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March 9, 2011
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Sulaimany: Day Twenty One of Protest, Let it Rain
Kurdishaspect.com - By Karzan Kardozi
Today was day Twenty One of the Protest here in Sulaimany, Iraqi Kurdistan. Despite the rain and the cold weather, they went on Protesting.
Let us start again from last night. Cloudy and cold last night, , the Protesters who had stayed at Maidany Azadi knew that it was gonna rain, but when? They move some of the tents under one of the traffic stop and many of them went inside the big tent in front of the picture of Sheik Mahmood. Some of them had pipes and sticks with them, they were ready to defend the place, the street-vender who is selling tea, he was there until late, lots of customer. More suspicion with anybody who looked like a reporter or carried camera, “Security Service are taking our pictures”. As it got late, some of the Protesters went home, there was news that an anti-terror force was just around the corner and ready to attck, the Protesters were ready again with sticks and pipes, “Let them come”. Later, few started to burn tire right in the middle of the street. Then, around 3:30 AM, it started to rain, and what a rain, it was pouring down as if from buckets, some ran inside the tents, some went home, others just stayed in the rain. Few Protesters were left by now, suddenly, a strike of lighting, it lit the whole place, white flashes, then thunder, the noise was deafening, more rain with heavy winds, some of the small tents got smashed, water running under the tents, move it to a corner to a higher ground. The rain went on all night, but some still stayed, “even if it rain axes, I won’t move”, that is the spirit.
A cloudy and rainy day today, very moody, but that did not stop the Protesters from taking to the Maidany Azadi for the third weeks, more umbrella, rain jackets and scarf, “Put it on, it is raining”, “Lower the umbrella, I can’t see”, “Lower it, it stopped raining”. The die-hard group in front of the speaker, they didn’t cre about no rain, as it was pouring, they went on chanting and applauding, nothing can stop them.
I finally got the focus ring on my camera fixed, take a walk with my friend Araz (From Deng Radio, they burned down his radio) to take pictures. First stop, the big tent in front of the big picture of Sheikh Mahmood, they had cleaned the inside of it, nor more water. A smaller tent inside, the Guy in it was on hunger strike, he has been on strike for the past two weeks, some would come and take picture with him. There were two groups inside gathering signatures, one of them for the resignation of President Masud Barzani, there number is now at 175,000 according to one them. “Take a picture of that guy on top of the big TV, and that one on the tree”.
Walk toward the loudspeaker, a gentleman who had a good view came down and let me take some picture of the crowds, loud shouting and applaud, there was a Guy beside me, he was holding a red card (In Football matches, red card mean the player is out), the red card had a picture of Masud Barzani on it, he would raise it and whiles “Out, Out” and the crowd would chant and applaud him, repeating, “Out, Out”, “بۆ دەرەوە، بۆ دەرەوە”. “Hey, could you turn the picture so I could take shot of it”, he did, I had a good shot.
here everyday, I will be with you”, poor guy, they loved him, he made a passionate speech, he has been out of the country for a long time, “Glad to be back and will stay with you all”. Then he went toward Shaeb Tea House “چاخانەی شەئب” , a place where intellectual gather and chat, many of the crowd chasing him.
Marching Students from University of Sulaimany
The University of Sulaimany was closed again, but the Students still gathered inside the building. A large group of them marched toward Maidany Azadi as they chanted and applauded all the way. They are the heart of the protest.
Walk around, many little Kids today, they dressed in Kurdish cloth and carrying Kurdistan flag, great pictures. That Guy, he was still on the tree, they told me that he come everyday and stay on top of the tree, “Why?’”, ‘He got the best view”, “No, those on top of the TV screen got the best”. Walk around more and listen to more speech. Take pictures of some street-vender, nice shot, the cold weather make the hot food stand out. A group of Kurds from North Kurdistan (Turkey’s Kurdistan) joined in today, they carried Apo’s picture (Abdullah Ocelan), loud cheers and welcome, speeches about solidarity.
Solidarity..........©Ozan Amed
Back to the big tent, there were few Youngsters who were cleaning the place, take picture of some of the writing on the wall, most them anti-government slogan, pictures of the tents that were drenched in water and left alone. Araz got us some tea, keep you warm. Some were still suspicious of anybody with camera, “What are you doing with those pictures” “It’s for Deng Radio and the Web”, “Radio, good, if it’s for a Radio and not a newspaper”, ‘Don’t worry, we won’t publish your picture, “Please don’t, I got a little salary and if they see me here, I won’t have that anymore”, we erased the picture right in front of him, made him happy.
There was an argument, a member of the Communist Party, he was giving away a free copy of the October Newspaper, a Young Man took one from him and ripped apart and tried to stop him from giving it away, “Why you doing that?”, “They are saying that we should not pray here on Friday”, the man with the paper looked at us, “Take a picture of him, he is suppressing my freedom of speech, we have enough trouble with PUK and KDP, why you?”, more argument, he was trying to convince the Young Man that everyone had the right to freedom of speech and anybody can agree or disagree with October Newspaper, he went on to giveaway the paper. Got a copy, some would read it right away, some put it in their pocket and some after looking at the headline will fold it and throw it away.
Today the Kurdistan Parliament was supposed to have a session, without talking to the opposition, the Speaker of Parliament (Kemal Kerkuki) canceled the session and would not allow anybody from the opposition to get inside the Parliament. The opposition went on to meet among themselves (Goran movement, Kurdistan Islamic Union, KIU, The Kurdistan Islamic Group KIG), there is news that the group that was responsible for the 17 point statement is now dissolved. Then news that the Opposition members are locked inside the Parliament, call to let them out. Yesterday’s session only lasted 5 minute. News that one of the wounded of Feb 17 shooting in front of KDP’s headquarter, Zmnako (The one who is dressed in red, shouting and pulling off his hair) is still in comma, he is in a hospital in Turkey.
It got late, less eight and darker, it started to rain. With Araz we decided to walk home in the rain for now. They are still protesting and many had plan to stay again overnight. The rain is heavy and the cloud gets darker and darker. Loud thunder and lightning.
Alas.......
I will leave you with this Photomontage that I made about that last 20 days of Protest (If you can’t access it, watch it on my Facebook Page here)
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They Shouted: "Out, Out", "بۆ دەرەوە، بۆ دەرەوە" --->>>
Now, listen to some speeches, more than any other days, a large number of Women spoke today, it was their day, they call it “Tuesday for Women”, call for more women to join in, a group of them marched to the square.
And who got today’s loudest chant? Bakhtiar Ali (Intellectual and a good novelist), he had just returned to the city, they almost stampede him, chasing him everywhere, like a rock star, he was shouting “Please, I beg you, just stay away a little, I won’t go away, I will come to see you all, come
