İZMİR - İzmir Newroz Organizing Committee member Erkan Gökber stated that Newroz will ensure the first strong breakthrough of the Democracy Alliance, and said, "We invite  all peoples to break the chain of slavery, and fight together."

 

Preparations continue at full steam in İzmir, where Newroz celebrations will be held this year with the slogan "Dem dema serkeftinê ye" (Now is the time to win). An enthusiastic celebration is planned in the city, where leftists, socialist and workers' movements are also influential, as well as the Kurds. The Newroz fire will be lit in Gündoğdu Square on March 20 at 13.00.

 

Erkan Gökber, İzmir Provincial Spokesperson of the Social Freedom Party (TÖP), a member of the Newroz Organizing Committee, stated that the 2022 Newroz is important for the Democracy Alliance and called for participation.

 

A THIRD FRONT IS ESSENTIAL

 

Expressing that people are going through a period in the country where people were condemned to poverty, unemployment and the cost of living is high, Gökber drew attention to the fact that the slavery regime imposed on the working class was not independent of the assimilation and oppression policies imposed on the Kurdish people. Saying that the AKP-MHP bloc is trying to dominate the country with fascism, Gökber said, “The anger of the society is increasing day by day. We all know the struggle for freedom waged by the Kurdish people. In addition, we are in a period where there is a significant rise in the labor movement. We think there must be a united struggle where different groups come together. In this regard, it is very important to develop a democratic alliance and establish a third front.”

 

NEWROZ WILL UNITE THE PEOPLES

 

Stating that the current alliance can no longer promise anything to people, Gökber said, “There have been  efforts for an alliance with the calls of the HDP recently. This alliance will prove to be effective during the Newroz celebrations. Newroz will provide the alliance's first strong breakthrough. Newroz represents the awakening of the nature and peoples, for all peoples from Asia to the Caucasus. It will turn the problems we experience into a struggle.We must strengthen the demand of equal citizenship of the Alevi community, the freedom struggle of the Kurds and the struggle of the working class."

 

THERE IS A GREAT INTEREST IN NEWROZ 

 

Stating that the 2022 Newroz will also strengthten the people against the troublesome process experienced with the pandemic, Gökber emphasized that the peoples will make a strong breakthrough. Emphasizing that Newroz is critical for the struggle of both the Kurdish people and other social dynamics, Gökber continued: “People's interest in Newroz is very intense. We see that people are suffering from poverty and the fact that they are not considered to be equal citizens. This creates an anger.  People feel abandoned. Therefore, they are very interested in our work. It is important that the demand for freedom, equal citizenship and a humane life come out for them as a united line of struggle.

 

INVITATION FOR THE UNITED STRUGGLE

 

Our efforts aim to build a bridge between 2022 Newroz and Labour Day. We have to unite around our basic demands, therefore we invite all our peoples to unite around the rights of the Kurds, the Alevi community and the working class and join the Newroz celebrations."

 

 

MA / Tolga Guney