Our Statements

The Kurds and the People of Şengal Will Never Forget the Massacre and Will Continue to Demand Accountability

On the 8th anniversary of the massacre committed against our Êzidî people in Şengal [Sinjar], we condemn it once again and commemorate those who lost their lives in the massacre. The Kurdish Freedom Movement, the Kurdish people and the people of Şengal will never forget this massacre and will continue to hold the perpetrators to account as they have done until today.

The massacre of our Êzidî people by Daesh [Islamic State] has been one of the heaviest and most painful massacres in the history of humanity. This massacre was carried out in front of the eyes of the world, especially the regional states. But no one made any effort to prevent the massacre and the Êzidî community was left to face the massacre. The Şengal Massacre is a great shame for the region and for humanity. The only and right way out of this situation is to stand by the struggle of the people of Şengal for freedom and existence, to support the struggle of the people of Şengal not to be subjected to massacres again and to be able live their faith, identity and culture.

Êzidîs have been subjected to great massacres throughout history. As a result of these massacres, which our Êzidî people define as Fermans, there have been massacres repeatedly, people have been displaced from their homes, and great suffering has been experienced. The reason for these massacres against our Êzidî people is that Êzidîs have a different faith and culture and want to live accordingly. Throughout history, Êzidîs have never harmed, oppressed or forced anyone to do anything. They have only tried to live their faith and culture freely and to maintain their existence. This is not only the most natural right of every people, but also a necessity of being a society. In fact, the Êzidîs have not established a state throughout history and therefore the concept of oppression and sovereignty has no place in their traditions. However, unfortunately, states and collaborative powers acting with a monist and sovereignist understanding have imposed genocide on the Êzidîs throughout history and massacred the people. Having been subjected to dozens of Fermans throughout history, the Êzidîs have sought refuge in the mountains of Şengal to avoid massacres and to protect their beliefs, language, culture and identity as a people. Therefore, Êzidîs consider the mountains and geography of Şengal as their sacred homeland.

The massacre launched by Daesh on August 3, 2014, which the Êzidî people define as the 73rd Ferman, was a continuation of the massacres carried out throughout history. The goal of this massacre was the completion of the Êzidî genocide. In this respect, the 73rd Ferman was the biggest massacre of Êzidîs in history. Despite dozens of massacres, the Êzidî people have been able to preserve their existence by spreading to the geography of Şengal and have managed to carry their faith to this day. Since the massacring forces knew the importance of Şengal for the Êzidî people, they planned to attack the area directly. If this attack had taken place as planned and reached its conclusion, the entire population would have been massacred. Then, they would have turned to other areas where Êzidîs lived, especially Şêxan and Laleş, and the Êzidî community would have been completely eliminated by massacres in these areas as well. When the massacre began, as had already decided and prepared for, the KDP left the people of Şengal to their own fate and fled, leaving them to face the massacre. The Iraqi State and its army also did not recognize their responsibilities and did not protect the people against the massacre. However, the Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla intervened in this situation and saved the people of Sinjar from being massacred as a whole.

The KDP is responsible for the Şengal Massacre. Everyone knows that Daesh is a pawn and a gang of murderers. The KDP was in control of Şengal at the time. This situation imposed a responsibility on the KDP to protect the people. However, the KDP did not act as required by this responsibility and fled, leaving the people to their own fate. After the KDP left the people of Şengal defenseless and fled, Daesh gangs massacred thousands of Êzidîs, seized Êzidî women and sold them as slaves in the markets. The KDP is undoubtedly responsible for this situation. This is also very grave in terms of humanity, for the KDP left the people to face massacre and fled when it was responsible for defending the people. However, instead of conducting a historical inquiry and self-criticism in the face of this situation, the KDP and some of its collaborators act as if this situation does not exist and dare to have a say on Şengal and the Êzidî people. Undoubtedly, this recklessness has no value in the eyes of the people of Şengal and the Kurdish people. The people of Şengal and the Kurdish people will never forget this historical shame and disgrace.

The fact that the KDP left the people face to face with a massacre and fled without firing a single bullet reveals that it was aware of the massacre in advance. This is very obvious. If this was not the case, some Peshmerga would have fought or at least left their weapons to the people while fleeing. But since the KDP was aware of the massacre and the plan and since the decision to flee was predetermined, such a result emerged. It is already known that meetings were held before the massacre to plan how Şengal and other places would be captured by Daesh and that the KDP participated in these meetings. Therefore, the forces that participated in these meetings are the real perpetrators and partners of the Şengal massacre.

The intervention of the Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla against the Daesh attacks prevented the emergence of a more serious situation. Seeing that the guerrilla was standing against Daesh and trying to prevent the massacre, the Êzidî people started to take part and fight alongside the guerrilla and thus the massacre was stopped. YPG and YPJ forces also came to the area as an important intervention and support force and played an important role in preventing the massacre.

