Amid increasing threats against the Yazidi town of Shengal (Sinjar) in northern Iraq, the movements of the Iraqi army in, and its attempts to leave the Yazidi community defenseless, are being met with strong reactions and a firm stance from Yazidis.
Yazidi women, who were subjected to the most severe attacks during the 2014 genocide, state that they will not allow Shengal, the Yazidi community, and especially Yazidi women to be left defenseless once again.
Yazidi women also call on the Iraqi government to officially recognize Shengal’s defense forces, YBŞ-YJŞ and Asayîşa Êzîdxan (Yazidi Internal Security Forces), and to ensure that Shengal is protected on this basis.
‘We will not leave ourselves defenseless’
Edûl Şemo, a member of the Yazidi Women’s Freedom Movement (TAJÊ), drew attention to the major threats facing Shengal, stating that no rational person would leave themselves unarmed and defenseless.
Edûl Şemo said, “If they take our weapons from us today, how will we protect ourselves? If they take our weapons, they will also take our land and subject us to another genocide as in 2014. There are Yazidi women and children still in the hands of ISIS.”
Clearly expressing their stance on self-defense, Edûl Şemo added: “Even if they gouge out our eyes, we will not hand over our weapons because we trust no one. Our children, the YBŞ and YJŞ, are protecting us. We will stand shoulder to shoulder and defend ourselves. How can we trust the Iraqi army which did not protect us during the genocide?
I appeal to all Yazidis: no one should surrender their weapon. Our children survived the genocide through their own strength; our girls and young people survived through their own strength. Why would anyone hand over their weapons to the Iraqi army? If they take our weapons today, tomorrow they will take our homes and hand them over to the Turkish state.”
‘The protection of Yazidis must be carried out by themselves’
Besê Avesta, a member of the Shengal Jineology Academy, recalled that the Iraqi army had collected weapons from the population before the 2014 genocide, and stated:
“They want to make us relive 2014. If we hand over our weapons to the Iraqi army today, the Yazidis will face a new genocide. If the Iraqi state truly wants to protect us, we already have our own forces. There are the YBŞ and YJŞ, who fought against ISIS during the genocide. Many Iraqi villages and towns were liberated by Yazidi youth—those forces should be officially recognized.
If they want to protect the Yazidis, then their protection must be carried out by themselves. Shengal should be recognized as a region affiliated with Iraq. We also want the Yazidi community to ensure its own unity.”
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