The 2nd Conference of Shengal People’s Municipalities was held yesterday in the hall of the Şengal Democratic Autonomous Administration Council (MXDŞ) in Deriyê Geliya Kersê, with the participation of 350 delegates, under the slogan “With people’s municipalities, we will make our own city, our own land, and our lives communal.”
The Maxmur Martyr Rûstem Cûdî Camp Municipality and the Qendîl Binar Municipality also attended the conference. The conference concluded with the perspective of launching a campaign to build communes.
Delegates from the Yazidi and Arab communities who attended the conference told our agency that they were pleased with the outcome of the conference.
Ziyad Qewal, co-chair of the Shengal Mountain Serdeşt People’s Municipality, said that when the municipality was established in 2015 (one year after the genocide), it was a very small structure, and continued: “Service work in the municipality began with a small team. Despite impossibilities and a lack of personnel, we served the Yazidi people. From that day until today, the municipality has continually grown. We have carried municipal work through all these difficulties to this point. Our conference also concluded successfully. Today, 14 municipalities have been established in Şengal. With the same methods and principles, we brought municipal work from a small structure to today’s level. Our people have supported us since the time of the genocide, and together we brought municipal governance to this stage. We want our people to take even stronger ownership of their municipalities from now on. Municipal work will grow further with the building of communes.”
“No one will remain unemployed with the building of communes”
Teacher Cîlan Silêman also drew attention to the discussions held at the conference and said: “Many issues were discussed at the conference and very good decisions were made. All the decisions taken were about society and protecting society. There are problems with water and unemployment in Shengal. Decisions were made to establish a water system. In addition, reducing unemployment and cleanliness were among the important topics of discussion. The council will build communes. With the building of communes, no one will remain unemployed.”
Bedîx Hemet, co-chair of the Bîrcarî (Arab) People’s Municipality, also emphasized the importance of the conference and stated that it carries great meaning for the people of Shengal.