Yezidi human rights defender: “Armenia can save more Yezidis in this dire situation”. - Mediamax.am

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Yezidi human rights defender: “Armenia can save more Yezidis in this dire situation”.

Mirza Ismail
Mirza Ismail

Photo: Kelsey Harkness

Photo:


On 3 August 2014, Islamic State (IS) militants attacked and took over Sinjar, a Kurdish-controlled town that was home to Yezidis.

 

As a result, there were over 800 killed, thousands of captives and missing people and dozens of thousand migrants.

 

Mirza Ismail is the Chairman of the Yezidi Human Rights Organization based in Canada. Nowadays he is in Washington DC, meeting with different US officials, therefore trying to find solutions to save Yezidi population of Iraq. 

 

Mediamax presents its exclusive interview with the Yezidi human rights defender.

 

-Was the IS attack on Yezidi population of Iraq  a surprise for Yezidis or was it an expected act?

 

-This is not the first time the Yezidis have faced genocide. There have been 74 genocides against the Yezidis, just because we Yezidis practice ancient faith that is different from Islam. The IS attack was expected, when they took control over Iraqi-Syrian border, Baaj town (34 km south of Sinjar) and Talafar city (about 37 km east of Sinjar).  

 

Prior to the IS  attack against the Yezidis in Sinjar region on July 17, we (a Yezidi Delegation) came to Washington, DC, had meetings with three House of Representatives and U.S. State Department Office of Religious Freedom. At the meetings, we explained the situation of Iraqi Yezidis and the fact that they were surrounded by IS who had already killed many of them. 

 

For the Yezidis themselves the attack happened suddenly, but the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) officials were aware of it, and their militias did not fight against IS. The KRG also withdrew its militias from the Sinjar region just prior to the attack and they also refused to give Yezidis any weapons to defend themselves against the IS.

 

-KRG has called on the international society to deliver military aid for fighting against IS. Should KRG expect positive answer from the West?

 

- That is true, the KRG has asked the U.S., UK and EU as well for support with high technology weapons. I think EU has already agreed, but U.S. is still thinking about it.  However, this was a plan by the KRG to leave the Yezidis and Christians' areas of Sinjar region and Nineveh Plain in order to get support with good weapons, by convincing the West that if they had good weapons they would be able to protect the minorities. But it is not true at all, because KRG has been able to defend Erbil and take the Mosul Dam back from the ISIS with same weapons. So here is a question: why did the KRG not fight against ISIS in Sinjar and Nineveh Plain regions?

 

-According to a well-spread view IS is sponsored by Turkish state. What goal is Turkey trying to achieve by these kind of actions?

 

- Turkey has a very good relationship with the KRG. I think Turkey has sponsored the ISIS because they are Sunnis and that they are against the Regime of Bashar Al-Assad in Syria. This is not something new, the conflict between the Sunnis and Shiites has been there for centuries. From my own perspective the Sunnis are scared of the Abbasi State (including Iran, Iraq and Syria) to come back. If these three countries unite under the Shiite Islamic State, it could become very powerful and later could destroy the Sunni countries such as Saudi Arabia. That’s why these Sunni countries created the IS or Islamic Khalifat that would fight against Iran, Iraq and Syria not to become a strong Shiite State. 

 

- Are Yezidis happy with reaction of international community or do they think that international society could do more?

 

- No, the Yezidis are not happy with the International community’s reaction. Of course, they could do more. They have not stopped the IS from killing the Yezidis. The situation gets worse day by day.

Presently, there are hundreds of thousands of displaced Yezidis in the KRG regions, who sleep in streets, parks, schools, open fields, etc. The International aid has not reached 50% of those displaced Yezidis. Young babies die every day of starvations and lack of medical care.

 

-Armenia is the 5th country with biggest Yezidi population (35 thousand). How can Armenia help Iraqi Yezidis?

 

- We think that Armenia should be the first country to send humanitarian aid to Iraqi Yezidis, because the Armenians and the Yezidis, Chaldo-Assyrians in past have gone together through many difficult times and Armenians know how does it look like to face a total genocide.  Any humanitarian aid is greatly appreciated. The Yezidis and Armenians have saved each other in the past and I think Armenia can save more Yezidis in this difficult and dire situation.

 

- What is happening nowadays with Yezidi population of Iraq, is often compared with the Armenian Genocide in 1915.  Does the history repeat 100 years later?

 

- Well, at the same time with the Armenian Genocide in 1915, there was a genocide against Yezidis, during which 350 thousands Yezidis were killed. 

 

My grandfather was from Urfa and he escaped the genocide and fled to Syria and then to Iraq. Though at that time (1915), the Turkish and Kurdish did not have that high technology weapons, there is no much difference between the past and current situation. That time’s killings and beheadings are being repeated by the IS today. But in 1915 we did not have UN and NATO, who are nowadays responsible for the World Affairs and they are still failing to protect the Yezidis.

 

-While raising awareness about the recent tragedy of Iraqi Yezidis, what would you like to address the international society at this moment?

 

- The whole world is aware that total genocide against the most peaceful nation is taking place nowadays. We can’t force the international societies to do more. As Yezidis maybe we deserve this 74th genocide in the 21 century or maybe God created us (Yezidis) by mistake, so that Islam is trying to correct God's mistake… maybe that is why the world is not taking our issue seriously. 

 

By the way, Yezidis who were able to escape the IS and have reached the KRG controlled area, are facing assimilations into Kurdish culture…

Narine Daneghyan talked to Mirza Ismail.

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