Despite the threats, terror of imprisonment, attempts of provocation by the fascist dictatorship for weeks and despite the banning of the demonstrations at the weekend with the aim of preventing the participation of wide masses, thousands cries out their demands of freedom and fraternity on 21 March, Newroz Day (This is the national fiesta of the Kurdish people. It has turned into the day of National Liberation Struggle of the Kurdish people; it is often banned or attacked by the state forces but again it is the most important day of action as an indicator of the present situation of this struggle).
Hundred thousands of people participated at the demonstration in Amed (Diyarbakir) which began in the morning on 21 March. Hilmi Aydogdu, president of the Amed Branch of DTP (Party of Democratic Society) who was imprisoned last month, sent a message to be read out at the demonstration. Leyla Zana, ex-deputy of DEP who stayed in prison for about 10 years after being arrested at the National Congress, Ahmet Turk, general president of DTP and Osman Baydemir, Major of Amed from DTP made speeches at the demonstration. The foremost agendas of the speeches were the military operations in Kurdistan, the preparations of the fascist dictatorship to organise a cross-border military operation, the imprisonment of 72 DTP leaders and members through a wave of attacks and raids against this party and the demand that an independent delegation should investigate whether the allegation that Ocalan has been poisoned is true. Ahmet Turk drew attention to the increasing attacks against DTP at the recent period and he emphasised that they will never accept the state's policy of denial and annihilation of the Kurds. Turk also told that they would consider a possible attack against Southern Kurdistan (Iraqi Kurdistan) as an attack against themselves.
Many music bands took the stage while many trade unions, political parties and mass organisations participated at the demonstration. The banners and photos of Ocalan, PKK , DTP and Confederalism were opened and the demo was coloured with red-green and yellow (national colours of the Kurds) despite the hindering of these colours by the police at the check-points.
At the end of the demonstration, the police made a provocation under the pretext of searching for banners. At the conflict with the police here, 100 people were arrested.
In Van, 150 thousand people participated at the actions while in Dersim, six hundred people participated at the demonstration organised by DTP, EMEP , ESP , DHP, HÖC and HKM. In Malatya, eight hundred people met at the demonstration for Newroz Day. In Antep, 30 thousand people participated at the action organised by ESP, DTP and EMEP.
The Newroz Day was celebrated in the West as well, through massive and enthusiastic demonstrations.
Ten thousands of people met in Kazlicesme in Istanbul and celebrated the Newroz Day under an intense blockade of the police. The police tried to hinder the participation at the action from the Anatolian part of Istanbul by threatening the bus drivers who would carry the demonstrators to Kazlicesme. They launched a terror at the check-points. They often interrupted the speeches at the stage by shutting down the audio system. By this way they tried to censor the speeches. At the end of the action, they arrested the Organising Committee members. Sirri Sakik, Vice-president of DTP was also arrested for the speech that he had made on the stage. The police also attacked with gas bombs at the people who were going to the demonstration through Topkapi -a district on the way to Kazlicesme- and they arrested 80 people.
At the opening speech of the action, Dogan Erbas, president of the Istanbul Branch of DTP demanded an independent delegation to investigate the allegations that Ocalan had been poisoned and he mentioned the preparations of the state to attack on Kirkuk. He told that the state continues to be a gendarme of USA in the Middle East and he emphasised that one side of the peace attempts is the Kurdish people.
A sit-in action was also carried out at the demonstration to protest the isolation and poisoning against Ocalan.
ESP (Socialist Platform of the Oppressed) also participated at the Newroz celebrations under the banners "Long Live Newroz!" and "Freedom for peace, equality for fraternity!" They also carried the photos of our comrade Tuncay Yildirim, death fast fighter who turned into martyr on 21 March. DHP, Partizan, SDP , Halkevleri , SODAP , EMEP and other organisation also participated at the action with their banners. Our party MLCP took its place at the action under the banner "Long Live Newroz, Long Live Socialism!".
In Buca'da, 20 thousand people participated at the celebration that was organised by DTP, ESP, SDP and EMEP. In Adana, 25 thousand Turkish, Kurdish and Arab labourers took place at the demonstration in Mimar Sinan Open Theatre, while in Mersin, 60 thousand people cried out their demand of democratic peace.