo.

MANBIJ

The Workers’ Union and municipal committees organized the May Day celebration in Manbij, which was attended by administrators and members of political parties and NGOs, as well as tribal leaders and residents.

Speaking here, Asya Elêwî, Co-Chair of the Workers’ Union, highlighted the importance and role of workers in the building of the democratic nation system in the region.

Asya Elêwî pointed out the invading Turkish state’s ambition to topple this system, which was founded at the cost of a heavy price. She called on international organizations to adopt a stand against the increasingly ongoing attacks by the Turkish army and allied mercenaries.

The celebration concluded with musical performances and dances.

DEIR EZ-ZOR

The celebration in Deir ez-Zor was organised by the Civic Council in the city. People danced to songs as workers were awarded for their labour.