The fact that Êzidi girls and boys came together to defend Şengal after the massacre and formed a defense organization was a very important and historical step taken on behalf of the people of Şengal. The expulsion of Daesh from Şengal and the liberation of the area was also the result of the struggle of the forces of Şengal. Many great heroes such as Şehit [martyr] Zerdeşt, Sait, Mam Zeki, Dijwar, Nazê, Gülçin and Berivan led the way in taking this historical step and liberating and defending Şengal. The Êzidî women, on the other hand, organized at all levels, especially militarily and politically, and led the way in the liberation and reconstruction of life, holding the massacre and mass murderers to account and thus giving them the most meaningful and correct answer.

As a people who have faced massacres throughout history and have been subjected to massacres in the 21st century, it is not only a right but also an obligation for the people of Şengal to defend themselves and organize themselves politically. As the Kurdish Freedom Movement, we consider it meaningful and correct for the people of Şengal to have a say over their own will and their attitude of self-defense. This attitude is legitimate and the most natural right. Therefore, everyone should support the people of Şengal to have a say over their lives. Supporting this attitude is also a requirement of respecting the people of Şengal. The intentions of those who make this a matter of discussion are absolutely evil. Only those who do not want the people of Şengal and Êzidî people to have a will can make these legitimate demands a matter of discussion. The KDP has such an attitude and approach. Since the KDP wants to rule over Şengal as before, it opposes the will of the people of Şengal to form their own self-administration and to defend themselves.

The attacks on Şengal aim to continue and complete the massacre carried out by Daesh, which could not be completed. Making the PKK a justification for the attacks is a big distortion and lie. Everyone knows very well that after the liberation of Şengal, the Kurdistan Freedom Guerrillas withdrew their forces from the area. Today, there are the Iraqi Army and the YBŞ and YJŞ forces in Şengal, formed the children of the people of Şengal. The PKK’s presence in Şengal is deliberately put forward by the KDP. Since the KDP is in cooperation with the Turkish state, it uses the PKK’s presence as a justification for the invasion of South Kurdistan. Thus, the KDP is trying to legitimize the Turkish state’s occupation and its own collaboration. But the Kurdish people know what kind of cooperation the KDP is in with the Turkish state. In terms of Şengal, the Kurdish people and the people of Şengal know very well what the reality of the KDP is. The Turkish state is hostile to the Kurdish and Êzidî people. Because of this enmity, it attacks Şengal. The KDP also encourages and supports these attacks. In fact, it was the Turkish state that made Daesh attack Şengal, Kobanê and other places. The KDP wants to re-establish dominance over Şengal by having the Turkish state attack and taking advantage of these attacks.

The KDP is also holding the people of Şengal in the camps as hostages and tries to take advantage of this situation. It holds the people in the camps hostage, prevents them from returning to Şengal and tries to use them for its policies in the area. At the same time, they see it as a vote depot and take advantage of this situation. While this is the reality, the claim that the PKK is preventing the people in the camps from returning is a big lie and distortion. Our Êzidî people know very well how the PKK approaches them and how it is making efforts for the return of Êzidîs to their homeland. Therefore, this statement of the KDP does not reflect the truth. On the other hand, the forces and representatives of Şengal have repeatedly called for the return of the people in the camps and have made efforts to this end. However, the KDP prevents the return of the people in the camps.

With regards to the attacks on Şengal, especially the attacks of the Turkish state, the international states and powers should not have fallen into a similar situation as they did in the face of the Şengal Massacre. However, they are not taking a stance against the attacks of the KDP and the Turkish state. Not taking a stance against the attacks on Şengal means being a partner in these attacks. The right attitude is to support the struggle of the people of Şengal, as a massacred people, to live in safety and to have a say over their will, and to stand against the attacks on Şengal. The parliaments of many countries have stated that Êzidîs have been subjected to genocide and have adopted resolutions to this effect. We see these as positive and meaningful steps. However, a people who have been subjected to genocide also have the right to live their faith, culture, language and identity, and this right must be recognized in the resolutions adopted in parliaments and other platforms. Everyone, especially the UN, should see themselves as responsible for the right of our Êzidî people, who were subjected to genocide because of their culture and beliefs, to live their culture and beliefs freely.

As the Kurdish Freedom Movement, on the 8th anniversary of the Şengal massacre, we once again commemorate all the martyrs of revolution and democracy in the person of those who lost their lives in the massacre and those who were martyred in the liberation and protection of Şengal until today, and we reiterate our promise to the martyrs. We state that we stand by the people of Şengal today as we have done in the past. We see Şengal and our Êzidi people as the relic of Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan], and we consider ourselves responsible and indebted for the survival and free life of Êzidxan. Once again, we call on all Êzidis to return to their homeland and strive for the realization of the ideal of a free Êzidxan.

Co-Presidency

KCK Executive Council