Women in Xelfetî: We want to celebrate April 4th with Öcalan

  • women
  • 13:36 6 April 2025
  • |
img

RIHA - Women who traveled for kilometers to attend Abdullah Öcalan's 76th birthday celebrations said that the state must take steps and Abdullah Öcalan must be freed. 

Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's 76th birthday was celebrated with great enthusiasm with a two-day festival held in April 4 Park in Xelfetî (Halfeti) district of Riha (Urfa). The festival, which was attended by thousands of citizens from Kurdistan and Turkey, could not be prevented despite all attempts. The festival was marked by Abdullah Öcalan's “Call for Peace and Democratic Society”, which was shared with the public on February 27, and the call for the state to take steps came to the fore.
 
Women participating in the festival spoke about the festival and the process.
 
'THE BIRTHDAY OF THE KURDS'
 
Sıdıka Deniz, 55, participated in the festival from Wahnê Balê hamlet, 4 kilometers from Amara neighborhood where Abdullah Öcalan was born, said, “We set out early in the morning. The birthday of the leader is the birthday of all Kurds. Our only wish is to celebrate his next birthday with him. We want to see and listen to him. There is a process and the Leader is doing its part. They even tried to prevent the festival. May the birthday of the leadership be an occasion for peace.” 
 
Naile Deniz, 80, stated that she remembers Abdullah Öcalan from her childhood and youth. "I send my love from here to İmralı. My only wish is to see him before I die. I am 4 years older than him. Our villages are very close to each other. When he was young, he used to come to our village and eat at our house. When he was studying at school in Jibin, he used to lead the children. We heard him praying in front of the children. I want him to be free. Enough is enough, people should not die. This struggle has been going on for centuries. This struggle continues from İbrahim Khalil to Sheikh Said and until today."
 
'WE ARE BEHIND OUR LEADER'
 
Meryem Urucu, 69, who attended the festival from the rural Çîkan neighborhood of Hewag (Bozova), 15 kilometers from Amara, said, “The leader came to our village about 50 years ago and swam in the Cîkan Stream. He was a university student then. When his friends told him that he would be swept away in the water, he said, 'If I am swept away in this water, all of Kurdistan will be swept away'. My cousin who was there saw and heard it. He used to tell us all the time. We stand behind our leader.” 
 
İslim Urucu, who lost a brother during the conflicts, said, “My brother Hamza followed his path in Kobani and lost his life. We have full faith in the Leader. He is not only the leader of Kurds living in Turkey, but of all Kurds. He wants peace and we are behind him. Peace is the end of this. Just as everywhere benefits when it rains, everyone will benefit equally with peace. The whole world will benefit if there is peace. Apo will come out of İmralı and we will see him.” 
 
'THE STATE MUST TAKE A STEP'
 
Havva Yalçınkaya, 52, the mother of Dijwar Tolhildan, who lost his life during the conflicts, stated that their only demand was peace and said, “Let good things happen and end this persecution. We want to celebrate April 4th with Önderlik. Leader has called for peace, but the state has not taken any steps yet.” 
 
Fatma Beçet, mother of Ayten Beçet, who took her life on March 23, 2019 in Gebze Women's Closed Prison against the isolation against Abdullah Öcalan, came to Xelfetî from Dîlok (Antep) to attend the festival. Fatma Beçet said, “We are waiting for our leader to be released from prison. The state has not taken a step until today. From April 4 Park, we call on the state; take a step as soon as possible. No one can stand in front of peace.” 
 
MA / Emrullah Acar

View More Articles

21/05/2025
11:04 Yigiter, who attacked: I am in good condition
10:44 Plundering of nature under military protection in Colemêrg
10:19 Young people demand education in mother language
09:41 ‘A new process offers hope for the socialist movement’
20/05/2025
22:16 Cenk Yigiter attacked, taken to intensive care unit
21:17 DEM Party's statement after meetings
17:34 DEM Party and CHP meeting ends
17:26 Parliament Speaker: There will be those who will try to poison process, we are cautious
17:19 TJA to organize march for ‘social peace and democratic solution’
19/05/2025
16:40 100 families return to Shengal
16:28 Tent protest against embargo enters its 5th day
16:12 Ocak and Karakoç commemorated during Week of the Disappeared
15:51 PUK and KDP to participate in Iraqi elections with separate lists
14:15 DEM Party's meeting programme with political parties clarified
13:49 DEM Party and DEVA meeting ends
13:39 Participants at commemoration of Kaytan and Altun: Time to build social peace
13:15 Place to discuss the process is Parliament says Parliamen speaker Kurtulmuş
12:45 '2 thousand 728 young lost their lives in workplace homicides in 12 years'
12:11 'They were fighters for freedom and truth'
11:29 'Internationalist women’s movement must be established'
10:37 The struggle not over, method has changed says Sebahat Tuncel
09:51 Some houses built of memory and resistance
18/05/2025
20:48 Message from Abdullah Öcalan: A new contract is needed
20:39 Bahçeli proposes establishment of a 100 members commission
19:55 Thousands commemorate Kaytan and Altun at Şêx Seîd Square
18:15 DEM Party İmralı delegation return from İmralı
14:18 Peace Mothers in Amed for the commemoration: Öcalan must be free
13:26 They set out for the Kaytan and Altun commemoration
13:11 Participants in commemoration in Dêrsim: No unilateral peace
12:53 76-year-old ill prisoner's health deteriorating
12:42 DEM Party delegation goes to İmralı Island
12:22 80 ill prisoners in prisons in Mediterranean Region
11:14 They inherited struggle of Kaytan and Altun
10:30 Full support to process in Cizîr: The state must take the necessary steps
09:58 New page opened, accumulated problems must be eliminated says lawyer of Öcalan
17/05/2025
11:23 'PKK has done its part, the next stage will be the steps of the state'
11:15 EP Rapporteur Amor: PKK's decision excellent news, opportunity must not be wasted
16/05/2025
15:53 Abdullah Öcalan's photograph 42 years ago published
15:12 Kaytan and Altun commemorated in Wan: They never bowed down
13:27 Sabri Ok: Believe in yourself and Leader Apo
Besta Botan: Struggle based on democratic politics begins
13:18 ‘Legal steps must be taken for a democratic solution’
12:10 'Process' visits to 5 thousand families
11:32 Families applies to go to İmralı
11:25 Local associations: We must take part in the process
15/05/2025
16:59 Mehmet Şirin Tekmenüray releases after 32 years
16:54 PKK's founding cadres Altun and Kaytan commemorated in many cities
16:43 Journalist Furkan Karabay arrests
16:29 Makhmur citizens marching against embargo launch tent action
16:01 Commemoration of Kaytan and Altun: They built a great tradition
14:02 Wan citizens: Now it's the government's turn