JINHA

ISTANBUL - In the Gazi neighborhood of Istanbul, the people have declared that they are rejecting the AKP's police and military attacks and have declared self-government.

The Gazi People's Initiative has declared self-government in the Istanbul neighborhood.

Residents marched across the neighborhood yesterday evening bearing a banner calling for freedom for jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. Gülsen Biter, of the Istanbul coordinating body of the Congress of Free Women (KJA), spoke on behalf of the Gazi People's Initiative. Gülsen declared that the people of Gazi would resist all police raids and operations in their neighborhood, and that they no longer recognized the institutions of the state.

Meanwhile, the town of Doğubayazıt in the eastern province of Ağrı has also declared self-government. In the district of Lice, where heavy military and police attacks continued throughout the day yesterday, the Lice People's Assembly declared self-government and the intention to construct their own institutions in the district. They declared their intention to use their legitimate right to self-defense against all attacks.

(gc/cm)