JINHA

WAN - Van women stated that they will go out in Newroz day and they will celebrate the festival despite all bans, "We will never let the fire of Newroz be extinguished," said women.

Newroz festival is celebrated by making fire on March 21. Newroz festival is the most important festival in Kurdish culture. The celebration has continued by growing enthusiastically every year with the spirit of resistance. Kurdish people are going out by wearing their national clothes and they celebrate the festival by dancing the halay around the fire despite the bans and pressure. Ayşe Tiniç, one of the Van women, said that Newroz means resistance and resurrection against the pressure and persecution. Every year, they plant a tree on the day of Newroz. Ayşe stated that Newroz's activities are prevented every year. She said, "Newroz is the most important day for us. It is a precursor of spring and it is the symbol of the resistance."

Ayşe stated that she is sad due to the ongoing clashes and massacres and she will transform that sadness into resistances. She said, "We will wear our local clothes and we will celebrate Newroz with our colors despite the bans."

Leyla Bartu (50), another woman in Van, said that the fire of Newroz was blazed in Diyarbakır's prisons with the spirit of resistance. She stated that Newroz festival is the most important day for Kurdish people.

Zinet Babat (40) said, "We will never let the fire of Newroz be extinguished. The fire of Newroz continues to blaze with a big resistance every year. We will continue to make the fire of the Newroz. Everyone must come to celebrate Newroz without fear. We will continue to celebrate Newroz even if the state kill us or demolish our homes."

(db-hk/dc/gd)