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Thousands of people from all age groups gathered in the Kurdish-populated Diyarbakır city for a concert by Koma Amed, one of the most prominent Kurdish music groups of the 1990s. The Oct 26 event marked the group’s return to the city after 30 years.
Many attendees carried posters with the slogan “Berî her tiştî Kurdîm” (“Before everything, I am Kurdish”) and photos of Evdilmelik Şêx Bekir, a founding member of Koma Amed.
Founded in 1988 by university students in Ankara, Koma Amed rose to prominence in the 1990s and became one of the leading groups in Kurdish music. In the years that followed, the group’s members were forced to seek asylum abroad due to political reasons.
Several well-known Kurdish artists who live abroad, including Şivan Perwer, Xelil Xemgin, Hozan Şemdin, İlkay Akkaya, Hesen Şerif, Hozan Dilovan, and Gülîstan Perwer, sent messages of support to the concert. Politicians Selçuk Mızraklı and Selahattin Demirtaş also shared greetings, stating, “We hope to meet again in free tomorrows”.
Speaking after the messages, Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Serra Bucak said the long wait for Koma Amed had finally ended.
She added, “May the Kurdish people, and especially our beloved mothers, see their longing for peace, democracy, and unity come to an end. Let the Kurdish people and all other communities live together in peace and harmony. May this concert help realize the Kurdish people’s aspirations.”
Among the attendees were the family and friends of Rojin Kabaiş, a student at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University who died under suspicious circumstances. Carrying signs with her photograph, they called for justice on her behalf.
The concert, which began with high energy and emotion, ended with traditional Kurdish dances. (BS/GÖ/VK)