Today is Kurdish Language Day, but Kurdish still banned
NEWS CENTER (DİHA) - Kurdish people have taken streets today in lots of centers within the pioneering of KURDÎ-DER (Kurdish Language Improvement and Research Union) in order to celebrate 15 May Kurdish Language Day. The crowds have celebrated their day with activities and marches inspite of ongoing ban on the language.
The statements of the crowds drew attention on the policies of assimilation and oppression on the Kurdish language. The Kurds underlined that they were celebrating the day not in air of festival, but in air of struggle.
In Ergani district of the main Kurdish city of Diyarbakır, a festivity was held by KURDİ-DER and joined by thousands of people including Mehmet Taşkesen and Makbule Karakaya, the co-chairs of the union. Kurdish placards and slogans marked the festivity. The crowd of people danced halays accompanied by Kurdish songs.
In southeastern provinces of Siirt, Batman and Bingöl, the citizens came together and made statements concerning Kurdish Language Day. The officials of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Democratic Regions Party (DBP), HDP deputy candidates, co-mayors, and representatives of non-governmental organizations also participated into the acts. Speaking in Siirt, HDP Siirt Deputy Candidate Kadri Yıldırım said, "Kurdish language must be official langauge and it's must be taken under legal assurance".
The crowds in Mardin's Nusaybin district and Urfa province also celebrated the day with statements condemning the ongoing ban on the Kurdish language.
In Malatya, Mersin and Adana, mass of people held marches and then held celebrations. The citizens put on their traditional Kurdish clothes and chanted slogans of "There can't be any life without language", and "Language is honour".
Eastern provinces of Muş, Ağrı and Iğdır witnessed marches and press statements within the pioneering of KURDÎ-DER and TZP-Kurdî. HDP deputy candidates and hundreds of citizens supported the actions.
In Yüksekova district and Van province, thousands of people held massive marches and celebrated the day. In Van, a stand of Azadiya Welat, a Kurdish journalist, was opened and the locals showed an intense interest in it.
(nt)
