JINHA

KOBANÊ – The people of Kobanê listened to the Newroz message of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan being read in Amed, simulcast to a screen before the assembled crowds in the city.

Kobanê Canton Assembly Co-Chair Ayşe Efendi lit the Newroz fire in the name of the mothers of the YPG/YPJ fighters who have been lost, before a stage hung with a 10-meter high poster of Öcalan. The citizens of Kobanê, paying little mind to the pouring rain, held a moment of silence for the martyrs Kurdistan has lost.

After a folkloric dance from the Kesk Sor Zer group (tied to Tev-Çand, the grassroots cultural organization), Canton Government Co-Chair Enver Muslim spoke before the crowd. He reminded the crowd that the YPG/YPJ fighters resisting in Kobanê today were not just fighting for them, but for all humanity.

"The faith of our brave heroes who broke down Daesh brought the peoples living in all four parts of Kurdistan together," said Enver. "Let the souls of the brave women martyrs who went up against the Daesh barbarians with their ululations rest in peace. If we are celebrating Newroz today, it is thanks to those martyrs."

Cemil Mazlum, of YPG Command, took the stage next. He said that they would call Daesh to account for the brutal attack on Hesekê that took place last night.

"Although some may say Kobanê has been destroyed, the willpower of the people of Kobanê has not been destroyed and they continue to stand tall. A people with a will this strong know they can turn a city in ruins into the garden of paradise," said Cemil. "We repeat, as the guards of the leader Öcalan, as long as Kurdistan is under occupation, we will struggle to liberate our country from the enemies of the Kurdish and all other peoples."

Sara Xelil, from grassroots women's organization Yekîtiya Star, spoke briefly to honor the martyrs in Kobanê and Abdullah Öcalan. A delegation from Northern Kurdistan took to the stage, including Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Urfa MPs İbrahim Binici and İbrahim Aydın.

As the jailed PKK leader's message was read before millions in Diyarbakır at the world's largest Newroz celebration, it was broadcast live on a screen before the assembled crowd of Kobanê residents.

(fa-öç/mç/fk/cm)