Salih Muslim, the co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), shared his views on the emerging message of this year’s Newroz celebrations, for which millions of Kurds organised massive demonstrations.

Muslim underlined that Kurdish people “sent important messages” to the world with the massive Newroz events they held in various parts of the Middle East and around the world.

“Newroz 2021 is a Newroz of revival. Newroz included messages for domestic and foreign politics,” said Muslim. “It was a meaningful message both for our friends and our enemies.”

Historical meaning of Newroz and the ’embracing’ of Abdullah Öcalan

It is resistance, freedom and a struggle for democracy and co-existence, said Muslim regarding the historical meaning of the Newroz celebration for the Kurdish people.

This has led to the mass embracing of Abdullah Öcalan, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader, said Muslim. “Leader Abdullah Öcalan,” he noted, “was born in Northern Kurdistan and he carries the Kurdish culture. He demanded the rights of the Kurdish people. His thought and ideology represents the liberation of peoples from the oppression and tyranny.”

Despite the ban and censorship on Öcalan’s philosophical and political thoughts, Muslim said, “The books of Öcalan are discussed nowadays from Egypt to Europe, from Baghdad to Damascus. Because people around the world see themselves in his thought.”

‘Strong message’ of Newroz

Muslim shared his views on the Newroz 2021 events held in Turkey, which he refers to as “Northern Kurdistan”. “Kurdish people gave the message in Newroz that their only representative is Abdullah Öcalan,” said Muslim. “They also shared the message of national unity. This was a strong message to those who co-operate with the Turkish state.”

Finally sharing his greetings for all those people celebrating Newroz, Muslim promised that the PYD will continue its democratic struggle for the dreams of oppressed people.

One of the founding members of the PYD in 2003, Salih Muslim is a prominent Kurdish politican who has been known for his dedicated engagement in the Kurdish struggle for over 40 years, as well as for his key role in building a democratic adminsitration in Syria.

Muslim lost his son Shervan Salih Muslim, a fighter in the People’s Protection Units (YPG), in the battle against ISIS in Tell Abyad (Gire Spi).