Is there a crisis in the peace process? DEM delegation denied permission to visit İmralı: No Nevruz message!
The DEM Party announced that its İmralı delegation was not granted permission to visit, and therefore, a Nevruz message from PKK leader Öcalan could not be delivered this year. The delegation stated that Öcalan's recent photos and voice were projected onto the screen at the Nevruz grounds.
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While a letter from PKK leader Öcalan was expected at the Nevruz celebrations in Diyarbakır, an important statement came from the DEM Party.
The DEM Party issued a written statement regarding the reason why the Nevruz message from PKK terrorist organization leader Öcalan did not reach the grounds this year. The party stated that permission for the İmralı delegation to visit was not granted, and therefore, no message could be received from Öcalan.
The following statements were included in the DEM Party's announcement:
Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to the Newroz grounds in Diyarbakır from the early hours of the morning, despite the overcast weather. The Newroz program began at 10:30 with a commemoration for Kemal Kurkut. Our Co-Chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, along with those accompanying them, laid carnations at the site where Kurkut was killed.
From the early hours of the morning, thousands of people entered the Newroz grounds through 6 separate gates. While law enforcement officers caused significant difficulties at the entrance gates, many people were not allowed into the area on the grounds of wearing traditional clothing. Additionally, a large number of people were detained. Despite this, hundreds of thousands of people entered the grounds.
A 250-person protocol, including representatives from the CHP, DEVA, Gelecek, Saadet Party, EMEP, TÖP, Halkevleri, our constituent parties, KESK, TTB, SODAP, IHD, the 78ers Initiative, and the Confederation of the Disabled, as well as Tunç Soyer, Leyla Zana, the Peace Mothers, and academics, writers, and intellectuals who are members of the Peace Train, took their places in the area. Furthermore, representatives from the Kurdistan Regional Government, including the PUK, the Communist Party of Kurdistan, the Socialist Democratic Party of Kurdistan, the Zahmatkashan, the Governor of Sulaymaniyah, and KDP representatives, as well as participants from more than 20 countries, watched the Diyarbakır Newroz. More than 700 journalists were accredited to cover Newroz.
Contrary to expectations, Mr. Abdullah Öcalan's message did not arrive for this year's Newroz because permission was not granted to the İmralı delegation. Instead, Mr. Öcalan's recent photos and voice were projected onto the stage screen. With the slogans chanted in the Newroz area, the public once again showed that they embrace the call made by Mr. Öcalan on February 27.
On the other hand, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, PUK Leader Bafel Talabani, KDP Leader Masoud Barzani, and Kurdistan Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani also sent messages to Newroz.
THE CELEBRATION BEGAN IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING
From the early hours of the morning, thousands of people entered the Nevruz grounds through 6 separate gates. While law enforcement officers caused significant difficulties at the entrance gates, many people were not allowed into the area on the grounds of wearing traditional clothing. Additionally, a large number of people were detained. Despite this, hundreds of thousands of people entered the grounds.
A 250-person protocol, including representatives from the CHP, DEVA, Gelecek, Saadet Party, EMEP, TÖP, Halkevleri, our constituent parties, KESK, TTB, SODAP, IHD, the 78ers Initiative, and the Confederation of the Disabled, as well as Tunç Soyer, Leyla Zana, the Peace Mothers, and academics, writers, and intellectuals who are members of the Peace Train, took their places in the area.