Çarşema Sor, the New Year and the most important holiday of the Yazidi community, is being celebrated today all over the world with various cultural events and traditional ceremonies. KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Presidential Council Member Sozdar Avesta sent a special video message for the Çarşema Sor celebrations in the Kersê Valley in Shengal. Avesta’s message was received with great enthusiasm by the people.
In addition to her celebration message, Sozdar Avesta also made calls to the religious authorities of the Yazidis and the Shengal administration on the occasion of Çarşema Sor, asking that in this complex situation in the region, Yazidis act with one voice to both defend themselves and guarantee their legitimate rights.
‘Thanks to the martyrs and Leader Öcalan, we can celebrate this holiday on free land’
Sozdar Avesta began her message as follows: “On my own behalf and on behalf of my movement, I send you my greetings, love, and longing. I celebrate the Çarşema Sor holiday, especially for the families of martyrs, for all captives of the genocide, for all mothers, for women resisting, and for all our people of Êzîdxan (Yazidi land). I commemorate with respect the martyrs of the genocide, the martyrs of the freedom movement, and the martyrs of Êzîdxan. Dear people, if we are able to celebrate this holiday with joy and happiness on sacred and free land today, we owe it to the martyrs and to Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan). On this occasion, I also congratulate Leader Apo on this holiday.”
‘It is a holiday of unity and alliance’
Stating that Çarşema Sor is also a festival of the Kurdish people and all peoples of the Middle East, Sozdar Avesta continued: “Çarşema Sor is the most ancient holiday that the people of Êzîdxan have celebrated for thousands of years. It represents the creation of the world and is a great tradition. It is accepted as a holiday of unity and alliance, the revival of April, and the arrival of spring. It is also a holiday of all Middle Eastern peoples. I also congratulate the Kurdish people and the peoples of the Middle East on this holiday.”
‘Yazidi people suffered greatly and put up great resistance’
Drawing attention to the struggle of the Yazidi community to preserve its culture and beliefs, especially the Yazidis who are still held captive, Sozdar Avesta continued: “Our people have suffered greatly throughout history in order to maintain their traditions and live their belief freely. They have faced 74 genocidal campaigns and suffered major genocides. They have put up great resistance in order to live their faith, culture, language, and identity freely. Most recently, our people suffered the genocide of August 3, 2014. Since that day, these holidays have also been marked with a broken heart even though we want to celebrate them with joy. There are still captives in the hands of ISIS mercenaries. I also congratulate them on this holiday. I hope that the struggle of the coming year will lay the foundation for the liberation of these captives.”
‘Our people are preparing themselves so as not to face another genocide’
Sozdar Avesta drew attention to the dangers in the region and greeted the establishment of the People’s Council Congress and the Yazidi Youth Party: “As we have observed, this year Çarşema Sor is being celebrated in Êzîdxan as a cultural and artistic festival. Dear people, the Third World War continues in the Middle East, and the entire region is in a deep crisis. As the Yazidi community, you are also following this, and we believe that our people are preparing themselves for this process so as not to face another genocide.”
‘Do not allow our people to be victimized once again’
The message continued: “In the recent period, the Shengal People’s Council held its congress with the spirit of Çarşema Sor. In addition, the Yazidi Youth Party was established. I congratulate all the youth of Êzîdxan and wish your party success. I hope that the problems of the Yazidi community will be resolved through democratic and peaceful methods and democratic societal politics. In order for our people not to become victims in the chaos of the region, my call to the people of Êzîdxan is this: you must strengthen your unity, unite your defense forces, and not allow our people to be victimized once again. A stance must be taken against those who do not join this alliance. Çarşema Sor is the Wednesday of alliance. All attacks against our people must be resisted and rendered ineffective.
‘Leader Apo sees himself as a member of the Yazidi community’
The labor, ideas, and philosophy of Leader Apo have a great role in the celebration of this holiday. In all his messages in past years, Leader Apo drew attention to the existing dangers for the Yazidi community and stated that the freedom of the Yazidi community lies in a democratic society. He defined the call for peace and a democratic society as the ‘Êzîdxan Renaissance.’ Renaissance means self-construction, awareness, and ensuring one’s security; it means being able to stand with free will against all kinds of attacks.
At the same time, Leader Apo has presented himself as a member of the Yazidi community and as someone who carries the Yazidi faith. This is a great honor for the Yazidi community. Therefore, the Yazidi community must rebuild itself with this perspective in Êzîdxan, throughout Kurdistan, and abroad.”
‘All states should recognize the Yazidi identity’
Sozdar Avesta stated that displaced people from Serêkaniyê and Afrin are returning to their lands and said: “Our people in Rojava Kurdistan and our Yazidi community have once again turned their direction toward Afrin. In Serêkaniyê, in the camps of South Kurdistan, and throughout Kurdistan, this is the spring of the peoples and of our Yazidi community. The direction of our people must be toward their own land. On this occasion, I appeal our people living in camps in South Kurdistan: return to your lands. Join your people one by one and unite with them. This is what will lead us to success. The attention of our people abroad must, in every respect, be focused on Shengal and Êzîdxan. We call for the recognition of Yazidi identity in all countries where Yazidis live, especially in Iraq, and for the recognition of their culture, belief, and language. Among the thousands of flowers of spring, the Yazidi community must be the brightest flower, giving its color to all societies.”
‘We must see self-defense as more essential than bread and water’
Sozdar Avesta continued: “Dear people, the leadership of women and youth is most necessary for this society. Our society must turn this process into a process of success and freedom with the spirit of youth and the emotions of mothers who seek freedom. We must take greater ownership of our defense forces. We must see self-defense as more essential than bread and water. On the occasion of Çarşema Sor, I call on Mala Mîran and Bavê Şêx; you must now establish your unity. Act with one faith, one hand, one spirit, one voice, and do not allow this society to experience fragmentation again.”
‘All Yazidi society is focused on Shengal’
KCK Presidential Council Member Sozdar Avesta concluded her message by stating that all Yazidi society is focused on Shengal: “I hope this holiday becomes one of unity, solidarity, resistance, freedom, and great democracy. Once again, I congratulate our people and the peoples of the Middle East on this holiday. Long live a free and democratic Êzîdxan. Long live Leader Apo.”
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