JINHA

AMED – Tens of thousands marched in Amed (called Diyarbakir in Turkish) this Sunday to protest the 16^th anniversary of the international plot to capture PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, currently imprisoned on İmralı Island in Turkey.

"We are ready for peace," said Selma Irmak, Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-Chair, in a speech at the end of the march. "And if peace doesn't come, we're ready to fight for our freedom for another 30 years."

After listening to recordings of Öcalan's speeches outside the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) provincial headquarters, the masses took to the streets. Marcherswere dressed in all black, with the Peace Mothers, usually distinguishable by their white scarves, this time donning black ones.Signs, banners and slogans celebrated Öcalan's struggle and called for his release.

The march ended in a massive gathering in İstasyon Square, where ZübeydeTeker, General Chair of thesolidarity association for families of prisonersTUHAD-FED, and EmineAyna, general co-chair of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), spoke to the crowd. Both emphasized the importance of the more than 10 million signatures demanding Öcalan's freedom, presented to a range of governments the day before.

Selma Irmak, the final speaker, noted that "they shouldn't try our patience, because if it runs out, we will rise like the waters ofİmralı."