Ömerli, Halfeti
| Ömerli | |
|---|---|
  Ömerli | |
| Coordinates: 37°19′N 37°56′E / 37.32°N 37.94°ECoordinates: 37°19′N 37°56′E / 37.32°N 37.94°E | |
| Country | Turkey |
| Province | Şanlıurfa |
| District | Halfeti |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Mehmet Tarhan |
| Elevation | 600 m (2,000 ft) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Urban | 582 |
Ömerli, formerly known as Amara, is a village in Halfeti, Şanlıurfa Province, southeastern Turkey. The population is estimated at 1,182. Many of the population have moved to Germany for employment. Kurdish is spoken widely in the village. It has a small primary school with nearby villages providing secondary or further education.
The village was founded by the Paulicians.
The village is the birthplace of Abdullah Öcalan, the convicted terrorist and Kurdish leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), who was born there on April 4, 1949. Every year on his birthday thousands of Kurds march towards the village to celebrate his birthday. On April 4, 2009, a group of 15.000 Kurds was marching towards Amara. The march was interrupted by Turkish authorities resulting in clashes. Two men lost their lives.[1]
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