Yazidis face the risk of losing their collective will

The history of the Iraqi state, from the period of the monarchy to the founding of the republic, has been marked by suffering for the Yazidis. Racist attacks, forced religious conversion, and attempts to disarm the community were used as instruments of repression. The geographic and religious distinctiveness of Shengal has repeatedly made the region a target of assimilation policies.

A similar scenario was put into effect even before the 3 August 2014 decree. Through an agreement with the Iraqi central government, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) collected the weapons held by the people. When ISIS began its attacks, the Yazidi people were unable to defend themselves, leading to a humanitarian catastrophe that shocked the world.

The disarmament of the Yazidis in 2014 led to catastrophe and genocide. Today, every attempt to disarm the people is viewed as preparation for a new decree.

Turkey’s pressure, heightened activity in Iraq

The issue of disarming the population has once again come to the fore. Following threats by Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the Iraqi state has stepped up activity on this front. Reports indicate that checkpoints have been increased across the region and that decisions have been taken to carry out house-to-house searches in villages and sub-districts, with the stated aim of collecting individual self-defense weapons from the population.

Undermining the will of the people

The steps taken by Iraq are being interpreted as an attempt to strip the Yazidis of their will. Political observers and prominent figures from Shengal warn that the Yazidis must draw lessons from past decrees and avoid falling into the trap of disarmament. Disarming the population is also being described as completing the unfinished 2014 decree of the Iraqi state.

The Yazidi people have risen up against these decisions. For them, weapons are not a means of war but a way of protecting their existence and dignity. If Iraq and regional powers succeed in their plans, the security of Shengal will once again be exposed to external threats.